KJ

Facebook says roughly 70 percent of its users in the United States now have friends who identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual, which might help explain why the social network saw well over 3 million mentions of today's Supreme Court decisions in favor of marriage equality. Within 24 hours of the United States Supreme Court's two landmark decisions on same-sex marriage, Facebook saw an unprecedented spike in user activity around the issue, the social network said Thursday. A Facebook spokesperson told that more than 4 million mentions of its top 10 keywords related to the court's decisions on California's Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act — terms like "doma," "gay," "unconstitutional," "prop 8," "marriage" and, of course, "equal." In the United States alone, this also led to more than 15 million interactions (likes, comments on one another's status updates, and posts) related to the Supre...

Chillas in northern Pakistan looks like a ghost town after gunmen shot dead at least nine foreign tourists. The streets are quiet. Barely a soul stirs, save for one fruit vendor who every few seconds bashes his produce with a duster to chase away the flies. Chillas, northern Pakistan is a ghost town. The killings by the Pakistani Taliban of the foreign mountaineers has everyone spooked. The remaining foreigners have shipped back to the capital. The hotels are empty, except for a few Pakistani families trying to enjoy the scenery. And what spectacular scenery it is. I am at the foothills of the Himalayas. Rising in the distance is the snow drenched Nanga Parbat mountain. For centuries it's been called by locals "killer mountain" and for good reason. Many have lost their lives trying to reach the top. For rock climbers it's a tougher challenge than Everest, which is highest peak in the world. It's dangerous because its terrain is jagged and unforgi...

By: Jeff Haden Ghostwriter, Speaker, Inc. Magazine Columnist Everyone agrees no business is better than its employees. So if hiring the right people is so important... why are most interviewers satisfied with being mediocre interviewers? Maybe they assume the burden of greatness lies solely with the employee. (“Hey, it’s his job to impress me.”) But that's short-sighted and, well, stupid. To find the best employees you possibly can, you must be the best interviewer you possibly can. Here are the key qualities of skilled interviewers: 1. They understand their real needs. A great employee doesn't just fill a slot on the org chart. A great employee solves at least one critical business need. So while credentials, qualifications, and experience are important, never forget you’re not hiring a position: You’re hiring a result. You don’t need a Sales Director; you need someone who will sell. You don’t need a VP of Ops; you need someone who can produce on time. Identify...

Schools in the capital Kuala Lumpur and surrounding Selangor have been closed and children advised to stay indoors. It's been 16 years (think it was 1997 but better check wasn't 98) since Indonesian forest fires first shrouded Singapore and Malaysia in a smoky, choking cloud of pollution. In that time governments in all three countries have done an awful lot of talking about what is euphemistically known as the "haze". Asean, the regional grouping, got involved with the Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution back in 2002, a document now ratified by all of Asean’s ten members, except Indonesia. But none of the talk appears to have had much impact on the ground. As I write this, Kuala Lumpur's Twin Towers, symbol of Malaysian modernity and development, are all but invisible. The only buildings that I can see are the ones immediately next door. The rest of the city, if I can make it out at all, is an eerie, landscape of shadows. Schools in Kuala Lumpur...

Nelson Mandela has taken a turn for the worse and is now in critical condition at a South African hospital, officials said Sunday. "The doctors are doing everything possible to get his condition to improve and are ensuring that Madiba is well-looked after and is comfortable. He is in good hands," President Jacob Zuma said in a statement, referring to the 94-year-old former president by his nickname. Zuma and African National Congress Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa visited Mandela at the Pretoria hospital and were briefed on his condition by the medical team, the statement said. They asked the world to pray for the anti-apartheid icon and his family "during this difficult time." A portrait of former South African President Nelson Mandela rests against the wall as messages written by visitors are seen on the wall at Regina Mundi church in Soweto township, a flashpoint during the anti-apartheid struggle, in Johannesburg, South Africa, 23 June 2013. Mandela...

Serena Williams, Paula Deen and Vladimir Putin For the week ending 21 June, here is the news making waves in America - all in 140 characters or less. 1. So what's the mayor of Vancouver up to these days? Presumably sticking up a Tim Horton's or something. Politics editor at Business Insider Josh Barro (@jbarro) pondered which Canadian mayor will next cause a major scandal after the mayor of Montreal was arrested this week and charged with fraud. Recently, two news organisations said they had viewed a video of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford smoking crack cocaine - which he denied. 2. Pro tip for @serenawilliams or others discussing rape: if "I'm not blaming the girl, but…" exits your mouth, stop there. There is no "but." In an interview with Rolling Stone, tennis star Serena Williams made off-hand comments about a 16-year-old gang rape victim that many, including writer and producer Jamil Smith, (@JamilSmith) found highly inappropriate. Williams late...

Q: What are the four types of returns available from investment real estate?   A: Spendable (cash flow) income, principal reduction or equity buildup, appreciation and leverage.   Q: Why must you consider the effects of inflation when establishing your investment goals?   A: Most of the people over the age of 65 are practically broke because they failed to consider the effects of inflation on their investment funds. You can plan on needing twice as much in ten years to do what you can today on your present spendable income.   Q: How do you determine if it makes sense to refinance your home to obtain investment capital?   A: Use the formula in Module 3 which tells you how much you must earn on the borrowed cash in order to offset the added mortgage payments on your home.   Q: Why is it extremely important to carefully analyse a property that can be purchased with no money down?   A: Any property that is 100% leveraged will probab...