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America's 33 Years Of Failure In Iraq [PHOTOS]

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USAF_F 16A_F 15C_F 15E_Desert_Storm_edit2America's rocky relationship with Iraq didn't start 10 years ago with the beginning of the war that would eventually oust Saddam Hussein.

It didn't even start in 1990, following Saddam's invasion of Kuwait.

In fact, the two countries began their modern relationship some 33 years ago, becoming entangled due to a violently deposed Persian Monarch and Washington's push to rein in an intransigent Iran.

Policy planners thought the key to maintaining control over the resource rich Middle East started with shaking Saddam's hand.

Things haven't exactly worked out as planned.

The year was 1980. America had just lost a key Middle Eastern ally in the Iranian Revolution.



US officials and media began publicly to consider Iraq as a new top ally in the Persian Gulf.

Source: Teicher, Howard. Twin Pillars To Desert Storm, William Morrow and Company, Inc. New York, 1993



Meanwhile Iranian calls for a Shia-led-coup in iraq led to rising tensions and border skirmishes.



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The 10 Most Luxurious Lawyer Homes

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Brantley Estate

Lawyers across the country often earn enough money to buy some pretty sweet real estate. 

Attorneys have paid $40 million for a Manhattan penthouse or a little bit less for a family-friendly mansion in suburban Virginia.

A former Homeland Security advisor to George W. Bush and a key member of O.J. Simpson's defense team are just a couple lawyers who have done well enough to buy enviable homes.

If you live in a cramped studio apartment, prepare to feel a little jealous when looking at these beautiful homes. Everybody else can simply enjoy awe-inspiring real estate porn.

Lawyer and Confederate general William F. Brantley built this amazing Savannah mansion.

Some of our lawyer homes are historical.

Brantley built this incredible 9,700-square-foot home in 1857 in Savannah's Forsyth Park neighborhood, according to its listing. It was renovated in 2007 and is selling for a whopping $4.75 million.

The beautiful mansion has five bedrooms, eight baths, and (maybe) the ghost of a Confederate general who was murdered in a family feud, Curbed reports. 



Florida lawyer Jim Ferraro built this outrageously large estate on Martha's Vineyard.

University of Miami football player-turned-trial lawyer Jim Ferraro began building this 23,000-square-foot estate on Martha's Vineyard in 2003, and his neighbors weren't too happy

He reportedly had to pacify them at board meetings by showing them plans for the 61-room complex, which was completed in 2009. It has 14 bedrooms, 20 bathrooms, a pool, a basketball court, a tennis court, a bocci ball court, and a putting green, according to the Wall Street Journal, which also has some really cool pictures

He told WSJ that it took $27 million and 80 workers to finish the estate, which has hosted up to 50 of his relatives at once. 

Ferraro, who runs his own law firm specializing in mass tort law, made his name suing drug manufacturers, chemical makers, and asbestos companies.  



Former DNC finance chair Marvin Rosen lives in this swank building on Central Park West.

Former Greenberg Traurig partner Marvin Rosen lives in this upscale pre-war coop, the Beresford, at 211 Central Park West.

He bought an apartment there late last year from journalist Kati Marton, who lived there with her third husband, the late diplomat Richard Holbrooke, the New York Observer reported. Marton originally bought the apartment in the mid-'90s with her second husband, fellow reporter Peter Jennings, according to the Observer. 

Rosen and his wife Janet snagged the four-bedroom apartment for the "bargain price" of $11 million, according to the New York Observer. 

Rosen was the finance chairman for the Democratic National Committee from 1995 to 1997 and helped raise $120 million for Bill Clinton's re-election campaign, the New York Times reported. He joined Greenberg Traurig as a partner specializing in corporate securities in 1983 and remained a practicing lawyer until 2000, his Forbes bio says. 



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The Absolute Best Architecture In Shanghai [PHOTOS]

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Apple Store Shanghai

With the help of our readers, our Architecture City Guide is headed to Shanghai.

Shanghai is noted for having more Art Deco buildings than any other city, including László Hudec’s Park Hotel, which is not on our list but will be added in a future guide.

Like many cities in China, Shanghai’s rapid growth has meant a boon in contemporary architecture styles.

We put together a list of 12 modern/contemporary buildings that we feel provides a good starting point. It is far from complete. There are dozens of other great buildings that are not our list, and we are looking to add to the list in the near future. 

The Shanghai Oriental Sports Center: The SOSC celebrated its opening for the 14th FINA World Swimming Championships in July 2011. It consists of a hall stadium for several sports and cultural events, a natatorium (swimming hall), an outdoor swimming pool and a media centre.



Shanghai Museum of Glass: Located in Shanghai’s Baoshan District, this former glass manufacturing site covers a total area of 29,612sqm including thirty existing buildings varying in age and scale.



Shanghai Houtan Park: Built on a brownfield of a former industrial site, Houtan Park is a regenerative living landscape on Shanghai’s Huangpu riverfront.



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7 Comedians' Epic Disses Of Jay Leno

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Conan OBrien Jay Leno

In 2010, Jay Leno and the NBC brass behind him ousted Conan O'Brien from the network in what would become known as "The 'Tonight Show' Conflict."

After the incident made Leno look like a bully, his fellow comedians and late night colleagues didn't all react kindly.

The same is now happening in what appears to be a repeat situation — but this time it's Leno in the hot seat, with pressure to keep up with his younger competition like Jimmy Kimmel.

With NBC rumored to be giving 62-year-old Leno's coveted late night time slot to 38-year-old Jimmy Fallon, many are saying Leno is just getting what he had coming. 

Jimmy Kimmel is Jay Leno's most outspoken competition.

  • “As a comedian, you can’t not have disdain for what he’s done. He totally sold out,” the ABC late night host told Rolling Stone in January, calling Leno "a master chef who opened a Burger King.”
  • “Everyone is better than Leno,"  Kimmel bluntly told New York Magazine of his competition.
  • On Wednesday, Kimmel told CNN's Jake Tapper: "Obviously NBC is looking to move on, because they did it once already. This would be the second time that this has happened. So it makes perfect sense. And Jimmy Fallon is doing a great job. And he’s very popular. And so, I mean, hey, eventually, it’s going to happen one way or the other. I mean, one way or the other, it gets going to have to happen, right?"


Conan O'Brien was burned by Leno, and now says he has nothing in common with the auto-lover.

  • "The odds are we will both leave this Earth without speaking to each other, which is fine," O'Brien told The Hollywood Reporter after the 2010 "Tonight Show" controversy. "There's really nothing to say. We both know the deal. He knows; I know. I'd rather just forget ... It helps that almost everybody involved in the craziness has been relieved of their jobs."
  • "He and I are different, so we didn't have a lot to talk about in common," O'Brien said during an appearance on Letterman. "I didn't own many automobiles that were made before 1904, primarily of brass and leather… There are very few ways in which he and I relate. We're not interested in the same things. He was my lead-in. He was the host of 'The Tonight Show.' I was the host of 'The Late Night Show.'"


Jimmy Fallon joked about the rumors he is replacing Leno.

  • Fallon opened his show this week by jokingly addressing the rumors: “I have to talk about the rumors that came out today which say that I’ll be moving up to 11:30, or as my parents call it, ‘Umm, still too late.’ Actually the rumors are true: NBC is turning 'The Tonight Show' into a diving competition. So exciting."




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The 10 Hottest Startups In Australia Right Now

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shoes of prey team

Australia is bustling with hot startups.

"There are a bunch of companies now that are choosing to stay (in Australia)," Rebekah Campbell, founder and CEO of Australia-based Posse, tells Business Insider. "Whereas just a few years ago, everyone thought that you just have to move over (to the U.S.) straight away."

Some of that is in part thanks to a software company called Atlassian, which has proved that it's possible to start a hugely successful, global brand in Australia. 

Still, Campbell says there's a funding problem in Australia. There's a pretty good angel investing scene in Australia, and also some VCs who will fund post-revenue, growing companies, Campbell says.

"But there is a huge gap in the middle where you're post-seed, you've done well and you have a little bit of traction, but you're not profitable," Campbell says. "There's not really any funding for those companies in Australia."

On the flip side, Australia is great for finding talented engineers because there's less competition as compared to the U.S., Campbell says. 

That's likely why we see a fair amount of Australian startups with additional offices located in the U.S. After scouring websites like Startup Smart, and speaking with VCs and Australia-based entrepreneurs, we came up with a list of some of the hottest startups in Australia.

Pocketbook is tackling the personal finance space

Startup: PocketBook

Founded: October 2012

Location: Sydney, Australia

Founders: Bosco Tan and Alvin Singh

Concept: Personal finance management for bills, bank accounts, transactions, and savings goals.

Why you should care: Since Mint currently only supports U.S. and Canadian financial institutionsPocketbook has launched with Australia in mind. It simplifies the tax process, makes handling multiple bank accounts a breeze, and helps you manage your budget and understand your spending habits. 

It will eventually bring in data like rewards information, investments, bills, and invoices.

Funding: Unknown



Virtual Gaming Worlds lets you build virtual casinos and make real money

Startup: Virtual Gaming Worlds

Founded: November 2010

Location: Perth, Australia

Founder: Laurence Escalante

Concept: A virtual casino world that combines social gaming with gambling. You can build your own casino, populate it with games, and earn money from the traffic that comes through the casino. 

Why you should care: Google Developer Advocate Don Dodge called Virtual Gaming Worlds a "sure bet" to make money at the LAUNCH Festival in 2012. He went on to say that it's a multi-billion dollar opportunity. 

In places where online gambling is illegal, VGW users will only be able to use the virtual currency. 

Funding: Recently closed a $2.5 million Series A round led by Triple C Consulting.



Ninja Blocks allows you to connect the world to the web

Startup: Ninja Blocks 

Founded: 2012 

Location: Sydney, Australia and San Francisco, Calif.

Founders: Marcus Schappi and Pete Moore

Concept: Digital blocks that connect physical objects to the Internet. Each Wi-Fi-enabled block is packed with a custom Arduino board, an accelerometer and thermometer. With additional sensors, Ninja Blocks can detect humidity, motion, sound, light, and even capture video. 

Why you should care: You don't need to know how to program in order to get the full value of Ninja Blocks. You can tell Ninja Blocks to perform tasks like sending a text message to your phone when someone arrives at the front door, or to turn on a lamp if your baby starts crying.

The Ninja Blocks platform supports services like Dropbox, Twitter, Facebook, Google Docs, and Xbox Live. 

Funding: $1.1 million from Kickstarter and a slew of angel investors including Guitar Hero founder Kai Huang, and Atlassian founders Mike Cannon-Brookers and Scott Farquhar



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I Just Finished A 72-Hour Cleanse, And Now I Can't Stand The Thought Of Eating A Vegetable

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sam ro steak

I've always liked vegetables.

But I've also always loved junk food.

And while my blood pressure is normal and my cholesterol levels are optimal, I am overweight.

So, in an effort to kickstart a life-change, I went on a short cleanse diet. Specifically, I signed up for Organic Avenue's 3-day beginner's cleanse, a regimen of vegan juices and raw food.

Yes, it was a brief.

But three days off of coffee was painful, and it immediately hurt my performance at work.

And while most of the cleanse was very tasty — actually, the food was phenomenal— I spent much of the time struggling with what Organic Avenue calls "digestive disturbances." (Use your imagination)

I did lose around eight pounds in those three days. But it came at a severe cost: I now hate vegetables.

In the same way too many Tanqueray and tonics in college ruined me for gin, three days of non-stop kale, carrots, and collard greens now have me gagging at the thought of my next salad.

I asked Reese Blaisdell of Organic Avenue about my post-cleanse experience, and she said this was the first she heard of a person walking away with more of an aversion to vegetables.

This is likely the "effects of detoxing," speculated Reese. She explained that this could be the effects of a "body shock" as toxins were being dumped into my bloodstream.

I have faith that she's right and that my newfound distaste for greens will fade. But for now, the memory of my 3-day cleanse will haunt me.

Each morning at around 6am, Organic Avenue would deliver my food for the day.



The friendly orange sack came with a slip with the day's menu.



Each day's rations came in an insulated box with an ice pack. Everything was labeled with numbers.



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50 Mouthwatering Pictures Of Street Food In Singapore

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chili crab in Singapore

Singaporeans take their food very seriously.

Bad restaurants don't survive here for long, and good ones have long queues and are impossible to get into.

While Singapore has plenty of five-star fine dining options, most people opt to eat street food in the hawker centers, which are open-air food courts where vendors prepare everything from Malaysian curries to Indian roti and Chinese noodle soups.

The hawker center vendors are strictly monitored by the government for health and hygiene, meaning that it's nearly impossible to get sick from the food here.

We recently ate our way through Singapore, trying everything from hawker centers to fine restaurants. Here are the best things we ate.

Disclosure: Our trip to Singapore, including travel and lodging expenses, was sponsored by the Singapore Tourism Board.

Chicken rice is Singapore's unofficial national dish. First, chicken is boiled in a flavorful broth. Then the rice is cooked in that same broth. The result is a fragrant, flavorful, succulent rice that pairs perfectly with the juicy chicken.



Chili crab is another one of Singapore's national dishes. The crab is doused in a spicy chili-tomato gravy. Eating it is a messy affair — the best way to eat it is to crack the shell with your hands and slurp out the meat. Then mop up the gravy with doughy buns.



Choy sum is a Chinese vegetable that's a thinner version of bok choy. It's prepared with garlic as a side dish that complements chili crab.



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Meet The Spouses Of The Most Dominant Athletes Alive

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Kate Upton

The spouses of the most dominant athletes alive include models, musicians, and fellow sports figures.

Many of these athletes have men and women throwing themselves at them all day long.

But when you look at our list of the Most Dominant Athletes Alive, a lot of them are actually married to their high-school sweethearts.

The perks of being a great athlete.

LeBron James (#1) is getting married to high-school sweetheart Savanahh Brinson



Lionel Messi (#2) has a baby with girlfriend Antonella Roccuzzo



Adrian Peterson (#3) is rumored to be dating former model Ashley Brown



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The Sweet Life Of LeBron James: How The Most Dominant Athlete On Earth Spends His Millions

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LeBron James at Liverpool FCOn the court, LeBron James is the most dominant athlete in the world.

Off it, he has charted an ambitious course to earn $1 billion, signing endorsement deals with the biggest companies in the world, and making some smart investments.

As a result, he has amassed some awesome cars, pristine houses, and an enviable wardrobe. And he still has time for his lovely, surprisingly normal family.

First thing's first, let's see where his money comes from. He has made $92 million in career NBA salary. But he makes the real money off the court...

Source: Basketball Reference



He made $33 million (twice his NBA salary) in endorsements last year. He's in ad campaigns for huge companies like McDonald's and Samsung

Source: SI



He also has a deal with Nike. The company signed him to a 7-year, $93 million deal right out of high school. He's a huge force in the sneaker and sports apparel world



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Everything You Need To Know About Lionel Messi, The Best Soccer Player On Earth

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barcelona lionel messi celebrates goal

Lionel Messi is one of the most dominant athletes in sports.

He has taken over the soccer world and has been recognized as the best player four years in a row.

Argentinian by birth, he has spent half his life in Spain playing for the world famous FC Barcelona.

Lionel Andres Messi was born on June 24, 1987.

"Leo" was born in Rosario, Argentina and is the son of Jorge Horacio Messi, a factory worker, and Celia María Cuccittini, a part-time cleaner.

His father is of Italian descent. His ancestors immigrated to Argentina in the late 19th century.

He has two older brothers, Rodrigo and Matias, and a sister, Maria Sol.




Messi has been playing soccer since he was a little boy.

He played on a team coached by his father and was soon recruited to join the Newell's Old Boys soccer club.

However, he was noticeably smaller than the other boys his age and was eventually diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency.

His parents put him on a regiment of growth hormone injections, but it was very expensive and his parents could not afford to continue treatment.



By the time he was 13, Barcelona offered him a spot in its youth academy.

They would also pay the bills for his growth-hormone treatment, but he would have to move from Argentina to Spain so the Messi family picked up in Argentina and moved to Europe.



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How Alex Morgan Went From An Unknown College Soccer Player To A Superstar

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alex morgan happy

Over the past few years Alex Morgan has risen from an unknown college athlete to one of the most famous female soccer players in the world.

Morgan has played for the U.S. Women's National Team in the 2011 World Cup and the 2012 Olympics. The U.S. placed second in the World Cup and took home a gold medal from London.

In addition to her success on the field, she has become a role model and celebrity.

Her painted body in the 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition catapulted her into the spotlight and into the hearts of countless young men.

Not too long ago, Alex Morgan was unknown college athlete.

She was born on July 2, 1989, and is from Diamond Bar, California.

She went to Diamond Bar High School where she played soccer, volleyball, and ran track.

Then she attended the University of California, Berkeley to play soccer. She graduated a semester early with a degree in political economy.



Morgan's rise to fame began when she played in the World Cup in 2011 for the U.S. Women's National team.

In 2008, she first played for the under-20 U.S. national team.

By 2010, she was called up to play for the senior U.S. national team.

She was the youngest player on the U.S. team that finished second in the 2011 World Cup, and she became the first player to ever record a goal and an assist in the World Cup Final.



After her rise in the World Cup, Sports Illustrated featured her in its annual swimsuit issue.

Along with some of the top models in the world, a number of athletes are chosen to appear in SI's swimsuit edition.

Morgan graced the pages of the issue wearing only body paint.



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The Most Sculpted Bodies In Sports

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alex morgan

Athletes who dominate during the games spend even more time behind the scenes working out and practicing to get better every day.

Luckily for them, not only does this help them succeed while they play, it also give the athletes an incredibly fit body.

We picked the 22 athletes from our Most Dominant Athletes list that have the most defined six packs, biggest bulging biceps, and sleekest chiseled legs.

Sally Pearson—Hurdler



Blake Griffin–L.A. Clippers



Ryan Lochte—Swimmer



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The 50 Most Dominant Athletes Alive

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lebron james miami heat after shot

Athletic dominance isn't just about winning and losing.

It's about magnitude — how badly you beat someone, how many points you score, and how much better you are than the average opponent.

We, as fans, are drawn to dominance. That's why LeBron James lives under such a tight microscope, and why everyone still roots for Tiger Woods when he's in contention on Sunday.

Business Insider editors and reporters sat down to debate and rank the most dominant athletes on the field right now.

These athletes may not be the "best" player by the traditional definition, but they embody the type of sheer athletic talent and eye-popping statistics that make up dominance.

#50 Alex Morgan

Forward, US Women's National Team

Alex Morgan made a huge splash at the Olympics, scoring a game-winning goal in the semifinals against Canada.

She was named the 2012 Female Athlete of the Year by US Soccer, and was one of three finalists for FIFA's world player of the year award.



#49 Stephen Strasburg

Pitcher, Washington Nationals

A year after he had Tommy John surgery, Strasburg led the majors in strikeouts per 9 innings, won 15 games in 28 starts, and had an ERA of 3.15.

He's the definition of a power pitcher, and he's poised to put up huge numbers in his first season without an innings limit in 2013.



#48 Jonathan Quick

Goalie, Los Angeles Kings

Quick had one of the most spectacular Stanley Cup playoff runs in NHL history. After winning the Vezina Trophy for the league's top goalie in the regular season, he allowed just 28 goals in 20 playoffs games.

His playoff goals against average was the best in 50 years, and his save percentage was the best ever for a goalie with at least 10 starts, according to Puck Daddy.



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The World's Scariest Racetrack Is On Sale For $165 Million

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nurburgring race track germany september 2012

Built around the medieval castle of Nurburg, in western Germany's Eifel Forest, the Nurburgring motorsports complex fell into bankruptcy last summer and is now on the market.

The facility includes a Grand Prix track and arena, a museum, and a defunct roller coaster.

But the real attraction is the North Loop, better known by its German name, the Nordschleife.

Built from 1925-1927 as a project to alleviate unemployment, it is still one of the longest and most challenging racetracks on the planet.

Blind hills, narrow straights, and trees on either side earned it the nickname, the "Green Hell."

The estimate of driver deaths on the track varies, according to Car and Driver, from 2 to 12 per year.

And now it can be yours, for just $165 million, according to Autoblog.

Here's a view of the complex from the air.



And a panoramic shot of the complex entrance.



The Formula One-themed 'ring°racer' roller coaster has not opened yet, after a history of delays and accidents.



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The Oil Tycoon Facing The Most Expensive Divorce Ever Has An Amazing Rags To Riches Story

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young harold hamm

Reuters' Brian Grow and Joshua Schneyer broke the news yesterday that oil tycoon Harold Hamm is facing a catastrophic divorce settlement after his wife accused him of infidelity.

It could be the most expensive divorce in history.

Forbesranks Hamm as the 35th-richest person in the country, with a net worth of $11.3 billion. His company, Continental Resources, owns 1 million acres in North Dakota's Bakken oil field, the shale play that has helped U.S. oil production rise to levels unseen in decades.

Continental says it does not anticipate any settlement would have a material impact on the company. 

But Grow and Schneyer write that a judge could force Hamm to divide his 68 percent controlling stake in the company. They also talked to legal experts who said the final figure could rival Rupert Murdoch's unprecedented $1.7 billion settlement with his estranged wife.

Whatever the outcome, the story is a tragic chapter for a man who ranked 5th on our "Horatio Alger Index" of most impressive American rags-to-riches stories.

We wanted to portray the full life-story of a man who went from pumping gas at a corner store to becoming one of the most influential people in the energy industry.

Harold Hamm was born in 1945, the 13th child of Oklahoma sharecroppers.

Source: Reuters



He left home at age 17 to take a job fixing flats and pumping gas in the town of Enid, Okla.

Source: Enid News



He later signed up for a DECA entrepreneurship program, which allowed him to finish high school and work full time.

Source: Enid News



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The 17 Most Expensive Divorces Of All Time

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tiger woods elin nordegren

Today we learned that Harold Hamm, the billionaire oil tycoon behind Continental Resources, could be headed for the most expensive divorce ever.

Hamm is splitting with his second wife, Sue Ann Hamm, after he allegedly had an affair.

If the couple doesn't have a prenup  and it's not known if they do  she could wind up with half of his 68 percent stake in the company, currently worth $11.2 billion, according to Reuters.

That could put Hamm ahead of Rupert Murdoch, who paid a record $1.7 billion in his divorce settlement with ex-wife Anna.

They aren't the only uber-wealthy figures who have paid out massive divorce settlements.

#17 Steven Spielberg and Amy Irving

Settlement:$100 million

A California judge refused to recognize the couples prenuptial agreement scrawled on a napkin and awarded Irving $100 million after the four years of marriage in 1989, according to Forbes.

Spielberg and Irving dated from 1976 to 1979 when she broke up with him to date Willie Nelson. The two got back together and married in 1985.




#16 Greg Norman and Laura Andrassy

Settlement:$103 Million 

Norman and Andrassy married in 1981 and were divorced in 2006 after 26 years, costing Norman $103 million, according to the AP.

In September 2007 Norman married tennis star Christine Evert and divorced 18 months later. In 2010 Norman married interior designer Kirsten Kutner.



#15 Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren

Settlement: reported $110 million 

From the moment Woods crashed his Escalade into the tree outside his Florida home in 2009, it was impossible to ignore the events leading up to his divorce after the couple's six years of marriage.

She received reported $110 million in the settlement, according to the New York Daily News.



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23 Examples Of Sleep In A Combat Zone

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I'd be lying if I said I never snuggled with a dude.

When Marines initially invaded Iraq in 2003, there were no bases or bunks or nice places to sleep. It was the ground, with stars for a blanket.

The desert gets cold at night, I assure you.

In the following slides, we'll show you that troops are willing to grab a bit of shut-eye in just about any position, at any time.

A U.S. soldier of 2-12 Infantry 4BCT-4ID Task Force Mountain Warrior takes a break during a night mission near Honaker Miracle camp at the Pesh valley of Kunar Province August 12, 2009.



U.S. Marines of the 15th Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Fox Company "Raiders" sleep wearing respirators during a gas attack alert in an undisclosed location in the Iraqi desert on March 28, 2003.



A Palestinian youth sleeps on the street as his house was destroyed at Zeitoun neighbourhood in Gaza May 13, 2004.



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What 19 Extremely Successful People Were Doing At Age 25

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Martha Stewart modeling picture

Some people know what they want to do from an early age and focus on it relentlessly.

Others reinvent themselves, changing careers and industries until they find something that works.

Billionaire Mark Cuban struggled when he first started, writing in "How To Win At The Sport Of Business" that "when I got to Dallas, I was struggling – sleeping on the floor with six guys in a three-bedroom apartment."

As a reminder that the path to success is not always linear, we've highlighted what Richard Branson, Arianna Huffington, and 17 other fascinating and successful people were doing at age 25.

Martha Stewart was a stockbroker for the firm of Monness, Williams, and Sidel, the original Oppenheimer & Co.

Before her name was known by every American household, Martha Stewart actually worked on Wall Street for five years as a stockbroker. Before that, she was a model, booking clients from Unilever to Chanel.

"There were very few women at the time on Wall Street … and people talked about this glass ceiling, which I never even thought about," Stewart said in an interview with PBS' MAKERS series. "I never considered myself an unequal and I think I got a very good education being a stockbroker."

In 1972, Stewart left Wall Street to be a stay-at-home mom. A year later, she started a catering business.



Mark Cuban was a bartender in Dallas.

At age 25, Cuban had graduated from Indiana University and had moved to Dallas. He started out as a bartender, then a salesperson for a PC software retailer. He actually got fired because he wanted to go close a deal rather than open a store in the morning. That helped inspire him to open his first business, MicroSolutions.

When I got to Dallas, I was struggling — sleeping on the floor with six guys in a three-bedroom apartment,” Cuban writes in his book “How to Win at the Sport of Business.I used to drive around, look at the big houses, and imagine what it would be like to live there and use that as motivation.



Arianna Huffington was traveling to music festivals around the world for the BBC with her boyfriend at the time.

Before she was Arianna Huffington, she was Arianna Stassinopolous and at the age of 21, she met the famed British Journalist Henry Bernard Levin while on a panel for a quiz show.

The two entered into a relationship and he became her mentor while she wrote the book "The Female Woman" attacking the women's liberation movement. The book was published when she was 23.

For the next few years, Huffington traveled to music festivals around the world with Levin as he wrote for the BBC. Her relationship with Levin eventually ended because did not want to marry or have children and Huffington moved to New York City at the age of 30. That year, her biography of Maria Callas was published, which she dedicated to Levin. 

She told William Skidelsky at The Observer:

"[Levin] was my mentor. Our second date was to see 'The Mastersingers' at Covent Garden. Our first trip abroad was to Bayreuth to see 'Wagner's Ring.'"



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Why Melbourne, Australia Is The World's Best Place To Live

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melbourne australia

In a recent ranking of the world's "most livable" cities, Melbourne, Australia took the number one spot.

The Economist Intelligence Unit gave the city perfect marks for education, healthcare, and infrastructure.

Melbourne's total score was 97.5 out of 100, only losing a few spare points for climate, petty crime, and culture.

Australia had five other cities in the top 10, but Melbourne with its Gothic Laneways, music culture, and gorgeous Yarra River was proclaimed the very best.

Melbourne sits on the gorgeous Yarra River, making it a prime spot for water sports, boating, and scenic views.

Source: Melbourne Water



It has the largest gambling center in the southern hemisphere, Crown Casino, with a license for 500 table games and an hourly fire show.

Source: Crown Limited



The city also hosts Big Day Out, one of the biggest nationwide music festivals where plenty of local and famous international bands come to play.

Source: CNBC



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HOUSE OF THE DAY: Larry David Is Selling His California Compound For $15 Million

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larry david house for sale

Larry David of "Seinfeld" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" fame is unloading his estate in Pacific Palisades for $14.99 million, according to Trulia.

The mansion, described as a "fairytale home"in the listing, has seven bedrooms and 10 bathrooms. There's a separate guesthouse and fantastic ocean views from the backyard.

For a guy with a curmudgeonly reputation, David's decor is sweet and homey (photos courtesy of Estately).

The listing describes the house as a "fairytale home." It's not too far off.



Those views are unbeatable.



Plenty of places to enjoy them from.



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