Most Millionaires American Cities

New York’s millionaire population has now surpassed the boom times of 2007. According to the new Metro Wealth Index, created by consulting firm Capgemini, the New York Metropolitan area had 650,000 high-net worth individuals, or people with $1 million or more in investible assets in 2009. That is 18.7% higher than in 2008. More after the break.

Once again, the New York area topped the list of metro-area wealth centers. Its total was greater than the combined total of the next three runners up — Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington. Of the top 10, Houston posted the the fastest growth, at 28.9%. But all enjoyed strong growth. Here are the tallies of millionaires for the top 10, along with the percentage growth:

01. New York — 667,200, +18.7%
02. Los Angeles — 235,800, +13.3%
03. Chicago — 198,100, +15.1%
04. Washington, D.C. — 152,400 +19.3%
05. San Francisco — 138,300 +14.5%
06. Philadelphia — 104,100, +20.1%
07. Boston — 102,300, + 14.4%
08. Detroit — 89,100, +12.1%
09. Houston — 88,200, +28.9%
10. San Jose — 86,500, +24.5%

Tallest Dams in the World

10. Mica Dam,  Canada – 234m
This is a list of the tallest dams in the world over 135 meters in height. Currently, the tallest dam in the world is the Nurek in Tajikistan at 300 meters. 09 More after the break...
 
09. Guavio, Colombia – 243m
08. Mauvoisin Dam, Switzerland – 250m
 07. Álvaro Obregón Dam, Mexico – 260m
06. Tehri Dam, India – 261m
05. Chicoasén Dam, Mexico – 261m
04. Vajont Dam, Italy – 261.6m
03. Inguri Dam, Georgia – 271.5m
02. Grande Dixence Dam, Switzerland – 285m
01. Nurek Dam, Tajikistan – 300m

Osama Bin Laden Dead

The 9/11 mastermind was reportedly shot in the head in Pakistan and his body is in U.S. hands.

President Obama said he authorized the mission to make a move on Bin Laden last week -- after several months of planning  -- and the attack went down today in the compound where the Al Qaeda leader was hiding. Bin Laden was killed after a firefight.

Bin Laden's demise comes 9 years, 7 months and 20 days after the 2001 9/11 attacks.
Ironically, today marks the 8th anniversary of George W. Bush's "mission accomplished" speech.



WASHINGTON —President Obama announced late Sunday that Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al Qaeda responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks, was killed in a firefight during an operation he ordered Sunday inside Pakistan, ending a 10-year manhunt for the world’s most wanted terrorist. American officials were in possession of his body, he said.

“On nights like this one, ‘’ the president said, “we can say that justice has been done.’’

The fate of Ayman al-Zawahiri, the Al Qaeda number two in command, was unclear.

The death of Mr. Bin Laden is a defining moment in the American-led war on terrorism. What remains to be seen is whether the death of the leader of Al Qaeda galvanizes his followers by turning him into a martyr, or whether it serves as a turning of the page in the war in Afghanistan and gives further impetus to the Obama administration to bring American troops home.

President Obama said that on Sunday, a small team of U.S. operatives launched a “targeted assault’’ on a compound in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad where months of intelligence work had established that Mr. Bin Laden was living. Mr. Bin Laden was killed after a firefight, and the troops took custody of his body.

The killing ended a 10-year manhunt in which Mr. Bin Laden repeatedly eluded his pursuers, deeply frustrating the Bush administration and counterterrorism officials.

The news of the death of the leader of Al Qaeda electrified the world — crowds gathered outside the White House, cheering, as they waited for the president to confirm the news. Mr. bin Laden was able to elude capture by hiding out in the mountains of Afghanistan and elsewhere. He initially escaped from Tora Bora in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan after an American invasion routed the Taliban, his protectors.

Since then, he issued some 30 messages, in audio, video or electronic text, sometimes taunting, sometimes gloating, sometimes urging new terrorist attacks. Intelligence officials believe the messages were passed from hand to hand repeatedly to obscure any trail back to his hiding place. Even while in hiding, he remained a potent symbolic figure. And American officials believe, based on intercepted communications from second- and third-tier Qaeda operatives, that he also still helped shape Al Qaeda’s strategy.