Work + Money

As she prepares to speak tonight at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, First Lady Michelle Obama says that her goals for the 2012 election campaign are much the same as they were in 2008.

"Four years ago, millions of people across this country came together and elected the leader they knew would stand up for them in office," she told Yahoo! Shine in an interview hours before her speech. "I want people to know that Barack is still that leader. He is still driven by the core values and principles that made him want to do the incredibly tough job in the first place."

WATCH: First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden talk to Yahoo! Shine about military families

Since becoming the first lady, Mrs. Obama has honed her speaking skills and sharpened her focus. Though people still criticize her for comments made in the last election cycle (particularly the one about finally feeling proud of her country), she has largely avoided controversy, focused on family is

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By Jeff Cox, CNBC.com

The number of Americans on food stamps hit a record high in June, and economists don't expect much improvement as long as unemployment remains high.

Those receiving benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program numbered 46.37 million, the government said in a report that hit just days ahead of the monthly nonfarm payrolls report, which the Labor Department releases Friday.

The two numbers are inextricably linked as the economy battles its way back from the crippling recession that the National Bureau of Economic Research says ended in 2009.

"The unemployment data is not really telling us the true story of how many people are underemployed," says Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Rockwell Global Capital in New York. Food stamps are "a good indication of how the income of the workforce has stagnated and more and more people are applying for food stamps."

With 22.4 million households using food stam

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Creativity doesn't belong solely to the Steve Jobs of the world. Here's how to boost your own creative energy with tips from The Charge: Activating the 10 Human Drives That Make You Feel Alive, by Brendon Burchard.

I've been blessed to work with many of the world's most creative artists, singers, actors, authors, luminaries, and designers, and I've found that while they are each incredibly unique, they all had the same approach to developing their creativity. They were all avid people watchers and design lovers.

While many people think of highly creative people as lone artists, designers, or geniuses toiling away alone in their studios and offices, it turns out that creatives are incredibly social people whose creativity literally depends on their interactions with the world. This is why nearly every creative in the world would give you the exact same advice if you were to ask him or her, "How do I become more creative?" The answer would be, "Go watch people and explore the

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Frightening but true: only ten percent of people who've undergone radical surgery to save their lives actually change their habits to benefit from the operation. From Harvard Business Review, we learn that those clotted, fat-filled arteries are pretty much refilled with more grease and cheese, rather than kept open with a better diet and exercise program by people who've survived heart bypass surgery.

If nearly losing your life doesn't change your behavior, what will?

You probably can't answer that question, because 90% of us wouldn't change a thing. We'd just get back on the pork express.

But say you were among the 10% who are able to look at deeply troubling issues - and make changes to better your chances, what would you do? Where would you start?

Of course, we're not talking about your physical health. We're talking about reviving or restyling your personal brand, your career, your relationship skills, and other qualities like resilience, perseverance, and settin

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Most of the Seafarer's have a love and hate relationship with the sea and as a wife who sailed with them, the feeling is mutual. Before my eyes, I can see how the sea causes many sorrows and hardships to come upon them, especially during winter time and rough seas, but they lived their entire life facing the toils of the sea, where the income is good enough to give a comfortable life of their love ones back home...

Nevertheless, their skills will not be harnessed if they are afraid to lose sight of the shore, giving some truth to the African proverb that "a smooth sea doesn't make a skillful seafarer." The formidable strength of character shown by them is admirable.
Being at sea, for days doing the usual routine of work makes life boring and made the men onboard home sick. Fighting the loneliness of a 19-day sea passage from US East Coast to South Africa, is quite a daunting task. However, blessed with a favorable weather, with the food in

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