Gore Vidal dies: Cultural icon made his mark on Broadway

Gore Vidal dies: Cultural icon made his mark on Broadway

By David Ng
August 1, 2012, 5:00 a.m.
Gore Vidal, who died Tuesday at 86, was a cultural icon who occupied a uniquely wide-ranging position in American letters. An essayist, novelist, playwright, screenwriter and occasional actor, Vidal was a prolific polymath whose diverse output was united by an acerbic and politically engaged intelligence.

Seven tips for a stress-free vacation

Seven tips for a stress-free vacation

Published July 31, 2012
FoxNews.com
Soaking up sun and sand on the beach, sipping something fruity poolside--vacation is supposed to be relaxing, right? Unfortunately, for many of us trying to get away from it all, vacations can easily become just another source of stress. If you're feeling frantic about an upcoming trip, melt away anxiety with the expert tips below.
1. Plan ahead. When vacationing with a group, plan accommodations, travel and excursions in advance.
"This will ensure everyone's expectations are met and there are no surprises while on your trip," says SmarTravel CEO David Wise. He warns that tension can result when one person is really looking forward to the nightlife and another only budgeted enough to stay in the hotel or at the beach.
To avoid such a scenario, it's a good idea to discuss expectations before you go.

What airline fees can we expect next?

What airline fees can we expect next?

Jul 30, 2012

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http://sirifarm.com/

Olympics: When will Great Britain get their first gold medal?

Olympics: When will Great Britain get their first gold medal?

By bbc.co.uk 31 July 2012
It is Day Four of London 2012 and Great Britain is still waiting for its first gold medallist of the Games.
So far some big hopes have failed to deliver the top prize, but, as BBC Sport's Matt Slater reveals, we could be heading for a gold rush in the coming days.
I know a man, an otherwise sensible man, whose mood for days afterwards hinges on the result of the "blues versus reds" dads' football match that is played on the field behind our village school. For him, second is nowhere, and the concept of football being the winner sounds like communism.
There is another player in these games, though, who delights in not knowing what the score is, remembers only the best bits of skill and likes to tell us in the pub afterwards about some Chilean left-back he had seen on TV or a Chinese diver he is looking forward to seeing at the Olympics.
This citizen of the world will not be remotely concerned by Team GB's failure to win a gold medal at London 2012 so far. In fact, I would be surprised if he had even noticed.
I worry about the other bloke, though. I suspect his Olympic enjoyment is closely connected to the medal table, so, for the good of his blood pressure, here are five copper-bottomed tips for GB gold in the coming days.
Helen Glover and Heather Stanning: rowing - women's pair, Wednesday, 11:50 BST

Home prices jump 2.2% in May

Home prices jump 2.2% in May

By Les Christie @CNNMoney July 31, 2012
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- In a sign that the U.S. housing market is recovering, home prices rose for the second straight month in May, according to an industry report issued Tuesday.
Home prices climbed 2.2% compared with a month earlier, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller 20-city home price index. Prices are still off 0.7% compared with May 2011, but that's the lowest

U.S. gymnasts searching for gold

U.S. gymnasts searching for gold

But group's fate will rest in how individuals respond to qualifying highs and lows
By Alyssa Roenigk | ESPN.comJuly 31, 2012

It's been 16 years since the U.S. women's gymnastics team won an Olympic all-around gold medal, but this year's team is poised to reset the counter. Instead of focusing on individual all-around favorite Jordyn Wieber not making the finals, this team should be locking in on the positive: The current world champion and three of the top four finishers in the Olympic individual qualifier will take the floor Tuesday for Team USA. Here are five things to watch when they do.
1. How Wieber responds. The current world all-around champion, Wieber walked into individual all-around qualifying on Sunday believing she could be the first gymnast since the Ukraine's Lilia Podkopayeva in 1996 (and only the second gymnast ever) to follow up a world title with an Olympic win the next year. She left North Greenwich Arena in tears after failing to qualify for finals. (She finished fourth overall, behind her best friend, Aly Raisman, and Gabby Douglas. Only two athletes from each team may qualify for the finals.) Team USA, however, qualified first, and that is where Wieber must turn her attention. Her team needs her

A Royal Silver, as Britain Eagerly Awaits Gold

A Royal Silver, as Britain Eagerly Awaits Gold

Zara Phillips and High Kingdom helped Britain to a silver medal.
By MARY PILON
Published: July 31, 2012
LONDON — Germany’s eventing team clinched the gold medal Tuesday, with Britain just behind.
It was another close call for the host country, which is still eagerly awaiting its first gold medal. New Zealand won the bronze.

The British team also had one of the most watched athletes in the sport in recent memory: Zara Phillips, the granddaughter of the queen. Phillips had a successful performance in all three parts of

One Direction Hope To 'Make A Moment' At VMAs

Jul 31 2012 8:33 AM EDT 2,091

One Direction Hope To 'Make A Moment' At VMAs

'This one's for our fans,' 1D's Harry Styles tells MTV News of September 6 performance.
By Jocelyn Vena (@jocelyn1212)
When One Direction storm the Staples Center stage at the 2012 Video Music Awards alongside Alicia Keys and a flotilla of yet-to-be-named performers, it will mark the floppy-haired fivesome's first VMA performance ever. So what are the Brits thinking about their big moment?

"We're really looking forward to the VMAs," Liam Payne told MTV News. "It's quite nerve-racking as well, because obviously there's been so many historical moments and stuff that have happened at the VMAs. Now we want to make a moment ourselves, but who knows?"

Get More: 2012 VMA, Music

They will be one of the many performers putting their stamp on the annual party when it kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, September 6. As it gets closer to the show, more performers will be announced, but for now, the guys are basking in the glow of their big news.

iPhone 5 and iPad Mini to be unveiled September 12: rumor

iPhone 5 and iPad Mini to be unveiled September 12: rumor

Summary: It's no surprise that Apple has a new iPhone in the works, but the iPad Mini is a far more speculative.
By Adrian Kingsley-Hughes for Hardware 2.0 | July 31, 2012
Hot on the heels of more iPhone 5 component leaks, the rumor mill has now churned up a date for the release of both the highly anticipated iPhone 5 and an entirely new device -- the iPad Mini.

According to iMore -- and supported by AllThingsD and The Verge -- Apple has picked Wednesday, September 12th as the date that the Cupertino giant will unveil the new iPhone to the world.

There's little doubt that a new iPhone is incoming, although we won't know when we'll see it for sure until Apple starts sending out press invites and won't know for sure what new features it will have until we see it in Tim Cook's hand. There are strong claims that suggest the iPhone 5 will feature a 4-inch screen, have a metal backed chassis, feature a shrunken 19-

Romney to announce VP choice through a smartphone app

Romney to announce VP choice through a smartphone app

By Chris Moody
July 31, 2012
Four years ago, then-Sen. Barack Obama made his vice presidential choice public by sending a mass text message to supporters. On Tuesday, Mitt Romney's campaign announced they will make their announcement through a smartphone app.

The campaign launched an app called " Mitt's VP," which will send the news straight to a smartphone using push notifications and then allow the user to easily spread the word on social networks like Facebook and Twitter.

"The first official way to learn the name of the Republican Vice Presidential candidate is by using our new 'Mitt's VP' app," said Romney Digital Director Zac Moffatt in a statement. "Users of the app will be the first to get the news on the biggest political decision of the year through an instantaneous alert

Kristen Stewart: 'I'm So, So Sorry!'

Kristen Stewart: 'I'm So, So Sorry!'

Rob Shuter has the details on K-Stew's cheating scandal.
07/25/2012

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German Bunds Rise 2nd Day on Concern ECB Measures to Fall Short

German Bunds Rise 2nd Day on Concern ECB Measures to Fall Short

By Emma Charlton and Lucy Meakin on July 31, 2012
German government bonds rose for a second day amid speculation European policy makers will be unable to follow through on their pledge to shore up the single- currency area when they meet this week.

Ten-year bund yields fell from the highest level in three weeks as investors returned to the region’s safest assets after a German report showed retail sales dropped in June and euro- area unemployment was at a record high. European Central Bank PresidentMario Draghi, who sparked a global market rally last week by pledging to do whatever it takes to preserve the euro, is trying to build consensus among governments and central bankers for a plan to ease borrowing costs in Spain and Italy.

India hit by second huge power outage, this one larger than before

India hit by second huge power outage, this one larger than before

By Harmeet Shah Singh, CNN
updated 8:23 AM EDT, Tue July 31, 2012

New Delhi (CNN) -- India suffered its second huge, crippling power failure in two days Tuesday, depriving as much as half of the vast and populous country, or up to 600 million people, of electricity and disrupting transport networks. The first power grid collapse, on Monday, was the country's worst blackout in a decade. It affected seven states in northern India that are home to more than 350 million people. But Tuesday's failure was even larger, hitting eastern and northeastern areas as well. Both blackouts cut power in the Indian 

Unemployed at 60 With $100,000 in Retirement Savings

Unemployed at 60 With $100,000 in Retirement Savings

By Walter Jul 27, 2012
I'm 60 years old, unemployed and have $100,000 saved for retirement. Given my circumstances, I can't afford any losses. So I'm considering converting this money to gold and cash. What do you think? -- Robin, Scottsdale, Ariz.
Given your circumstances, I think you would be making a big mistake moving your hundred grand to gold and cash.
Let's start with gold. For all the hype about gold being a safe haven, the reality is that it can lose value as easily as the stock market. If you had plowed all your money into gold last September when it was selling for just under $1,900 an ounce, for example, your $100,000 stash would only be worth a little more than $84,000 today, since gold now goes for around $1,600 an ounce.
So whatever other merits gold may have as an investment, shielding you against losses isn't one of them.

Ex-sceptic says climate change is down to humans

30 July 2012

Ex-sceptic says climate change is down to humans

By www.bbc.co.uk
A formerly sceptical climate scientist says human activity is causing the Earth to warm, as a new study confirms earlier results on rising temperatures.

In a US newspaper opinion piece, Prof Richard Muller says: "Call me a converted sceptic."

Muller leads the Berkeley Earth Project, which is using new methods and some new data to investigate the claims made by other climate researchers.

Their latest study confirms the warming trend seen by other groups.

The project received funds from sources that back organisations lobbying against action on climate change.

Tearful Jordyn Wieber out; Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas go for Olympics gymnastics top spot

Tearful Jordyn Wieber out; Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas go for Olympics gymnastics top spot

Published: July 29, 2012
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LONDON - This was not what the Americans expected.
Oh sure, being atop the standings by a comfortable margin after their qualifying session in women's gymnastics, that went according to plan. But world champion Jordyn Wieber, a heavy favorite to add the Olympic gold, won't even get to contend for the all-around title after finishing behind teammates Aly Raisman and Gabby Douglas. Countries are limited to two gymnasts in the all-around and event finals.
It was a stunner for Wieber, who had lost only two all-around competitions since 2008 -- though both to fellow Americans -- and it left her teammates reeling.
PHOTOS: Highlights so far | Opening ceremonies | Olympic logos
SPECIALS: Results, sports guide, TV schedule | Every medal winner
"I was really surprised, and I feel awful because she wanted it so bad," said Raisman, Wieber's closest friend on the team and the one who knocked her out of the all-around. "But she should still feel proud because she's an Olympian. We have to stay calm and focused on team finals."
The 17-year-old Wieber was sobbing as she made her way through the mixed zone, so distraught she couldn't speak to reporters. A quote attributed to her and distributed by the London Games' internal

Bill Clinton setting the stage for Obama at convention makes perfect sense

07/30/2012

Bill Clinton setting the stage for Obama at convention makes perfect sense

By Mary C. Curtis
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- North Carolina isn’t Arkansas. But it’s still the south. It’s been awhile since Bill Clinton occupied the White House. But he’s still awfully popular. Despite a little golf and a handful of fundraisers, Clinton and President Obama are not the best of friends.But, boy, does Bill Clinton love to be the go-to guy.

It makes perfect political sense that Clinton has been tagged, as The New York Times reported, to formally place President Barack Obama’s name into nomination at the Democratic National Convention here in September, in prime time, and make the economic argument for four more years. This from the president who presided over a flush economy, served two terms and has never strayed far from center stage. The Clinton Global Initiative is one thing, but this speech puts him back into TV rooms across America. “There isn’t anybody on the planet who has a greater perspective on not just the last four years, but the last two decades, than Bill

HSBC Sets Aside $2 Billion for Legal Woes as Profit Falls

HSBC Sets Aside $2 Billion for Legal Woes as Profit Falls

BY NEIL GOUGH JULY 30, 2012
HONG KONG — Profit at HSBC Holdings dropped nearly 9 percent in the first half of the year, as the big bank deals with the fallout from a money-laundering investigation and a settlement over selling inappropriate financial products.

On Monday, HSBC said that it had set aside $700 million to cover the potential fines, settlements and other expenses related to a money-laundering inquiry in the United States. The bank made a further $1.3 billion provision toward a regulatory settlement related to payment protection plans for credit card loans, home mortgages and other consumer borrowings.

The legal woes weighed on the company’s financial results.
HSBC announced net income of $8.4 billion in the first half the year, down from $9.2 billion in the previous year. HSBC’s operating income rose slightly, to $43.6 billion, over the same period.

“I very much regret HSBC’s past failures and I apologize for them. Our controls should have been