London’s West End Denied Olympic Travel Boom as Fans Go East

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Bloomberg News

London’s West End Denied Olympic Travel Boom as Fans Go East

By Roxana Zega on August 02, 2012
London’s West End entertainment and retail district has missed out on a jump in subway visitors as the city hosts the 2012 Olympics, with a surge in passenger trips focused on major games sites further east.

While journeys increased 10.5 percent across the Tube network on Tuesday, passenger numbers at stations serving the West End remained at year-ago levels, Transport for London said today in a statement. The east of the city, where the main stadium and more than half a dozen other venues are located, has seen a “huge” jump in travel, TfL spokesman Matt Brown said.

AdWatch: Obama ad portrays Romney as favoring rich

AdWatch: Obama ad portrays Romney as favoring rich

August 2, 2012
WASHINGTON — TITLE: "Worried"

LENGTH: 30 seconds.

AIRING: Colorado, Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, Ohio, and Florida

KEY IMAGES: Black-and-white shots of worried-looking people, footage of the war in Iraq and people boarding a private jet.

"You watched, and worried," a narrator says. "Two wars. Tax cuts for millionaires. Debt piled up. And now we face a choice." The downbeat music turns upbeat, and a color image of Mitt Romney flashes on the screen, followed by an image of luxury yachts, an overhead shot of the Pentagon and, again, a pair of worried-looking voters.

3 US Airways planes narrowly avoid collision at Reagan National Airport

3 US Airways planes narrowly avoid collision at Reagan National Airport

Published August 02, 2012
FoxNews.com
WASHINGTON – Three US Airways planes came within seconds of a midair collision Tuesday afternoon at Ronald Reagan National Airport after air traffic controllers reportedly mistakenly cleared two outbound flights to head in the direction of an incoming plane.
The Washington Post reports that the commuter planes were carrying 192 passengers and crew members. The newspaper cites federal officials with direct knowledge of the incident.
Based on the planes’ speeds and their trajectory, they were apparently 12 seconds from colliding with each other, MyFoxDC.com reported.

Has Housing Bottomed?

Home Prices Rise in May: It’s “Pretty Clear” Housing Market Has Bottomed Says WSJ’s Wessel

By Stacy Curtin | Daily Ticke
2012/8/01
U.S. home prices were up for the fourth straight month in May and came in better than most economists expected.
According to the Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home price index, the price of single-family homes rose a seasonally adjusted 0.9 percent from April to May, versus forecasts for a 0.5 percent increase. But home prices did fall 0.66 percent year-over -year.
"The housing market seems to be stabilizing, but we are definitely in a wait-and-see mode for the next few months," said David Blitzer, chairman of the index committee at Standard & Poor's, in a

Sorry Bernanke...

Sorry Bernanke, the ECB Is the Main Attraction for Now

By Matt Nesto | Breakout
2012/8/01
Just as we were wrapping our American heads around the idea that checking on Spanish bond yields was a necessary part of our morning pre-market routine, now come grumblings that tomorrow's European Central Bank (ECB) policy meeting is actually more important than what the Fed will say today.
"It [the ECB meeting] is more important in terms of the drama in the euro zone," concedes Andrew

Hawk Koch named new Oscars boss

Hawk Koch named new Oscars boss

1 August 2012
Producer Hawk Koch has been elected the new president of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which stages The Oscars every year.

Koch, whose credits include Source Code, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, and the Wayne's World films, replaces Tom Sherak, after three years.

He will spend one year in the unpaid role after being voted for by the group's board of governors.

One of his first big tasks will be to choose a producer for 2013's Oscars.

Koch had already served as first vice president of the film academy last year, and is currently also co-president of the Producers Guild of America.

He also previously worked as assistant director on films such as The Way We Were and Chinatown.

Researchers: Modern culture may have earlier start

Researchers: Modern culture may have earlier start

2012/8/01
JOHANNESBURG (AP) – Poisoned-tipped arrows and jewelry made of ostrich egg beads found in South Africa show modern culture may have emerged about 30,000 years earlier in the area than previously thought, according to two articles published on Monday.
The findings published in the journal "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences" show that the 44,000-year-old artifacts are characteristic of the San hunter-gatherers. The descendants of San people live today in southern Africa, so the items can clearly be traced forward to modern culture, unlike other archaeological finds, researchers said.
South African researcher Lucinda Backwell said the findings are the earliest known instances of "modern behavior as we know it." Backwell said the discovery reinforces the theory that modern man came from southern Africa.

Bloomberg to New York Mothers: Breast-feed Your Baby

Bloomberg to New York Mothers: Breast-feed Your Baby

Published August 01, 2012
Fox News Latino
We have all heard of the benefits of breast milk, but this time the message is from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg: breast-feed your baby, if possible.
Starting in September, dozens of city hospitals will ask mothers of newborns to listen to talks about why their breast milk is better than the sample formulas many hospitals offer for free. Then the women can decide for themselves, says the mayor.
Bloomberg has been ribbed as the city's "nanny" for pushing programs aimed at making New Yorkers healthier — from clamping down on big sugar-loaded drinks to creating no-smoking zones in public

Olympics-Pressure is off, let British gold rush begin

Olympics-Pressure is off, let British gold rush begin

By Martyn Herman
LONDON | Wed Aug 1, 2012
Aug 1 (Reuters) - The 500-1 bet is off and the Queen classic "Under pressure" resounding around some of the London 2012 venues no longer brings home competitors out in a sweat because Team GB has struck gold.
Bookmakers had been offering those huge odds that Britain would not win a single gold medal at the Games.

While that was an improbable scenario, four days of failure in archery, shooting, judo, handball and canoeing, punctuated by some plucky near misses, had caused a mild degree of panic and some smug smirks from some of Britain's sporting arch rivals, namely Australia.

Sideshow: No longer a Dogg, but king of the beasts

Sideshow: No longer a Dogg, but king of the beasts

By Tirdad Derakhshani Aug. 1, 2012

Inquirer Staff Writer
"I want to bury Snoop Dogg."

That's not the bitter pronouncement of a disgruntled music critic. Those words come straight from Snoop Dogg, who has changed his name to Snoop Lion.

Snoop, 40, finally explained the sudden shift during a confab Monday night. He says he was hit with a thunderbolt from above during a visit to a Rastafarian temple in Jamaica.

Cuba Gooding Jr. Wanted by Police in New Orleans

Cuba Gooding Jr. Wanted by Police in New Orleans

SANDIE ANGULO CHEN ON AUG 1, 2012
Cuba Gooding Jr. is wanted by New Orleans police after an incident at a bar early Tuesday morning. The Academy Award winner allegedly pushed a female bartender twice at a French Quarter establishment.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the New Orleans police department issued a battery arrest

Dollar Gains on Euro and Yen on ADP Job Data

Dollar Gains on Euro and Yen on ADP Job Data

By: Reuters
Published: Wednesday, 1 Aug 2012
The dollar gained against the yen and euro on Wednesday as data showed the U.S. private sector added more jobs than expected in July.
The dollar [JPY= 78.21 0.10 (+0.13%) ] rose to 78.19 yen from 78.10 yen before the data. The U.S. currency was up 0.1 percent on the day.

The euro [EUR= 1.2313 0.001 (+0.08%) ] last traded at $1.2287, down from the $1.2307 it traded at before the report and down 0.1 percent from the prior New York close. The move lower in the euro began in the minute before the data's release.

"ADP has a poor correlation with non-farm payrolls but that won't stop positive anticipation for Friday's job report based on today's better than expected number," said Joseph Trevisani, chief market strategist at Worldwide Markets, Woodcliff Lake in New Jersey.

Badminton Players Disqualified for Throwing Matches

Badminton Players Disqualified for Throwing Matches

By KEN BELSON
Published: August 1, 2012
LONDON — Badminton officials took the extraordinary step of tossing out four pairs of women — two from South Korea and one each from China and Indonesia — for deliberately trying to lose their preliminary matches Tuesday night, the latest judging controversy to sweep through the Olympics.
The decision less than a day after the final matches in the preliminary rounds of the women’s doubles immediately threw the tournament into turmoil, and is likely to prompt protests and rule changes in the coming days and weeks. Korea and Indonesia have appealed the decision, and officials hoped to rule on the appeal within an hour.

Poll: Obama leads in Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania

Poll: Obama leads in Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania

Aug 01, 2012
By David Jackson, USA TODAY
A new poll gives President Obama solid leads in three key swing states: Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania.

The president hits 50% in all three states, according to the survey by Quinnipiac University, the New York Times and CBS News.

Obama leads Republican Mitt Romney by 50%-44% in Ohio, by 51%-45% in Florida, and 53%-42% in Pennsylvania.

"If today were Nov. 6, President Barack Obama would sweep the key swing states of Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania and - if history is any guide - into a second term in the Oval Office," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

Power Is Restored Across India After Crippling Blackout

Power Is Restored Across India After Crippling Blackout

By GARDINER HARRIS and JIM YARDLEY
Published: August 1, 2012
NEW DELHI — As electric power was restored across India on Wednesday, the nation’s new power minister sought to tamp down a growing argument between state and federal ministers over who was to blame for Tuesday’s unprecedented blackout.
“I don’t think one can have a blame game between the state and the center,” said the minister, Veerappa Moily.

Obama tweets shout-out to Michael Phelps after record

Obama tweets shout-out to Michael Phelps after record

By Nicole Auerbach, USA TODAY
2012/8/1
Missy Franklin heard from Justin Bieber after winning her first gold medal. Michael Phelps got an bigger tweet after earning a record 19th Olympic medal — from President Barack Obama.
Obama tweeted:

Congrats to Michael Phelps for breaking the all-time Olympic medal record. You've made your country proud. -bo

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama)

Phelps said Wednesday morning that he was enjoying the Twitter attention. "I woke up and started scrolling through thousands of mentions (on Twitter). It was just like madness. I wanted to thank all

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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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