FOXNews.com: Park officials rule out mechanical problems with ride, track in N. Calif. roller coaster stall

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Park officials rule out mechanical problems with ride, track in N. Calif. roller coaster stall Jul 30th 2012, 19:14 VALLEJO, Calif. –  A newly built roller coaster stalled 150 feet above ground Sunday afternoon, stranding a dozen riders for almost two hours at a Northern California amusement park, a park spokeswoman said. The Superman Ultimate Flight roller coaster stopped at about 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the top of the ride, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom spokeswoman Nancy Chan told the Vallejo Times-Herald (http://bit.ly/MtKFQd ). Vallejo firefighters arrived at about 3 p.m. A theme park crane equipped with a large personnel bucket was prepared to reach the riders. Two firefighters and a park mechanic were lifted up in the bucket and gave water bottles to the riders. A park mechanic eventually restarted the ride, which then went backward and lowered the riders safely to the ground. Fire Battalion Chief Ray Jackson said firefighters were prepared to take riders down in the bucket if the coaster couldn't be restarted. None of the stranded riders were injured, Jackson said. The new ride opened June 30 at the Vallejo theme park, holds two cars with six riders each and can travel at up to 62 mph. It ride will be closed for a "thorough safety inspection," Chan said. It was unclear what caused the two-car train to stop. "If (a ride) stops, it usually detects something and it stops for safety reasons," Chan said.

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FOXNews.com: Teddy Bear Town sets record for largest collection

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Teddy Bear Town sets record for largest collection Jul 31st 2012, 19:49 As a child growing up in foster care in Minnesota, Jackie Miley never had the quintessential childhood toy: the teddy bear. The 63-year-old resident of Hill City, S.D., has made up for that — and then some. With 7,790 different teddy bears, Miley holds the Guinness World Record for largest teddy bear collection. Her collection resides in a small home along Main Street in Hill City, a town of fewer than 800 people in western South Dakota's Black Hills. Teddy Bear Town is filled to the brim with every bear imaginable — Beanie Babies, the talking Teddy Ruxpin and porcelain bears. Visitors can admire the collection and buy souvenirs at a teddy bear-themed gift shop. "I'm referring to it as a house of memories. I've got people's very first bears. I've got bears in memories of people who passed away ... It brings back childhood memories to a lot of them," Miley said of the visitors. Miley's path to teddy bear fame wasn't planned. She arrived in Hill City more than a decade ago to work as a live-in desk clerk at a Super 8 hotel with her first and only teddy bear, Grandma Jackie, a bear she had made at a Build-A-Bear store two years prior. Her collection slowly grew as she traveled to thrift stores in Rapid City and bought the bears that stood out to her. "One day someone pointed out to me, 'Do you know you have more bears than people we have here in town?' " she said. Turns out, that wasn't quite true: According to the Chamber of Commerce, her collection didn't yet match the 780 residents in Hill City. So, she set a goal. A few months later, she had more than 1,000 teddy bears, then 2,000 and then 3,000. People started coming to see the bears at the hotel — bearing bears. Several visitors asked if she had contacted the Guinness World Records about her collection. In 2005, she sent in an itemized list, numbering 3,610 bears, and was told she had the largest teddy bear collection. "I was ecstatic. I mean, I just shook," she said of the first record. Since then, the collection has grown as people from all 50 states and 20 countries send her teddy bears, and she's appeared in the Guinness World Record book three times. Miley partnered with Victor Alexander, who owns the hotel, to move the collection to a quaint house across the street that was built in 1895. There are so many bears that only about 4,000 can be displayed at Teddy Bear Town, Alexander said. The rest are stored in a nearby building, but he hopes to build on to the home soon so that as many as 20,000 bears can be easily displayed. As curator of Teddy Bear Town, Miley greets visitors and happily shares her story of becoming the "bear lady." She points out the various locations of the bears in the store, which have been named after places in the Black Hills. The biker bears are on Beargis Rally Road, a nod to the famous motorcycle rally held in nearby Sturgis every August, while the sleeping bears are tired from walking the Mickelbear Trail. (The Mickelson Trail is a 109-mile trail from Edgemont to Deadwood.) Miley is appreciative of every person who takes the time to send her a stuffed animal — even if it's not a bear, like what happened recently with Norman from Norway. The outside of the package said it was a teddy bear, and a letter inside said the sender hoped Miley didn't already have a similar bear. "When I pulled it out, it was a moose," Miley said. Miley's most meaningful bear is from one of the elementary schools she attended in Minnesota. The bear, which had a photo of Miley from the second grade pinned to the chest, was a surprise gift from a visiting couple. "I was raised in foster homes and I don't have a lot of childhood memorabilia, and that is the only picture I have of myself at the age of 7," she said. In the future, Miley and Alexander hope to open a Build-A-Bear workshop or something similar. Until then, they are focusing on expanding the collection and getting as many people to take part in the record as possible. Every person who sends a bear gets an official certificate. "The idea is if you don't have a world record at home, you can become a part of that world record simply by donating to the collection," Alexander said. ___ IF YOU GO Teddy Bear Town 108 Main Street Hill City, S.D. Free admission Open Memorial Day weekend through late September. Open by request the rest of the year. Hours: Daily 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. except Monday, when it opens at 2 p.m.

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FOXNews.com: Churchill Downs creating new level: 'The Mansion'

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Churchill Downs creating new level: 'The Mansion' Jul 31st 2012, 19:36 Move over, Millionaire's Row: Churchill Downs is preparing fancier digs to cater to the rich and famous at the Kentucky Derby. Track officials announced $9 million in renovations on Tuesday, highlighted by a new ultra-exclusive section called The Mansion. Perched on the sixth floor of the clubhouse, it will overlook the finish line and offer panoramic views, along with red carpet arrival, a private elevator, butler and concierge services, access to a private wine cellar and meals made to order. "It is absolutely an unparalleled experience," track President Kevin Flanery said. "It is an experience a notch above anything else that's ever been offered at Churchill." The renovation could bring a fresh infusion of more blue-bloods and well-to-do spectators to an event already known as much for its high fashion and celebrities as the horse race. The 138th rendition of the Derby drew a record crowd of 165,307 people this year. The crowd features an eclectic mix of T-shirt-wearing race fans who swarm the sweaty infield, to more gentrified fans in suits, sun dresses and elaborate hats. The Mansion will open in time for next year's Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, track officials said. Admission will be by invitation only, likely for celebrities and business executives, Flanery said. The price will run in the thousands of dollars, but will depend on the customized services for each guest. The track planned to start contacting those interested as soon as Tuesday. "We have demand," he said. "People want something unique. They want to feel special. They want that experience." The high-end space will hold about 320 race fans. It will feature a dining room, living room, library, parlor and veranda, along with more intimate gathering spaces in a foyer and bar. It's meant to evoke the feel of a stately home. To make way for a new stomping ground for the well-heeled, the media will get the boot. The space has mostly served as the track's media center since 2005. A new media center will be built near the track's paddock in a building that had housed general offices. The renovations also will include the razing of the Paddock Pavilion to create an open space for thousands of race fans gathering in the area where the horses are saddled. The $9 million project is the latest in a series of renovations at the track, with a total price tax exceeding $150 million in the past decade. The track spent $122.4 million to renovate the clubhouse and grandstand, which was completed in 2005. The track spent $4 million to purchase and install permanent lighting for the main dirt track and turf course, completed in 2010.

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FOXNews.com: Six historic general stores that continue to stand the test of time

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Six historic general stores that continue to stand the test of time Jul 31st 2012, 16:30 When Gray's Store in Little Compton, R.I. closed its doors after 224 years, America lost a piece of history. But the charm and nostalgia of old-fashion retail centers is not entirely gone. Here are six quaint general stores that are still open for business.    The Brick Store: Bath, N.H. The Brick Store is one of the stores to claim that it is the oldest in America. It has been in business since the early 1790s, and still boasts some of the old, slanted counters that allowed women in hoop skirts to get a closer look at the merchandise. If you visit, indulge in some of Nancy's Homemade Fudge or enjoy meats and cheese from the Brick Store's smokehouse.   The Allenwood General Store: Wall, N.J.   The original Allenwood General Store, which was located about 100 yards down the road from its current location, can be traced back to the 1850s. While the general store in its current form opened in 1972, its building dates back to the 1920s. In true Jersey style, the store mixes knickknacks and antiques with "the world's best pork roll sandwich" (a superlative that I fully support). The store's back room is now a gourmet chocolate shop, which means you can get truffles and Taylor Ham in one place. M. Crow & Company: Lostine, Ore. This family-owned store has been managed by three different generations over 103 years. Formerly known as Lostine Mercantile Co., M. Crow & Company has almost everything you could possibly need, including horse and mule shoes, hand tools, cookware and socks. The color-coded shopping list is definitely worth a look.   The Brewster Store: Brewster, Mass. This old-fashion store, which is located on Cape Cod, has been meeting the needs of locals and visitors for more than 140 years. The Brewster Store's building was originally built as a church in 1852 and was converted into a general store in 1866. It is a great place to munch on roasted peanuts or look for that perfect gift.  If you visit, make sure to pay the 25 cents to hear a tune on the nickelodeon.     Floyd Country Store: Floyd, Va. Situated in the Blue Ridge Mountains, this Virginia community meet-up is part general store, part music venue. The Floyd County Store, which is as famous for its merchandise as it is for its Friday Night Jamboree, has been in business since at least 1910. Pick up some local apple butter, eat some ice cream and stop in during the weekend for Friday night dancing, Americana Afternoon on Saturday, or traditional mountain music on Sunday.   The Original Mast General Store: Valle Crucis, N.C. The Mast General Store now has multiple locations, but the first room of the original was built in 1882. An ad for the store from 1923 says that it sells "goods for the living; coffins and caskets for the dead." This is a slightly-morbid way of saying that Mast General Store sold (and continues to sell) almost anything you could need. Need a tin watering can or a new sleeping bag? Mast General Store has you covered.

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FOXNews.com: 10 things you'd never guess about Paris

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10 things you'd never guess about Paris Jul 31st 2012, 13:00 Have you always dreamed of reliving An American in Paris? Life as an American expat in the City of Light isn't all about romantic walks along the Seine and picnics under the Eiffel Tower. Just ask David Lebovitz, one of Paris's best-known expat bloggers. After a successful career as a pastry chef and cookbook author in America, Lebovitz decided to move to Paris a decade ago. Here, he dishes on where to find the best meals, how to stay on a Parisian's good side, and why sometimes, speaking no French can be a good thing. SEE 33 PICTURE-PERFECT REASONS TO LOVE PARIS THE LESS FRENCH YOU SPEAK, THE BETTER OFF YOU ARE It's interesting, but speaking no French can actually work for you. Because Parisians think it's funny. When you speak really good French, people start treating you like a French person. I learned the language after I moved here, but I'm actually very bad with languages and I have trouble with French. When people ask, "Are you fluent in French?" I always joke and say that even the French aren't fluent in French. Because they make a lot of mistakes, too. You'll be at a party and people will be discussing a verb tense or how something's spelled or the diction, because it's not a phonetic language. YOU KNOW YOU'RE A REAL PARISIAN WHEN... Paris seems untouchable for a lot of people, and they want to move here. It's their dream. They come here, and it's a great place to live--for two years. Because you can actually come here and "live in America" with the Internet, TV, an American bank account, and your ATM card. But after two years, you have to start dealing with the bank, the government, city hall, moving, buying or renting an apartment. Those kinds of things are extremely challenging here--even for French people. You're a real Parisian when you change your cable company successfully. That's probably the hardest thing to do in France. Getting out of a contract, returning your equipment, it's a six-month process. Luckily, I had a reader who is French help me get out of the contract by translating the terms and conditions for me. THE FRENCH APPRECIATE AMERICAN CULTURE MORE THAN PEOPLE THINK I've seen a really big influx of Americanism--and I don't mean that in a bad way or in an invasive way. But, 10 years ago, you couldn't find hamburgers anywhere. If you did, they were awful. I used to complain, like a lot of Americans, about how you couldn't get a decent hamburger in Paris, and now you can get them everywhere. But now I think, well, did I move to Paris to get hamburgers? There was a big brouhaha when I posted a picture of the Chipotle opening in Paris on my blog. It was full of French people, and my Americans readers said: "I can't believe anybody in France would eat there." And I thought, "Why not?" People in New York and London eat at Chipotle. Why can't French people enjoy foods from other countries? THE ONE THING YOU SHOULD ALWAYS DO In Paris, just leaving a place without saying goodbye is considered really rude. It's just something we don't do in America. We don't go into a store and when we leave make sure to say goodbye. In Paris, it's obligatory. When you get into an elevator with someone, you say hello. When you walk into a doctor's office and open the door to the waiting room, you say hello to everybody. It's just the framework of politeness that French people have. WHY YOU SHOULD AVOID BRASSERIES People have Excel spreadsheets full of everybody's recommendations when they visit. But I always tell Americans to go to wine bars. They're sort of the modern day bistros. They're in neighborhoods and they serve people at all hours. Those are the places where "it's happening." They're usually owned by young people who are very interested in wine and the products they're serving. They know who made the charcuterie and the cheeses. They can explain them. They're friendly. You don't have to commit to a sit down meal. You don't need to make a reservation. But the brasseries--the old restaurants--are all pretty much terrible now. They've been bought out by corporations, and they're just looking at the bottom line. It'd be great if they just went back to serving really great French food again, source good ingredients, and be known for food--not for the name. I tell people to avoid a lot of the big names. I mean, you can get really good food in Paris, but often you have to get out of the single arrondissement areas: Go out to the 12th, go up to the Rue de Martyre in the 9th arrondissement, the 15th has some interesting places. THE FRENCH LIKE TOURISTS! I actually still think tourists are cute, and one of the reasons I do is because French people, in spite of how Americans view them, are actually really nice to tourists. I can't imagine a French person going to New York or L.A. and just going up to someone, speaking French, and being understood or getting helped. But I see tourists do it all the time here. They just go up to a ticket window and start speaking in English. So, I give the French a lot of credit. They do think we're kind of silly and cute and say, "Oh, Les Américains." EVEN THE FRENCH DON'T ALWAYS LOVE PARISIANS If you ask a Parisian if Parisians are rude, they will say yes. If you travel through France and say, "What do you think about Parisians?" people will say, "I don't like them." It's kind of like the image that Americans used to have of New Yorkers. It's a big, hostile place that wasn't user-friendly. And then, you know, 9/11 happened and New York became--I don't want to say "touristy"--but they really tamed it a lot. Giuliani got rid of a lot of the seedy stuff in New York, and it became a much friendlier place. Paris hasn't necessarily been all that sanitized. IT'S MORE DIVERSE THAN MOST PEOPLE REALIZE I live in the 11th arrondissement, which encompasses a lot of different areas. It encompasses the Bastille, it's right against the Marais, but it also covers the area of Belleville, which is a very ethnic neighborhood of North Africans and Chinese--a pretty diverse mix. I'm writing a book about Paris and my editor said, "Why are you including all of these ethnic foods?" Well, because that's what people eat in Paris! People don't eat cassoulet in Paris. They eat sushi (not very good sushi, I should add), they eat Vietnamese food, North African food. That's just part of life in Paris. I'm influenced by walking around the different neighborhoods. You walk from one to the next, and you'll be in a totally different place. THINK THE FRENCH ARE CONNOISSEURS OF CHEESE? THINK AGAIN You know, it was funny, I wrote an article about a cheese shop here recently and a French friend of mine said, "Well, David, you know that French people usually don't know anything about cheese. They only know the one or two cheeses from the region where they are from." And you know, I've been living here for 10 years and that never occurred to me, and then I started asking French people and they only knew the cheese from the region where they were born, which is kind of interesting. MISSING THE "U.S." IN CUSTOMER SERVICE Customer service is the biggest change and the most difficult part about living in Paris--just getting things done. It's extremely difficult to return anything, get help on the phone, or just get someone to do something. When you do get somebody to help you, it can be great, but it's challenging. I recently got a package from FedEx--somebody had sent me a gift from America. And I got a customs bill, so I went to the FedEx office to say it had been a gift. But they said if it's an unsolicited gift, I'd have to tell them to write that on the package's customs form. And I said, "Well, if it's unsolicited, then how do I know they're sending me a gift?" But they just sat there, looking at me, like I was supposed to come up with the answer. But logic doesn't always work here in France, which is a challenge for someone who believes in logic.

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FOXNews.com: Like the painting in your hotel room? You may be able to bring it home

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Like the painting in your hotel room? You may be able to bring it home Jul 31st 2012, 12:31 DALLAS –  Hotel rooms are no longer just a place to shower, sleep or maybe indulge in a breakfast in bed. They're now also spots to pick up a souvenir — and no, we aren't talking about stealing the towels. Like that painting over the bed? How about that drawing next to the TV? At hotels around the globe, guests now have the option to purchase the art work in their rooms. For several years, hotels have invited local artists in to decorate hallways, lobbies and other public spaces. It's a way they can distinguish themselves from the cookie-cutter chains and offer guests a sense of their unique city or town. Now, they are taking that partnership one step further and turning bedrooms into mini-salesrooms. The recently-opened Omni Dallas hotel features more than 6,500 original pieces of art from 150 local artists in guest rooms and public spaces. The art is one of the reasons the property doesn't feel like every other hotel stayed in on past vacations. It also gives guests the option of taking a bit of Texas culture home with them. And the Omni Dallas is not the only one. The Lancaster Arts Hotel, in Pennsylvania, sells art — and even some furniture — found in guest rooms, its own gallery and common spaces, all from local artists and craftsmen. The Principe Forte Dei Marmi in Tuscany, Italy, actually hosts an artist in residence for several months. Guests meet and interact with the artist and then can custom order a piece of art. The guests can even handpick the materials to be used in sculptures. Some chain hotels trying to distinguish themselves are getting into the art business. At the Renaissance Arts Hotel in New Orleans, a Marriott property, don't expect to see price lists in the rooms. But guests who ask the staff can learn how to buy the various pieces of artwork, such as the glass sculptures in the bathroom that go for about $300. Each room features an original picture and the hotel is also able to refer guests to the artist or gallery if they are interested in other works. Guests at the new Conrad New York can't take home the hotel's signature piece of art, Sol Lewitt's "Loopy Doopy (Blue and Purple)" which fills 13 stories of the lobby. However, each room has a tile representing part of the work. The gift shop sells the same tiles for $95. Sherry Quinn, of Lisbon, Md., near Baltimore, recently purchased a painting, "Orange Moon over Lemmon Avenue," while attending a security-related convention at the Dallas Omni. "It was the most unlikely place I would think I would purchase art," Quinn said. But the nighttime scene of the city just called to her. "I just felt like there was something magical about the painting." Quinn had three days to debate buying the 32-inch by 32-inch painting. When she spoke to the gift shop staff — the hotel has a digital catalog of all its artwork there — she learned that the artist, Kelly Megert, actually worked there part-time. The next morning, she met Megert and spent $350 on the painting. "I got to talk to her about she came about painting it," Quinn said. "I did love the painting itself, but the fact that it was a local artist kind of clinched the deal for me. It means something to me that an artist is painting about their city." Ed Netzhammer, managing director of the Dallas Omni, notes that his hotel has "more art than a lot of the galleries and museums around the country." "It makes it fun and interesting and adds a whole different level of energy to the hotel," Netzhammer said. Bjorn Hanson, dean of New York University's hospitality school, said any savings hotels see from not having to furnish rooms is lost by the adding liability and staff needed to rotate the art. The push for local art, he said, is coming from younger guests who don't want to see the same thing in a hotel in New York and San Francisco. "This age group has a special appreciation for local sensitivity," Hanson said. "That would be things like helping local artists, helping local growers whether that's produce or bakeries or wine producers." So leave a little extra room in that suitcase this summer — you never know what will be coming home with you from vacation.

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FOXNews.com: Seven tips for a stress-free vacation

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Seven tips for a stress-free vacation Jul 31st 2012, 09:00 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. "You may have different needs than others but as long as you are clear that you like to sightsee or like quiet time, the less pressure and expectation is placed on you," advises Karol Ward, a licensed clinical social worker with a private psychotherapy practice in New York City. 2.  Craft a budget.  Wise recommends figuring out how much you want to spend as a group and as individuals prior to leaving for your vacation to eliminate unwanted stress on the trip. Not only will a budget prevent you from spending more than you can afford, but it will also let you see the number of times you can comfortably eat out, enjoy drinks or go on excursions. 3.  Choose your companions wisely.  "When you're on vacation, you're typically spending anywhere from a few days to a few weeks straight with your travel companions," says Wise. Don't waste your time off with people you can only handle in small doses; vacation with spouses, family and close friends to minimize frustration. 4.  Allow time to unwind.  Having arrived at your destination, it can take up to three days to shed the stress of everyday life and reach a state of relaxation. "The biggest misconception people have is that they should feel calm, happy and at ease the moment they get to their vacation spot," says Ward. Be sure to save room for some down time when scheduling vacation activities. 5.  Try new things.  Stretch yourself mentally and physically while you are away. Ward encourages doing "some form of movement that is pleasurable and letting yourself explore new places even if it's a short walk down the beach or through the woods. "A change in perspective does allow us to view our lives differently," she says. 6.  Remember to refuel.  According to stress reduction/relaxation consultant Zoe Sameth, "When you are out of your regular routine and don't always know where and when your next meal will be, it is especially important to make sure that you stay hydrated and keep your blood sugar at a good level." She recommends bringing along a water bottle and some juice boxes, power bars or fruit and nuts to replenish energy during vacation activities. "This will make an enormous difference in keeping your stress levels down and raising and maintaining your sense of well-being," says Sameth. 7.  Take a deep breath.  Unexpected stresses inevitably accompany travel--If your plane is delayed, or a communication error arises, rather than feeling miserable because you are experiencing anxiety when you're supposed to be on vacation, Sameth says "understand and accept that life, including vacations at times, does contain stressors." Her instructions for dealing with unforeseen stress: tell yourself "this too shall pass," take a deep breath, listen to an inspiring or relaxing CD or MP3, hydrate with some cucumber water or tropical juice, eat a yummy snack, and simply enjoy your time away.

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FOXNews.com: London has a new climbing venue: the slippery, spongy roof of the O2 music arena

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London has a new climbing venue: the slippery, spongy roof of the O2 music arena Jul 30th 2012, 19:30 It could be London's equivalent of climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge — scaling the top of the giant dome that houses the O2 entertainment center and hosts some Olympic competitions as well. But it takes work to get up to the aerial walkway — the springy bridge that crosses the O2 is like climbing a vertical mattress. The canopy is made of non-stick glass fiber fabric, durable and weather-resistant. It's 52 meters (170 feet) high in the middle and is suspended between the structure's distinctive yellow steel masts, which are each 100 meters (328 feet) tall and attached to high tensile supporting wires. "It's a really, really exciting piece of British engineering," said Michael Buckley, climbing guide. Visitors are put into climbing suits with a special harness that latches to a safety cable. Each group is restricted to 15 people, costs 22 pounds ($34) each and must be booked in advance. Children under 10 are not allowed and there are some weight restrictions. The whole journey with safety video and changing time takes well over an hour. But once on top, visitors get a splendid panorama of the British capital. Climbers get fifteen minutes to take it all in and snap a few pictures and then it's time to face the descent. Some say negotiating the walkway is trickier if it's raining because it gets slippery. Jane Couchman brought employees up on a team-building exercise. "They loved it, yes, it was great. It was a bit hard work," she said. "It was probably scarier coming down than it is going up, but when you're at the top, sensational views." Neave McNamara, one of her colleagues, was skeptical at first. "I didn't want to do it, to be honest with you, I was really, really nervous, terrible fear of heights, but with some encouraging colleagues and managers, once I got to the top I wasn't as bad," she said. The manager of the operation, Sally Davies, says it's a unique visitor attraction because people have to work to earn the experience. "This is not just a walk in the park," she said. "This is you going on an expedition, climbing up to the top of the roof, feeling the full elements and when you reach here, a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction to take in the sights of London."

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FOXNews.com: New website hopes to be a one-stop-shop for travel news

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New website hopes to be a one-stop-shop for travel news Jul 30th 2012, 19:16 A new travel website called Skift has launched that aims to bring together a fractured world of travel sites.  Rafat Ali, founder of the website paidContent, says his site will give users one place for people to read about the different facets of travel, including air travel, cruises, hotel information, and rentals. While the site will have stories on business travel and the industry's startups, it will also cater to consumers.  "There are frequent-flyer blogs and things like that. But there's nothing in the travel industry that brings it all together in a cohesive, information-led effort. We are in a good position to build that," Ali told  paidContent. According toWired, Ali said "with the American Airlines bankruptcy, business travelers want to know how it affects their travel miles - that's the type of reporting we will offer." Ali joined forces with Jason Clampet, formerly the senior online editor at Frommers, to launch the site, which went live Monday. It's unclear how Skift will perform with the abundance of travel news sites and blogs currently on the Internet.  Right now it has a staff of four people, but hopes to expand.  But Ali says he sees potential in the travel industry, which is "one of the world's largest industries."

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FOXNews.com: 'Confusing' outdated Civil War tourism signs get yanked

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'Confusing' outdated Civil War tourism signs get yanked Jul 30th 2012, 18:29 The city of Corinth will replace dozens of 15-year-old signs that tell the local story of the Civil War, The Daily Corinthian reports that the 44 signs were installed in 1997 as part of the original Siege & Battle of Corinth Commission's driving tour of local Civil War sites. Officials say the Corinth Tourism Office recently completed a new driving tour and the old signs were causing confusion. The city began taking down the signs this past week. "Over the years, the Tourism Office changed the driving tour, but the signs were never changed," said Park Ranger Tom Parson. "It's very confusing for people coming from Shiloh who are on the new driving tour and they see the small driving tour signs." Parson said the driving tour will go without signs for the time being. Much of the land containing historical sites currently owned by the Siege & Battle of Corinth Commission will soon be transferred to the National Park Service. Once the transition is complete, the National Park Service will create and install new signs representing the current driving tour and the new sites added to NPS property. Before that happens, there is still much work ahead, Parson said. For example, roadside pullover sites must be established so motorists on the driving tour will not have to stop in the middle of the roads. Property that has been — or will soon be — acquired by the National Park Service from the Siege & Battle of Corinth Commission includes Battery F, the property at the intersection of Mississippi Highway 2 and Polk Street and the old Confederate earthworks.

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FOXNews.com: Northern Calif. roller coaster stalls at top of ride, strands dozen people for 2 hours

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Northern Calif. roller coaster stalls at top of ride, strands dozen people for 2 hours Jul 30th 2012, 09:00 VALLEJO, Calif. –  A newly built roller coaster stalled 150 feet above ground Sunday afternoon, stranding a dozen riders for almost two hours at a Northern California amusement park, a park spokeswoman said. The Superman Ultimate Flight roller coaster stopped at about 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the top of the ride, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom spokeswoman Nancy Chan told the Vallejo Times-Herald (http://bit.ly/MtKFQd ). Vallejo firefighters arrived at about 3 p.m. A theme park crane equipped with a large personnel bucket was prepared to reach the riders. Two firefighters and a park mechanic were lifted up in the bucket and gave water bottles to the riders. A park mechanic eventually restarted the ride, which then went backward and lowered the riders safely to the ground. Fire Battalion Chief Ray Jackson said firefighters were prepared to take riders down in the bucket if the coaster couldn't be restarted. None of the stranded riders were injured, Jackson said. The new ride opened June 30 at the Vallejo theme park, holds two cars with six riders each and can travel at up to 62 mph. It ride will be closed for a "thorough safety inspection," Chan said. It was unclear what caused the two-car train to stop. "If (a ride) stops, it usually detects something and it stops for safety reasons," Chan said.

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FOXNews.com: Top US revival cities worth visiting

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Top US revival cities worth visiting Jul 30th 2012, 12:30 You can tell a place is undergoing gentrification when a coffee shop, a bookstore and an organic health food market pop up in an area littered with fast food joints and ramshackle warehouses. But clues that a city is really going through a post-industrial revival are much more subtle. Hipster stores and yoga studios aren't the only things that make the place. Other factors play into transforming a city from wasteland to wonderland, like real culture, noteworthy attractions and of course great places to eat and drink. We explored less devoured budget travel gems --Detroit, Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Minneapolis, cities once balanced on the economic precipice only to sustain as a stronghold for independent artists, forward-thinking entrepreneurs and corporate backers -- and looked at how they're being transformed into unique vacation destinations worth a second look. DETROIT, Mich.: Paris of the Midwest Detroit and its artful decay is often viewed as a place where cool people want to photograph (not necessarily reside) thanks to a haunting, fascinating collection of abandoned buildings. When Detroiters made their suburban migration to swank suburbs, they left Motor City ironically car-empty and bike-friendly. Things have changed slowly for the "Paris of the Midwest," thanks to good vibes, affordable housing, and flourishing art and sports tourism "People who weren't making enough to buy in places like Chicago came here after the 2008 crash," says Curbed Detroit's Sarah Cox. "They focus less on the decrepit, and more on this opportunity for cool, affordable housing." SLEEP: Boutique hotel Honor and Folly sleeps swanky artsy types. Hostel Detroit provides hip urbanites low-cost accommodations and "ambassador" tour guides. Film buffs with dough dig the Westin Book Cadillac, of Frank Capra's "State of the Union" recognition. It reopened in 2009 after a $200 million renovation. ART: The Henry Ford Museum, Detroit Institute of Art and Motown Historical Museum are absolute musts. So is MOCAD's installation, "Mobile Homestead," a replica of the suburban home constructed by Detroit's Mike Kelley. The colorful sprayed work of Detroit graffiti artist Antonio "Shades" Agee commissioned by GM, Chrysler, and smaller guys like 1515 Broadway and DSE is ubiquitous. The Heidelberg Project regurgitates the Detroit decay metaphor on a neighborhood block featuring discarded objects scattered across suburban multifamily homes and yards. EAT: Saturdays belong to the Eastern Market with gourmet goodies and people watching. Small Plates scores excellent brunch points with city dwellers and suburbanites, who, wallet-and waistband permitting, grab dinner at the acclaimed Slows BBQ. PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Most Livable City An urban city with a small town vibe is a sentiment that makes Pittsburghers proud –almost as proud as they are for their beloved Steelers and Pirates. The smokestacks that once besieged the former steel town are now textural accoutrements of Pennsylvania's cosmopolitan oasis. Eighty-nine neighborhoods shape the city into a place authentically hip without being painfully hipster. The epicurean locavore, museum (Warhol Museum, Mattress Factory) and boutique-shopping (Lawrenceville's Butler Street) scenes converge urban with pastoral, courtesy of three scenic rivers and 22 miles of riverfront walking and biking trails. "We have these great mom and pop things to do because we got corporate guys like Whole Foods and Target," says I Heart PGH's Lindsay Patross. "Those stores bring foot traffic to neighborhoods that otherwise never would have." SLEEP: The luxurious Fairmont Pittsburgh scores big with locally-sourced Habitat restaurant and a BMW cruiser bike share program. The boutique Priory Hotel is a restored 19th-century Benedictine rectory and the Parador Inn of Pittsburgh, a Caribbean-themed 1870s mansion. EAT/DRINK: Between the sleek gastropub, Meat and Potatoes, farm-to-table Element and Chef Kevin Sousa's celebrated Salt of the Earth and his latest Union Pig and Chicken BBQ joint, PGH's food scene rocks the palate. Many menus offer the local Wigle Whiskey; tour and tasting are offered at the distillery too. Wednesday is the PGH night out: The Banjo Club practices at the Elks Lodge; Pub Quiz night is hosted by local music-preneur, Dave Mansueto at Brillobox. Polish Hills' Gooski's, dive bar allows smoking, and is where local music legend Lord Grunge hangs ready to sling back a few. EXPLORE: Lawrenceville, Shadyside, Squirrel Hill, Bloomfield, and Polish Hill are awesome neighborhoods to shop, dine and booze. Venture Outdoors and Kayak Pittsburgh arrange group jaunts along the Allegheny, Ohio, and Monongohela Rivers. The Duquesne and Monongahela inclines to Mt. Washington offer another sweeping vantage point. Buffalo, N.Y.: Digestible Architecture Buffalo has long given America good architecture. Tucked within Victorian homes and mansions are the designs of starchitects Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, H.H. Richardson, and Frederick Law Olmstead. Millions are now dedicated toward restoring and reviving these structures and the city's heritage. Wright's Darwin Mart House scored a $50 million restoration. Historic Canal side waterfront district is undergoing a $295 million development project, and currently hosting over 400 summer events. The National Garden Festival, a 1,000-garden party (June 23-July 29) symbolizes Buffalo's community building and urban rebirth. STAY: The Hotel @ The Lafayette, a mixed-use project designed by America's first female architect opened this summer, along with Mike A's Steakhouse inside. ART: Small galleries and artist-run spaces abound in Sugar City and Allentown, an artsy hipster-without-pretense neighborhood. July 26 to August 5 is the massive Infringement Festival. Currently on display at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery is "Wish You Were Here: The Buffalo Avant-Garde in the 1970s." Babeville, a converted church that houses the artist-run Hallwalls, was saved from demolishment by Buffalo's Ani DiFranco. GooGoo Dolls' Robby Taka started the annual Music is Art festival. The Western New York Book Arts Center offers letter pressing, screen-printing, paper making and bookbinding classes. EAT: The surrounding fertile farmlands supply Buffalo's successful farm-to-table movement. To date, there are 400 independently-owned restaurants from Polish to Mexican, Burmese to Iraqi. Farmers markets are aplenty; food trucks on the rise, and artisanal food producers like White Cow Dairy and Five Points Bakery leave chain restaurant struggling to survive. Filling Station in the Larkin District (a suddenly hotspot for business and entertainment) is garnering insta-buzz. The Blue Monk and Village Beer Merchant are growler go-tos for microbrews aficionados. ["These aren't] the mundane openings of everyday restaurants, [they're] significant milestones for the city," says BuffaloRising's Newell Nussbaumer. "There's no more yellow haze over the city from the steel plants. Our water is getting clean. The cost of living is low, and there's no traffic." MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.: Best for Bicycling  With average January temperatures of 13 °F., it's no wonder that Minneapolitans take their spring and summer months very seriously. Those sun-shining months are a chance to step outside and soak in the myriad of either free or affordable sites and activities—and there's no better way to do that than on two wheels. Bicycling magazine twice named the city "Best Bike City," ahead of Portland and Oregon. Navigating the 44 miles of Minneapolis' bike lanes or of its Twin City St. Paul (another 40 miles of dedicated bike lines will soon be completed) is easy, whether it's catching free music in Mears Park or exploring the Walker Art Center and its gigantic Frank Gehry glass fish. The bike-friendly cities also mean a lot less car traffic for you to check out the tasty number of James Beard awarded restaurants and music venues (did we mention Minneapolis is the home of legendary pop star, Prince?) STAY: Minneapolis is home to some powerfully striking hotel conversions. The Art Deco W Minneapolis -The Foshay in its previous carnation was the first skyscraper erected west of the Mississippi. Today it serves up prohibition-era drinks, sweeping views and quintessentially W modern décor.  The Hotel Ivy inspired in the Ziggurat (Mesopotamia meets Iran) architectural style was initially commissioned pre-Depression to be the Second Church of Christ Scientist. It mostly served as an administrative building and then sat vacant until its luxury hotel conversion in 2008. Those who recall the Minneapolis Athletic Club is now home to the upscale Lifetime Fitness, and part of what is now The Grand Hotel. ART: Minneapolis Bike Love combines art with biking.  Its Art Crank, a now annual event, features bicycle-themed art, attracting both the casual and hard core cyclist from around the world.  EAT: The 20 plus blocks that make up Eat Street (and Eat Street Social) boast exotic options like Hmong and Somali restaurants that can tantalize the palate as much as James Beard nominated joints, such as Piccolo and Alma. The satiating food truck trend in ubiquitous in America. Minneapolis' are best represented along five blocks of Marquette Street. Chef Steven Brown, Minneapolis' celebrity chef recently opened Tilia, and already there's any everyday a line out the door. The Bachelor Farmer was opened by the two sons of Governor Mark Dayton, who are also grandson's of the founder of Target. (They're Rockefellers on their mother's side.) Name dropping aside, the food panders thoughtfully to the locavore. DRINK LIKE IT'S 1999: Marvel Bar, nearly impossible to get into, is a worthwhile challenge. The barkeep named Pip has established a cult following for his collection of culinary cocktails. Zen Box Izakaya is for the Japanese drinking aficionado, and his or her wannabee friends. There's a Hitachino white ale on tap, an impressive shochu and sake menu, and Japanese style fried chicken. A 35-minute drive away is Chanhassen, where the musical magic that is Paisley Park and Prince reside. The artist currently known again as Prince is known to occasionally throw last minute jam sessions and parties on Friday nights, which are open to the public.

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FOXNews.com: SC city imposes 60-day ban on beach booze; voters to decide if it will be permanent

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SC city imposes 60-day ban on beach booze; voters to decide if it will be permanent Jul 28th 2012, 15:26 FOLLY BEACH, S.C. –  Sitting in the sun, watching the waves roll in and popping the top on a cold one would seem to be as much a part of the American summer as hot dogs and cookouts. But one South Carolina beach recently imposed a temporary ban on booze on its shores, and a nationally known beach expert says there are more shore towns that ban alcohol than permit it. He said the laws are generally passed to prevent rowdy gatherings and everything that goes with them, not to prevent folks from walking the sand with wine in a plastic cup. "If you looked at it, most beaches have a prohibition on drinking, but I think if you looked at it closely, most beaches people are drinking on," said Dr. Stephen Leatherman, known as "Dr. Beach" for his ratings of the nation's best beaches. This laid-back coastal town of weathered bungalows and surf shops banned drinking on the beach this month, with the city council imposing a 60-day ban after dozens of drunken revelers tangled with law officers in a Fourth of July melee deputies described as a riot. Five officers were hurt and seven people arrested. Local real estate agent LaJuan Kennedy has spent the past couple of weeks collecting hundreds of signatures so residents can vote on making the ban permanent. Folly was the only beach in the Charleston area where it had been legal to drink on the shore. "July Fourth was just the straw that broke the camel's back," Kennedy said. "This has been building for the last three or four years." She said residents are sick of drunken young people causing problems and leaving trash behind. "It's not that they are bad people, but after they go down and drink alcohol from 9 to 4 their brains are mush," she said. "When they come down they are perfect ladies and gentlemen and it's, 'Yes, ma'am' and 'No, ma'am.' When they leave, they have other words to say because of the alcohol." Matt Kacenga, manning an outdoor booth for East Coast Surf Rentals on the town's main drag, called the ban "a knee-jerk reaction." He said that both Folly Beach and the number of vacationers have grown in recent years, and that the city has to figure out how to handle the changes. "I can't tell you I'm flat-out against the ban because I do believe things have gotten worse," he said. "But I think there should be some real adult, pragmatic, civilized discussion as opposed to a heat of the moment solution." Things have been quieter in the past few weeks, but locals say it's unclear if that's because of the alcohol ban or simply because the beach season is winding down. "I've never said that not drinking is a panacea," said Mayor Tim Goodwin. "But if there is no drinking on the beach, they're probably not going to be planning a fraternity party there." Leatherman, a professor at Florida International University, said beach alcohol bans likely don't hurt the economies of shore towns too much. While the local convenience stores may sell fewer six packs, towns tend to reinvent themselves and, he said, there are only so many choices for people to go to the beach so visitors tend to keep coming. He said beach towns generally ban alcohol for two reasons. "If you have a large group of people, especially young people, and alcohol is freely available, then testosterone runs wild and you get fights going on," he said. "A second reason is litter and broken glass, which can be very dangerous on beaches." He added that most beaches won't have problems 350 days out of the year, even on beaches that allow drinking. It's big weekends, like July Fourth and other holidays that bring extra people, that can cause issues. "When you think of it, if you go to a bar and drink too much, they by law have to cut you off," said Folly Beach Councilman Eddie Ellis. "Out on the beach, there is nobody to cut anybody off." ___ Follow Bruce Smith at http://twitter.com/brucesmithap

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FOXNews.com: Six places to visit with crazy sounding names

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Six places to visit with crazy sounding names Jul 30th 2012, 12:00 If you've ever had a hankering to briefly visit Hell, explore Joe Batt's Arm or perhaps slog through Boring, you're in luck: they all exist as travel destinations. Here are some of the craziest sounding towns to visit -- and don't forget to send a postcard to startled friends back home. Hell, Michigan Yes, come winter you actually can watch Hell freeze over. Hell, with a population of several hundred, is about 15 miles northwest of Ann Arbor. What can you do in Hell? Eat ice cream at Screams, pick up something to eat at Hell in a Handbasket, and even, if you're feeling particularly devilish, get married at the Hell Chapel. Boring, Oregon The community of Boring - which proclaims itself "an exciting place to live and work" - was actually named after one of its first residents, W.H. Boring. Located about 22 miles southeast of Portland, Boring recently found itself anything but when it paired with the Scottish village of Dull. The two communities, now known jointly as "Dull and Boring" have their own Facebook page. Truth or Consequences, New Mexico Truth or Consequences actually started life with the name Hot Springs, but discarded that in 1950 when radio quiz show host Ralph Edwards offered to air his show from the first town that renamed itself in the program's honor. Hot Springs, about 140 miles south of Albuquerque, took on the new nom de ville and now has become something of a pop culture reference, including the 1997 Kiefer Sutherland movie "Truth or Consequences, N.M." (filmed in Utah and Nevada, however). Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, Wales Yes, that's right: common spelling. This town on the island of Anglesey in Wales has one of the longest place names in the world but it can be shortened to Llanfairpwllgwyngyll. The full moniker means "St. Mary's Church in the hollow of the white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of Saint Tysilio of the red cave." Try getting all that on an envelope. Joe Batt's Arm, Newfoundland According to legend, this fishing town located on an island off the Canadian province of Newfoundland was named after the first European settler, Joe Batt, who possibly was a deserter from the employ of Captain James Cook. An arm is a jut of land and hence the name Joe Batt's Arm, which is located a healthy 338 miles from another memorable Newfoundland town, Jerry's Nose. Bugtussle, Oklahoma Before you decide this small rural community northeast of McAlester must have been a funny place name on "Petticoat Junction," consider this: it produced one of the better known speakers of the U.S. House of Representatives, Carl Albert. Albert, who died in 2000 at the age of 91, grew up in Bugtussle and attended its two-room schoolhouse. When it finally closed, he came back to give the graduation address.

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FOXNews.com: Welcome to Britain, now stand in line: Etiquette tips for an enjoyable Olympics

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Welcome to Britain, now stand in line: Etiquette tips for an enjoyable Olympics Jul 26th 2012, 19:52 LONDON –  Welcome to Britain! The line forms to the right. Here are some tips for Olympic visitors hoping to get the most out of their experience. WHEN IN DOUBT, QUEUE For many visitors, their first experience of the great British tradition of lining up will be at Heathrow Airport. Europe's busiest air hub has been making headlines over the past few months for its long waits at immigration. Officials promise the problem has been fixed for the games, but — fear not — visitors will have plenty of other opportunities to stand in line at post offices, bus stops, subway stations and the entrances to the Olympic Park. British lines are usually orderly, often elaborate and full of gallows humor. Be patient and don't try to barge ahead — all attempts at queue-jumping will be met by glares and furious tut-tutting. DON'T LIKE THE WEATHER? WAIT FIVE MINUTES Britain is an island nation — "this precious stone set in the silver sea," as Shakespeare put it. Silver, but also stormy. The country's famously fickle climate has caused pre-Olympic misery, as the wettest June and early July on record caused floods, disrupted transit and forced the cancellation of sports events. This week, sun and heat have appeared, causing heat-buckled pavements and trains delayed by overheated rails. Britons have learned to cheerfully accept that all forms of weather are bad news. It's best to prepare for the worst and treat the weather as a useful conversation-starter — though once on the topic, many Britons find it hard to stop. And heed the advice of Olympics chief Sebastian Coe: "People do need to be wearing the right footwear, the right rain-proof clothing — and sunscreen." DRIVE ON THE LEFT, STAND ON THE RIGHT British cars drive on the left, which can provide a potentially lethal surprise to visitors not from Australia, Japan, or the other handful of countries that do the same. When walking, remember your mother's advice and look both ways before you cross the street. In London Underground stations, the same rule applies: keep left while moving. This is especially important on escalators — nothing annoys commuters more than tourists blocking their progress. If you remember only one thing about London etiquette, let it be this: stand on the right side of the escalator, walk on the left. GET A ROUND IN Britons take great pride in their sense of fair play. Many visitors will encounter it in pubs, where each member of a group is expected to take a turn buying a round of drinks for everyone. Buying a drink only for yourself is considered exceptionally rude. TIP MODESTLY American visitors are advised to pare back the amount they tip for services in Britain. In restaurants, it's customary to add 10-15 percent to the bill. In pubs where you order and pay at the bar, tipping is unnecessary. Many locals do not tip taxi drivers — although visitors will find that London's famous cabbies possess a detailed knowledge of the city that often comes in handy. Any tip will be gratefully received. ACCEPT SLIMMED-DOWN PORTIONS Like tips, restaurant portion sizes are often smaller in Britain than in the United States and some other countries. Two U.S. diners at London's Oxo Tower restaurant were recently heard remarking about their tiny portions and the sizable prices. "Meals are definitely bigger and cheaper in Texas," one man remarked as a waiter brought him three small venison slices with a squirt of puree. AVOID EYE CONTACT In common with many big-city residents, Londoners scrupulously avoid acknowledging strangers on the street. This is especially true on crowded buses and subways. Exceptions: Buses, trains and subways full of people who have had a few drinks will often be full of boisterous but generally friendly banter. And during travel disruptions, camaraderie will triumph over social awkwardness, unleashing a latent "Blitz spirit" that can be unexpectedly jolly. ENJOY THE WORDPLAY North American visitors will quickly learn that many common, everyday items have different names in Britain — fries are chips, a sidewalk is a pavement, pants are trousers and underwear is pants. "Pants" is also slang for bad, rubbish, lame — just one example of the delight Brits take in coining new words and phrases. The Olympics has added a trove of new phrases. They include jubilympics — the period from the queen's Diamond Jubilee in June through the Olympics, which end Aug. 12 — and omnishambles, a word first applied to government screw-ups that has been used to describe the crisis-prone buildup to the games. YES, THAT MAN REALLY IS THE MAYOR Above all, Britons love an eccentric. That may explain the popularity of London Mayor Boris Johnson, a disheveled, bicycle-riding, Latin-spouting figure with a shock of blond hair who was re-elected to a second four-year term in May. Johnson's behavior at Friday's opening ceremony is one more unpredictable element in an evening of surprises. Bookmaker William Hill is offering odds of 33-1 on the mayor accidentally setting his hair on fire with the Olympic flame. ___ Associated Press Writer Paisley Dodds contributed to this report. Jill Lawless can be reached at http://Twitter.com/JillLawless

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