US retail sales rose solid 0.8 percent in July | Long Island Business ...

by The Associated Press
Published: August 14, 2012
Tags: back to school, clearance, clothing sales, consumer spending, gas prices, Retail, retail sales, U.S. Commerce Department

Americans boosted their spending at retail businesses in July by the largest amount in five months, a surge that could help lift the economy out from its slump.

Retail sales rose 0.8 percent in July from June, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday. It was the largest increase since February and followed three months of declines, including a 0.7 percent drop in sales in June.

All major categories rose. Auto purchases increased 0.8 percent. Consumers also boosted their spending on furniture, electronics, building materials and sporting goods.

Stock futures rose after the report was released

The economy has shown some modest improvement in July. Employers added 163,000 jobs, the best month for job growth since February. Stock indexes are near their highs for the year. And consumer confidence rose for the first time in five months. The combination appeared to translate into more spending by consumers.

?Lower gas prices, a nice rally in stocks and stronger job growth ? helped boost consumer spending,? said Jennifer Lee, senior economist at BMO Capital Markets. She said the gain represented a good start for the July-September quarter but further improvement in employment would be needed to ensure further gains in consumer spending.

Retail sales totaled a seasonally adjusted $403.9 billion in July, up 21.4 percent from the recession low hit in March 2009.

The retail sales report is the government?s first look each month at consumer spending, which drives roughly 70 percent of economic activity.

The economy grew at an annual rate of 1.5 percent from April through June. That?s not enough to lower the unemployment rate, which ticked up in July to 8.3 percent.

Overall, consumer spending on goods and services grew only 1.5 percent in the April-June quarter, the slowest pace in a year.

Americans are also saving more. The savings rate ? the percentage of after-tax income that consumers don?t spend ? rose to 4.4 percent in June, the highest in a year.

More breaking news

Source: http://libn.com/2012/08/14/us-retail-sales-rose-solid-0-8-percent-in-july/

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Pets and More Pets ? Common Foods Toxic to Dogs

Chocolate is well known to have dangerous and potentially fatal effects on dogs. Many dogs have died from eating chocolates. Theobromine in chocolates has the toxic effect of stimulating the nervous system causing dogs to have very fast pulse and rapid heartbeats. Drooling, vomiting and diarrhea are the less serious effects of chocolate to dogs. The over stimulation of the nervous system though can cause the dog to have tremors, to seize and to die.

Chocolates are not the only toxic foods to dogs. Foods that are commonly consumed by humans can have dangerous effects on the dog. It is therefore the responsibility of each and every dog owner to know what people foods can have toxic effects on the dog.

As with humans, dogs too would get healthful benefits from fruits. Dogs though must be prevented from eating grapes and avocado because these fruits are known to have toxic effects on dogs. More and more dog owners are taking the time to provide the pet home cooked meals fearing that commercial pet foods may be contaminated. To entice the pet, the owner may enhance the flavor of the food by adding onions and garlic but these foods are very dangerous to dogs. These food enhancers have potentially dangerous effects to the health of the pet. Eating onions and garlic has the ill effect of bursting the red blood cells of the dog. In dogs, ingestion of onions and garlic can result to anemia.

Tomatoes and potatoes are toxic foods for dogs too. The oxalate that these food contain hampers the normal functioning of the digestive and nervous systems as well as cause damage to the dog?s kidneys. Green tomatoes are most toxic but the leaves and the tomato plant itself would also cause tremors and arrhythmia.

The toxicity of these foods largely varies. A dog owner may boast about a pet that has ingested one of these poisonous people food and show no signs of poisoning. One dog may not show signs of food poisoning but it does not mean that the food can be consumed safely by other dogs. Toxicity of the poisonous food will depend on the amount ingested by the dog, on the toxicity of the food and on the body weight of the pet. The toxic food may have damaged the vital organs and these effects will not be visible. Dog owners therefore have to be cautious in giving the pet people food.

Many common human foods are toxic to dogs. A more comprehensive list of foods toxic to dogs can be found at Sarah?s Dogs.

This entry was posted in Dogs and tagged dog, dog food, dog food poisoning, dogs, pet. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post. or leave a trackback.

Source: http://petsandmorepets.com/2012/08/common-foods-toxic-to-dogs/

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200 North Baltimore (Coldwater) | Dodge City Housing

The main part of this home was originally built in 1886 and has additions to it in both 1960 and 2005. It features 5 bedrooms and 3 baths and has family and entertaining areas on both ends of the house. The North addition (1960) has a family room with a fireplace, vaulted and beamed ceiling, patio doors to a covered patio which opens to a large fenced backyard. The South addition (2005) has a large dn with a fireplace and a beautiful loft with skylights, vaulted ceiling and hardwood floors. There is also a bedroom and large bath with a walk-in tub and a walk-in closet and spacious vanity areas. The basement of this addition is finished with a large office/family room, large walk-in closet with storage area, a 3/4 bath with a walk-in shower and a utility room. There is an attached one car garage. The kitchen of this home is spacious and has a breakfast bar. There is a formal living room, large dining room and a music room just off the living room. There is a 20?14 storage building in the backyard. This home has an abundance of character and charm.

For more information contact Peg Vogel at Coldwell Banker Hancocks at 620-255-5853 or by email info@coldwellbankerhancocks.com.

Listing Price: $179,900
Address: 200 North Baltimore
City: Coldwater
State: KS
ZIP: 67029

MLS # (if any): 10323
Square Feet: 3111
Bedrooms: 5
Bathrooms: 3
Basement: Partial

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Source: http://dodgecityhousing.com/2012/08/200-north-baltimore-coldwater/

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Why Now May be the Time to Build | Georgia Mountain Real Estate

said on August 15th, 2012 filed under: Market Updates, Real Estate Information

With the housing market in recovery mode and new residential construction on the rise, a unique opportunity exists to take advantage of what are still comparatively low material and labor costs while enjoying accelerating appreciation. Whether it?s a new home, addition, vacation home, or a commercial property, analysts agree that those who build now will realize the highest return on their initial investment.

Along with this upward trend, material and labor costs are also expected to increase, making today the perfect time to take advantage of this economic opportunity. Not only will you save money short-term in construction costs, but by building now, you?ll make an investment that will yield a much higher return over time. Comparing the numbers, real estate continues to be a better choice in investing your money than the stock market, especially with recent market performance returns in mind.

There are many benefits to investing in real estate, including leveraging your mortgage to amplify your ROI, the consistency of real estate compared to the volatility of the stock market, and bigger breaks on your taxes. According to a recent article from CNN Money, ?If you (or your mutual fund) hold a stock for more than a year before selling, then you owe only a capital-gains tax that tops out at just 15 percent. Second, you can offset any investment losses you realized against your gains on your income tax return.

Interest rates are lower than ever and material costs are remaining relatively steady for now. General contractors are available and hungry for any work they can get, coming off of a two year building slump. ?(According to the National Association of REALTORS?) in April 2012, homes changed hands at a record pace of 7.2 million per year, at a median price of $206,000, up 15.1 percent from a year earlier. The last time home prices rose so fast in one year was in November 1980, when prices shot up 15.6 percent,? says Forbes Magazine.

Making the wise choice to invest in real estate this year remains one of the best ways to make sure you get the best possible return on your investment and building a home with a differential ? something that sets it apart from other homes on the market ? enhances the return. Unique homes are often sold for much more than comparable homes in the same area. Homes with one-of-a-kind features, energy efficiency, and brilliant architecture are providing the best return for home builders. Building your home with energy efficiency at the forefront is a great way to set your investment apart while keeping your heating and cooling costs low over time.

In addition to building ?green,? adding an architectural novelty to your home will pack your investment with a high-quality differential, bringing your return even higher. Features such as outdoor kitchens and patios, or unique architectural styles such as post and beam, or timber framing, provide an aesthetic appeal that will lure in potential buyers while providing energy efficiency with the addition of SIPs to enclose the structure. Exposed timbers, quality materials and cathedral ceilings are features that bring your real estate investment the distinction it needs in order to thrive in a growing economy.

For those looking for a strong long-term investment, this is the time to choose new real estate. And if you?re choosing to build, there has never been a better opportunity to engage in a relationship with your architect, builder or home design/build company.

Source: Eric C Lindstrom, Woodhouse

Written by Rick Andrews

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 15th, 2012 at 7:14 am and is filed under Market Updates, Real Estate Information. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Leave a Reply

Source: http://georgiamountain-realestate.com/2012/08/15/why-now-may-be-the-time-to-build/

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Facebook Slow? - Family Woodworking

Have any of you seen a slowdown connecting to Facebook? Lately, there are times that I'll log in and I get nothing but clocking. If I get to my page and click on another page, it sits and clocks. I don't have any problem connecting to other sites.

Source: http://familywoodworking.org/forums/showthread.php?28153-Facebook-Slow

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The Harmful Effects Of Alcoholism To A Person&#39;s Appetite | Essential ...

Alcoholism may have different effects to a person?s body. It will also have varied impacts to one?s eating habits, food choices and appetite. Some individuals can lose a significant amount of weight as they lose the ability to acknowledge the necessity of foods because of alcohol. While in many cases, for moderate drinkers, alcohol will put one at risk for obesity.

Addiction to alcohol is also known to create serious health conditions and diseases as well as malnutrition. This happens when an individual starts to desire for unhealthy foods, drink more and eat less. According to experts of alcohol rehab facility, proper treatment and supervision is necessary for alcoholics. Since alcohol can substitute their food consumption, it is important to monitor and guide his eating habits.

Increased Hunger

The hormone that boosts a person?s hunger especially for high fatty foods has been also associated with alcohol cravings. Experts of inpatient rehabilitation for alcohol believe that when an individual consumes excessive amounts of alcohol, the production of the hunger increasing hormone, gelanin increases. This problem will affect his eating behaviors and desires for food.

Deprivation Of Hunger

Alcoholism can deteriorate the ability of the person to assess his appetite. Generally, abusive drinking will detach an individual from his cravings for food consumption. Alcoholics often display poor food choices and eating habits. They are more likely to eat unhealthy foods and disregard the essence of nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables. Alcoholism can lead to malnutrition and low body weight. Although alcohol can maintain and increase the calorie needed by the body, due to the less consumption of foods that contain the essential nutrients to keep the body healthy, malnutrition in alcoholism is always possible. The loss of appetite will have a negative effect to a person?s nutritional wellness and will increase the risk of other harmful diseases.

Alcoholics often use alcohol as a replacement to their meals. For this reason, most of them are malnourished because of losing their appetite or consuming unhealthy foods. For moderate drinkers who tend to use drinking as an addition to their foods, they are more likely to experience obesity. Heavy doses of liquor will generate more heat and increase metabolism. This is also the reason why heavy drinkers will experience malnutrition.

The more volumes of alcohol being consumed, the less likely people can eat sufficient food that contains vital nutrients which the body needs. Since alcohol displaces food and affects the nutritional process in the body, nutrient deficiencies in alcoholism are inevitable.

Source: http://www.essentialmexicanrecipes.com/blog/2012/08/07/the-harmful-effects-of-alcoholism-to-a-persons-appetite/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-harmful-effects-of-alcoholism-to-a-persons-appetite

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Ways to know your relationship is over. : Flavafm | The Heart & Soul ...

Number of View: 40

It?s always difficult to know when a relationship is over but sometimes the answer is right in front of you, you just need it to be pointed out. We have got expert advice on how to know when it?s time to call it a day with your partner.

We will start with Lack of communication or failing to communicate???

Communication is so essential to a relationship, that the lack thereof can be a sign that the relationship is on its way out,? says Rachel DeAlto, relationship and flirting expert?.Failing to communicate will leave a big void in your relationship and cause minor problems to spiral into unnecessary issues. Try going for an afternoon walk or book a table at your local restaurant, with no distractions the conversation should flow more easily. If it proves to be difficult and it becomes apparent that you simply just don?t care anymore then you know what to do.

You?re off sex ? ?Having a healthy sex life and one that suits both your libidos and sexual desires is important for every relationship, but if your bedroom time has gone from exciting and experimental to dull and repetitive then it?s time to decide why.

Relationship expert Rachel DeAlto says, ?If your sex life has gone from 60 to 0, it is a bad sign that your relationship is on the fritz. A little ebb and flow of desire is normal, but if one of you has lost the desire completely (without any underlying medical condition involved) it is time to end it.?If you?re not quite ready to call it a day, try bringing the zing back to your sexy time with a new sex position, or introduce sex toys into the mix. If you?re both still not jumping into the bedroom then maybe your relationship is more suited to being just a friendship?

You? re bored ? At the beginning of your relationship, his romantic gestures came thick and fast and every little indication of his affection would ignite the flame of excitement in you. But now the honeymoon period is over, your time together is more about staying in front of the telly rather then romantic meals and walks in the park.

While this isn?t necessarily time to call it quits immediately, do let him know you need some more excitement again, even if it?s a case of simply making a date at your local restaurant. If he fails to make the effort then it?s time to question just how much this relationship means to each of you. If he isn?t interested then why should you be?

You dont get affectionate -?Can you remember the last time you missed your man or woman? Do you often tell him/her you love them? Love snuggling up for a cuddle??If these feelings and expressions have become a thing of the past, then your relationship needs a emotional overhaul. If you don?t want to embrace your partner or you wouldn?t miss him/her if he or she, left then its time to move on.

You fight constantly -?A spat of words in a relationship is a great way to vent and can actually be healthy, after all, it shows you both still care. If you get to a point however, when you can no longer resolve the issues and just fight ALL the time, you need to think about how you want to continue in the relationship. If you find you both still have the desire to sort things out, you could be in with a chance of reviving your relationship. If there?s no want, then unfortunately there?s no relationship.

You?ve lost interest -?At the beginning of a relationship, you and your partner are inseparable. You embark on endless text convos about what you?re up to, late night phone calls to see how their day went and go on spontaneous dates so you can spend even more time together. Once chatting about these general day-to-day topics no longer interests either of you, it?s time to decide whether you?ve outgrown one another.

He?s Cheated -?It is not impossible to get over the fact your man cheated, many couples do it and can become stronger as a result. For some of us however, it?s a tough hurdle to get over.

?Cheating in a relationship is always damaging. There are many factors that come into play when deciding if it?s time to call it quits, but it all comes down to whether you can rebuild the trust,? says Rachel DeAlto. ?If you cannot forgive and trust them again, it?s better to walk away.?

Try a romantic break to see if you can rekindle some romance and remember why you fell in love. If you still can?t get over a past infidelity, then you need to consider that his breach of trust may just not be something you will ever get over.

[Cosmopolitan]

Related Stories

Tags: Relationships, Tips

Category: Love & Relationships

Source: http://flavafm.co.zm/2012/08/06/ways-to-know-your-relationship-is-over/

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What Your Lingerie Color Choice Says About You | The Dangerous ...

The lingerie you wear says a lot about you, but did you know that the colors you choose say just as much? The same bra in white can make a totally different statement in black, red or pink!

You probably choose the color of your lingerie subconsciously. You spot a gorgeous bra set or basque in the shop window and you like it for the ?style? ? but your mind is also drawn to the color too!

It?s this less thought-about choice that makes what your color choices even more revealing than the style itself. Here?s what your lingerie colors say about you as a person?

Image by Esty Lingerie

Black

Do you always head for the black, whether it?s silk, satin, lace or just plain cotton? As everyone knows, black is a classic colour. It?s timeless, stylish and the epitome of elegance and good taste! Oh, and it?s also very sexy.

Like your lingerie, you?re a stylish woman ? but you like expensive, well-cut pieces that will stand the test of time rather than following each and every fashion fad that?s ?in? this season.

In life you?re no different ? you?re looking for a long-term partner to grow old with, but that doesn?t mean you want to miss out on all the fun. You?re a very sexy and seductive lady after all!

White

Another classic color, white is pretty but simple, black?s plainer sister. If you like your lingerie white you?re probably quite a traditional and no-nonsense person, quite practical but not afraid to show off your natural beauty when the time is right.

You?re not bothered about fussy frills and trims on your lingerie, or in your life ? you focus on what?s important, whether that?s your career, your family or your hobbies, and everything else can take second place.

Red

The boldest color there is, red is fiery and passionate ? just like you! You can get very angry when someone does something to annoy you, but when you?re in love there?s no one more loving than you are!

Fans of red lingerie love to stand out in a crowd. You love having all eyes on you and can be a bit of an attention seeker, but when people get to know you there?s a real sweetie hiding inside!

Nude

It?s a lie that a white bra is the best choice to wear under a white t-shirt ? nude is far less visible! You take practicality to a whole new level. For you, lingerie is not designed to be seen, it?s designed to make your clothes look better on top of it.

You have a no fuss, no frills attitude to life, with a penchant for comfortable and classic clothing over the latest trends. You like looking great, but not if it means going out of your way to do so ? you?d rather spend a lazy Sunday in your comfy PJs than tottering around the shops in high-heels anyway!

Pink

This wonderfully girly color shows off an equally girly personality. If your friends had to describe you in three words it would probably be something along the lines of ?sweet, cute and adorable?. You?ve always been the baby of the group and you like a man that looks after you and treats you like the princess you know you are.

Miss Pink is also all about finding the fun in life. You love pillow fights, nights in with the girls and when it comes to fashion, well it?s all about experimenting and having fun ? who cares if you make a fashion faux pas? You?ll be laughing about those photos for years to come!

What personality do you think fits with other lingerie colors, such as blue and green?

About The Author: Michelle Star is a lingerie lover who blogs for Esty Lingerie, a great boutique where you can buy lingerie online by plenty of independent designer brands you?ve probably never heard of!

Source: http://dangerouslee.biz/2012/08/07/what-your-lingerie-color-choice-says-about-you/

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clinteastwoodxy: Nanaimo Sports | Recreation | Hockey Skills ...

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Tuesday, August 7th, 2012 - Friday, August 10th, 2012
9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

This exciting Hockey Skills & Drills program offers two ice sessions focusing on powerskating and skills & drills. The skaters also receive one hour of yoga instruction as well as road hockey.

9:00 - 10:30am Session 1 - Powerskating
10:45 - 11:45am Yoga / Snack
11:45 - 12:30pm Lunch/Road hockey
1:00 - 3:00pm Session 2 ? Skills/Scrimmage

2 Age Groups

6 - 9 Years and 10 - 13 Years

To Register www.heathdennison.ca
For more information please call Heath @ (250) 756-5896

Source: http://www.harbourliving.ca/event/hockey-skills-drills-nanaimo/2012-08-07/

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Source: http://mrpingali.typepad.com/blog/2012/08/nanaimo-sports-recreation-hockey-skills-drills-nanaimo.html

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Source: http://clinteastwoodxy.blogspot.com/2012/08/nanaimo-sports-recreation-hockey-skills.html

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Source: http://mervin5216.typepad.com/blog/2012/08/clinteastwoodxy-nanaimo-sports-recreation-hockey-skills.html

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Porcelain tile - Porcelain Tile And Tile That Looks Like Wood

Ever heard of tile that looks like wood? Well if you want the essence of wood but the durability of porcelain tile or ceramic then it?s best to go for floors that have the woody appeal but the durability of tiles.

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More Details about Porcelain tile here.

We are living in a modern world where numerous innovations and evolutions are accomplished on a frequent basis. The latest technologies and advanced machines have brought a lot of up-gradation in the range and availability of products in the market. Same is true with the flooring industry which has introduced a wide variety of flooring options to choose from. Porcelain tile and tile that look like wood are among the most in demand flooring materials used for covering the floors, walls, roofs and other spaces of your house or office.

Porcelain tile has been a favorite in kitchens and baths for several years. It is a ceramic tile that can be glazed or unglazed. Porcelain floor tiles have a host of benefits that make them a really good choice all over the home and outside it as well.There is no clear difference between a ceramic tile and a porcelain tile except one is much more resistant to moisture than the other. It is created by mixing clay and other materials together and firing it at very high temperature. This firing process hardens the tile and depending on the time duration and temperature will result how hard the tile will become and how impermeable it will be to water. Porcelain tile can be used as flooring material or can be utilized to cover walls.Porcelain tiles are very easily accessible and no maintenance issues are involved with porcelain tile thus they are the obvious choice for all your tiling needs and demands.

The beauty and appeal of wood is unique and thus many people love to have wood flooring at their space but it has a lot of drawbacks including limited lifespan, not resistant to moisture or sunlight, cannot withstand high traffic, and requires maintenance on frequent basis, to name a few. Due to these reasons nowadays majority of people prefer to opt for tile that looks like wood. The material used to fabricate this type of tile is ceramic hence these wood look tiles are very hard, durable, impervious to moisture and heat resistant as well. In addition to this these tiles are available at much reduced prices than hardwood tile yet providing the same charm to any floor.

In today's internet dominated market several companies provides its customers with these tiles at reasonable prices through their portals. The companies deliver the orders of its customers at their place in a timely and economical manner.

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For more details about Porcelain tile and tile that looks like wood log on to woodlooktiles.com

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More Details about Porcelain tile here.

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London Olympics: To foreign eyes, NBC is all about U-S-A, U-S-A

I am a German following the London Olympics from Boston. Or trying to, anyway.

By Rieke Havertz,?Contributor / July 31, 2012

Aiming for gold, Team USA finished at a frustrating fifth place in men?s gymnastics after struggling in several routines. Morning news in the States was full of questions how that was even possible.?

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But as I watched the analysis, I kept wondering: Which country got the gold medal? Fifteen minutes on CNN ? no word on that.

Smart move

Focusing on the national team at the Olympics is the smart move in any country. That?s what viewers are most interested in. In Germany, everyone heard everything about the men?s gymnastics team seventh place performance. But journalists overseas don?t forget to mention the medalists who don?t come from their own country. So they learned that China won the event, followed by Japan and Great Britain.

Watching NBC two nights in a row, I can hardly remember any coverage of a discipline that US athletes had no chance of winning. Sure, competitions promising a national medal come first ? that is true for the US as well as Germany, where there's huge coverage of swimming, equestrian, or rowing. But stories do not just revolve around Germany?s athletes. There is this 15-year-old swimmer from Lithuania? Sure, cover it. And what about that funny-looking guy who is London?s mayor?

German viewers just get the broader picture. They learn about their nation?s athletes, but once the specific competition is over, people turn off the TV with the big picture, too ? from the weirdest, funniest, most unlikely athlete to the big win in the 100-meter men?s final.

"Sponsor of moms"

What you would be missing, of course, in German coverage, would be the highly detailed home stories on the athletes and their families. Getting a closer look at the personality behind the athlete is nice. But in the end it should be about the sport, not the high school sweetheart.? Let?s leave that for the cheesy patriotic commercial like those from P &G, the ?proud sponsor of moms.? At least there you can tune out if you want ? without really missing a thing.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/R43buudVuXs/London-Olympics-To-foreign-eyes-NBC-is-all-about-U-S-A-U-S-A

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2 medals for Phelps would cinch Olympic history

LONDON (AP) ? Michael Phelps is chasing more Olympic history in his next two events at the London Games. Winning medals in the 200-meter butterfly and a relay would let him get it done in the same night.

Phelps goes into Tuesday night's fly final with the fourth-fastest time in his signature race. He'll try for the second time to become the first male swimmer to win the same individual event in three straight Olympics.

He failed in the 400 individual medley, and Japan's Kosuke Kitajima came up short of the same feat in the 100 breaststroke.

Phelps already has the most gold medals of any Olympian ? 14 ? and eclipsed Mark Spitz's record with eight wins in Beijing four years ago. He could tie Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina's record of 18 career medals in the 200 fly, and he would own the mark outright if the U.S. makes the podium the 4x200 free relay.

So far in his farewell Olympics, Phelps earned his first career silver medal in the 4x100 free relay after finishing fourth in his first event, the 400 individual medley.

The 4x200 relay will give Ryan Lochte a chance to get back on track after two straight disappointments. He got passed swimming the anchor leg of the 4x100 free relay and then he finished fourth in the 200 free on Monday.

"I did my best," Lochte said. "I guess sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. I gave it 110 percent. There's probably some things I messed up on, but you live and learn."

The 200 free was won by Yannick Agnel of France in a followup to his winning anchor leg that beat Lochte a night earlier. He led all the way in beating a loaded field, although Phelps wasn't in it after he decided to skip defending his Olympic title.

Agnel won in 1 minute, 43.14 seconds.

"I really didn't expect that time," he said. "I had a race plan in my head, but this is above my expectations and hopes. I had to start quickly over the first 100 meters. I did that. Then I worked on keeping my speed and putting all my guts into the last 50."

French President Francois Hollande congratulated Agnel, shaking his hand warmly in the noisy chaos of reporters and cameras in the mixed zone. The medal was the third swimming gold of the games for the country ? its most ever.

South Korea's Park Tae-hwan and China's Sun Yang tied for the silver in 1:44.93. Lochte and world recordholder Paul Biedermann of Germany were shut out of the medals.

The U.S. dominated the backstroke events, with teenager Missy Franklin winning the women's 100 and teammates Matt Grevers and Nick Thoman going 1-2 in the men's race.

Franklin has a relay bronze and her first individual gold, with five more events to swim.

She had an incredibly busy night, advancing out of the 200 free semifinals with the eighth-fastest time and then returning less than 14 minutes later to win the 100 back.

"What kind of high school kid can do that?" teammate Breeja Larson said. "She is incredible. She is the one that is going to lead us into the swimming world next."

Phelps was suitably impressed with Franklin's stamina, saying he had never done back-to-back races that close together at such a major meet. His quickest turnaround was about a half-hour.

"She's a racer and she knows what to do," he said.

Franklin won in 58.33 seconds. Emily Seebohm of Australia took the silver in 58.68 and Japan's Aya Terakawa earned bronze in 58.83.

Like Franklin, Grevers rallied on his closing lap to win the men's 100 back in an Olympic-record 52.16. The U.S. men have won the event in every Olympics since the 1996 Atlanta Games.

Thoman took the silver in 52.97, and Japan's Ryosuke Irie was third in 52.97.

Franklin wasn't the only teen queen in the pool.

Fifteen-year-old Ruta Meilutyte won the 100 breaststroke to give Lithuania its first swimming gold medal. She won in 1:05.47, holding off 2008 silver medalist Rebecca Soni of the U.S., whose trademark late speed wasn't enough this time.

Soni fell eight-hundredths of a second short. Japan's Satomi Suzuki took the bronze in 1:06.46.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/2-medals-phelps-cinch-olympic-history-045117449--oly.html

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