According to the city's official tourism arm, NYC & Company, an estimated 50 million tourists will have visited NYC by the year's end, making NYC the number one domestic and overseas destination for tourist spending in the United States. But Orlando begs to differ on the domestic front: "Orlando is the No. 1 destination" in the USA, Visit Orlando corporate communications director Brian Martin told USA Today. Oh, isn't that the city whose major superstar loves it so much, he requested a trade to beautiful New Jersey?
Orlando Gets Catty Over NYC's #1 Tourism Ranking
Casey Anthony Released From Jail, Boards Plane To Unknown Destination
Casey Anthony, the Orlando woman whose acquittal for murdering her two-year-old daughter has enraged the country and sparked legislation to prevent it from happening again, was released early this morning after a judge determined that she had served her four-year-sentence for lying to authorities. Anthony exited the jail with $537.68 in cash and under heavy guard as around 100 protestors outside screamed "baby killer" and held signs that said "Justice for Caylee" and "Honk For Caylee," references to Anthony's daughter who the defense team claimed died after drowning in the family's pool. According to the local Orlando ABC affiliate, Anthony boarded a single-engine plane at 3 a.m., and flew to an unknown destination.
JFK Security Breacher Just "Looking for a Cab"
The Haitian evacuee who caused a massive meltdown at JFK Saturday afternoon when he strolled through a door into a secure area says he was "lost" and "just looking for a cab." Jules Bouloute told police he didn't see the no entry sign. "I was looking for the entrance to find a taxi [and] somebody told me to go through the door," he said, according to court papers. "I went through and the alarm went off." Bouloute—who escaped from earthquake-devastated Haiti via the Dominican Republic—may have been a bit distracted, but should he pay for the cost and inconvenience he inflicted on passengers, staff and the state?
1 Dead, 5 Wounded In Orlando Shooting
A few hours ago, a man opened fire in an Orlando, Florida high-rise office building. According to the Orlando Sentinel, the suspect is a former employee and the shootings occurred at a transportation consulting firm. CNN reports, "Investigators are looking for a man wearing a blue Polo shirt, gray vest and blue jeans. 'We're in a search mode for the gunman,' said Jim Solomons, a spokesman for the sheriff's office." Update: Now it's reported the gunman was captured and that one person was killed and five others were wounded.
Last Night's Action: No Rest for the Weary
Last Night's Action: Not Quite Instant Returns
City Questions Spitzer's Move to Sell Land Around Javits
Governor Spitzer is facing opposition in his attempt to snuff out any Javits Center expansion by selling land surrounding the center to fill budget gaps. The administration still plans to renovate the convention center, but it will result in far less space than what was originally envisioned for the expansion, which would have cost between $1.8 billion and $3 billion. Senator Charles Schumer, Mayor Bloomberg and City Council speaker Christine C. Quinn oppose the land sale, which would effectively eliminate the possibility of any future expansion.
It Takes Brass Blogs to Sell Broadway
My endorsement of this measure, issued in blue covers, first referred to as the “blue Bills”, have come to be known, on late night Talkshows, as “The Blue Balls.” This, while accurate, is disrespectful to my Office.
Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent, Others Named in Steroid Probe
Uh oh - there's definitely a little drama for five well-known performers as the Albany DA's office continues its probe into steroid trafficking. The Times Union reported yesterday that Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent, Timbaland, Wyclef Jean and Tyler Perry were "among the thousands of customers of the pharmacies" DA David Soares' office has investigated.
Is That a Salami in Your Pants or...
The Post has fun with a story about a robbery at a Brooklyn grocery, as a man stole a number of salamis and was trying to spirit them out in his clothes. Of course, this earns the headline "WURST-CASE SCENARIO FOR THIEF: COPS."
Last Night's Action: Nets Making a Move?
Last Night's Action: The Rangers Get Back To Winning
The game was stopped midway through the second period after an ugly collision between Colton Orr and former Ranger Matt Cullen. Cullen took this worst of it as he was momentarily knocked unconscious and had to leave the game. While it didn’t look intentional, the referee assessed an interference penalty and a game misconduct on Orr. Orr should expect to hear from the league office in Toronto shortly.
Brooklyn Bank Robber Really Loved to Hit 2 Banks
Success made Orlando Taylor greedy - and an jailed man for robbing two Brooklyn banks a total of four times in just three days. He was arrested when spotted outside one of the two banks, apparently casing it out for another robbery.
Last Night's Action: Stephon on D
Sacramento 123 Knicks 118 (2OT’s); You weren’t dreaming, that really was Stephon Marbury playing defense. Marbury didn’t start, but he had a nice game off the bench as Isiah went to a three-guard lineup in the fourth quarter. With Crawford and Robinson sharing the point, Marbury took over at the two and did well. Eddy Curry had a huge game with 27 points including a game-tying rebound and layup with 10 seconds left in regulation,...
Last Night's Action: Still the Knicks
Magic 112, Knicks 102: As fun as it is to jump on Eddy Curry and his 80:1 pound/rebound ratio, the Knicks have other problems. Dwight Howard made things difficult for one of the Knicks big men -- though the other, Zach Randolph, did manage to have 23 points on 13 rebounds -- but the New York shooters' failure to back them up the frontcourt cost the Knicks this game. The perimeter players didn't play...
Quick Hits: No Love For Newark; Gold Gloves; Cabrera?
If Barry Melrose ever goes to Newark, he probably won't be getting a warm reception. Melrose, a hockey analyst for ESPN and a former player and manager, said some disparaging words about the city of Newark when talking about the new Devils arena on his webcast last week. Melrose said, "It looks great on the inside but don't go outside, especially if you got a wallet or anything else because the area around the building...
Last Night's Action: Settling It on the Court
Knicks 119, Nuggets 112: Isiah Thomas had his Knicks go toe-to-toe with the high-flying Nuggets, and they came out on top despite trailing by 15. Don't look now, but Thomas may have made a smart move in acquiring Zach Randolph. Eddy Curry is still overweight and Renaldo Balkman was still taken too early, but the Knicks put on quite a show for the Garden fans. And it didn't involve the fisticuffs of last season's...
With a Whimper, the Mets Go Golfing
For a team used to making miracles, conjuring up a disaster had an especially bitter taste. With a sloppily played 8-1 loss to Florida and the Phillies' 6-1 win against the Nationals, the Mets' season ended about a month too early. The loss capped an agonizing stretch of two and a half weeks in which the Mets played some of the worst teams in the National League and still played their worst baseball of the season.
Gothamist's Week in Rock: Volume 36
A fine way for the Seaport Music Festival to send off the summer, with two of the year's biggest breakout bands on a lovely evening. We were taking in both Battles and Dearhunter for the first time last Friday and were massively impressed by both bands. Deerhunter, down a man and with their usual shtick toned down, sounded like a young Sonic Youth or stripped down Broken Social Scene. A much lighter and more accessible experience that we had prepared for by listening to their thumping album. Battles was more what we expected, playing a hypnotizing hybrid of Math-Metal and some Jammy-Groove stuff that somehow works. Stereogum has some pretty pics.
Last Night's Action: Keep Your Hands to Yourself
Last Night's Action: Delgado Finally Comes Through
Last Night's Action: Series Wins
Last Night's Action: In One Night, Yankees Win in June, Lose in July
Yankees 8, Orioles 7: Way back on June 28th, the game between the Yankees and Orioles was suspended in the 8th inning with New York up 8-6. Last night, the two teams continued the June game with Mariano Rivera allowing one Baltimore run to make things exciting in the 9th before picking up what is officially his 10th save of the season.- Orioles 4, Yankees 2: In the regularly scheduled game last night, the Yankees were unable to drive in the key runs to beat the Orioles. The Yankees had 5 runners at 3rd base over the course of the game, but were unable to plate any of them. Andy Pettitte had a solid game that consisted of one bad inning, which was all Baltimore needed. Pettitte allowed three runs in the 3rd inning when he allowed three hits and two walks. On the positive side, he did retire the last 12 batters he faced.
- Nationals 6, Mets 2: It's the games against the bad teams that the Mets need to win if they want to keep their minuscule lead in the NL East. Unfortunately, they couldn't muster up much offense last night against Washington. Moises Alou went 1-4 including a double and a run scored in his return to the team, but that wasn't nearly enough to bail out Jorge Sosa. Sosa allowed 5 runs over 6 innings and had the Mets in a hole from the 2nd inning. The Mets and Nationals play a day-night doubleheader Saturday with Mike Pelfrey pitching in one game and Orlando Hernandez in the other.
Last Night's Action: Bombardment Continues
Last Night's Action: Balking In The Bronx

- Yankees 3 Blue Jays 2 (10 innings): This was a wild one. Andy Pettitte and Roy Halliday pitched brilliantly each allowing only one run before turning it over to the bullpens and that’s when things really got interesting.
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Last Night's Action: A Weak Output

- Twins 6, Yankees 2: Beating Johan Santana is tough enough with an A lineup. Doing it with three reserves becomes nearly impossible. The Yankees tried and failed to beat the Cy Young Award winner by sending out Kevin Thompson, Miguel Cairo and Wil Nieves on the same day. Part of the blame goes to manager Joe Torre for choosing to rest everyone en masse, but part of the blame can rest on the Yankees' perpetual indifference to who is on their bench.
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Actor Exonerated in Nightclub Elevator Death
A judge dropped charges of criminally negligent homicide against Granville Adams when prosecutors said they could not prove their case. Adams was accused of killing Orlando Valle, a married man with a 13-year-old son, at the Chelsea nightclub BED. Adams pushed the man against elevator doors that then opened, and Valle fell down the shaft to his death. Adams was dating the coatcheck girl at BED, who became involved in an argument with a birthday party guest of Valle's. The now-cleared man claimed that he was simply trying to broker a peace in the argument when he was attacked from behind; that is when he and a BED bouncer pushed Valle against the elevator doors.

