In 1988, young Karen Toshima was gunned down by crossfire between rival gangs in the affluent area of Westwood Village, CA.   In the subsequent weeks, L.A.P.D. flooded the district, known for its proximity to UCLA and as a hotspot for Los Angeles nightlife.  So began the downfall of Westwood.  Over the next 15 years, this prime location for Hollywood movie premieres, bars, and restaurants transformed into a moribund, decaying relic of the go-go 80’s.

New York gold futures jumped to a second straight record at above $1,243 an ounce on Wednesday, driven by safe-haven buying attributed to the same euro-zone fiscal fears that have lifted the yellow metal for days.

Silver followed gold’s coattails, reaching a high it has not seen since 2008. Platinum and palladium rallied with the biggest daily percent gains of the metals.

Oil continued to decline more toward $75 a barrel. Prices were hurt by the latest Energy Information Administration weekly report which showed higher crude inventories.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Wall Street banks and allied interest groups have spent $600 million and hired 243 political insiders to represent their interests before Congress and U.S. policymakers since early 2008, a study said on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House expressed its strong support on Thursday for efforts to "restore stability" to Greece and said President Barack Obama had been briefed about the issue and the situation in financial markets.