Oliver and Olivia become Britain’s most popular names for children in 2010

By Tom Kelly Last updated at 1:55 AM on 31st December 2010 Oliver became the most popular boy’s name this year, knocking Jack into second place after 16 years.And Olivia remains the most popular girl’s name for the third year running, according to a survey of 423,000 children born in 2010. The list also suggests that TV, celebrity and news trends continue to have a major influence on what parents call their children. Go with the Flo: Florence and Zac have become popular names again, Read more [...]

Industry names glitter-free honours list

Roger Carr, who as chairman of Cadbury failed to prevent its takeover by US food group Kraft a year ago, will on Friday be knighted in the New Year’s honours list. Sir Roger’s knighthood is likely to court controversy given that he is also the generously paid chairman of Centrica, parent company of British Gas, which is under perennial public pressure over high utility prices. He was widely criticised for the sale of Cadbury, one of Britain’s best-known chocolate manufacturers, despite Read more [...]

Word Cup referee Howard Webb in Honours list

30 December 2010 Last updated at 19:53 ET Mr Webb took up refereeing in local Rotherham leagues in 1989 A policeman selected to referee the World Cup Final has been appointed MBE in the New Year Honours list. Sgt Howard Webb, 39, from Rotherham, was honoured for services to football after he became the first Englishman to referee a World Cup final since 1974. Mr Webb has Read more [...]

Open Houses of the Week

This year, the last Sunday of local real estate's "dead period" falls on January 2. Next week, the ghost town that has been the Holiday Season ends. The market will be flooded with listings, and the weekly Sunday parade of open houses will resume. That is not to say that there is no reason to turn off football and head out to Foster City to take in a few open houses, even if you're a masochistic 49er fan looking to wring as much pain and confusion as possible out of the last day of the 2010 season. Read more [...]

Elaine Abercrombie: Reasons to Be Thankful for the Area in Which We Live

Local News » Elaine Abercrombie: Reasons to Be Thankful for the Area in Which We Live By Elaine Abercrombie | Published on 12.29.2010 E-mail Print Post | View Comments (1) Share   This time of year makes me recount what the past year has brought. I am reminded daily about how grateful I am to live here. Consider that nearly everyone in the nation knows of Santa Barbara’s great weather, and at some point during the year, depending on their Read more [...]

Private Properties

Actor Val Kilmer has relisted his 6,000-acre New Mexico ranch for $18.5 million, a 44% discount from its original $33 million asking price in 2009. The Pecos River Ranch is about 30 miles east of Santa Fe. Six miles of popular trout-fishing river runs through the ranch. The property includes a main house built of logs with four bedrooms and four baths, with an attached guest house. There are several additional staff and guest houses, as well as an equestrian complex. Mr. Kilmer currently operates Read more [...]

A family war of the follies leaves a little reminder of rivals

Strolling through the hundreds of graceful acres of some of Britain's large country estates, the visitor will appreciate the planning and hard work that went into creating the sumptuous gardens and views of mansion and monuments, but we don't necessarily understand how these vast properties came about.Take Wentworth Castle. Five minutes from junction 37 of the M1, this is the only grade one listed landscape in South Yorkshire, and it encompasses a fascinating collection of 26 listed buildings and Read more [...]

Apartment Houses: The Early Story

The burdens and wastefulness of private house life in Manhattan were apparent as soon as land values forced houses to four and five stories — how many bedrooms can a widow, or a couple without children, or a professional man actually use? Before the 1860s the options were either living in a hotel, with its dreaded common dining room, or a boarding house, about as homelike as a railroad sleeper car. The Black, Starr Frost building was built by William Black, head of the silver firm later Read more [...]

IRS: Val Kilmer Owes $500K in Back Taxes

Val Kilmer owes nearly $500,000 in federal taxes, and a lien has been placed on the "Batman Forever" actor's property, including a New Mexico ranch he's trying to sell. The Internal Revenue Service filed the lien last month in Santa Fe for an assessment balance of $498,165 for 2008 income taxes. Kilmer has lived in New Mexico for two decades. He put his 5,300-acre Pecos River Ranch on the market for $33 million in 2009. The ranch is now listed for sale at $18.5 million, down Read more [...]