Cityfile: New York's Most Notable and Influential

The United Kingdom of Unattractiveness | Britons are the ugliest people in the world, at least according to the stupid dating website BeautifulPeople.com. (Not that we necessarily disagree, of course.) [Reuters, Telegraph]

The Beckhams Are Recession-Proof | It's been a rough few months for aging British musicians, apparently. According to the Sunday Times, Elton John's net worth has plummeted by 26 percent on account of the financial crisis. Mick Jagger is down 16 percent and is now worth a mere $280 million. And Eric Clapton's net worth now stands at $176 million, since his fortune has dwindled by 14 percent over the last year. Good news (or bad news, depending on your perspective): The paper reports David and Victoria Beckham's wealth is unchanged. [Bloomberg]

We could just about cope when British people were colonizing the West Village, infiltrating the media, and seducing our musicians, but this is much, much worse: Now they're commandeering our plastic surgeons! The WSJ reports that the weak dollar and the high price of surgery in Europe has led to an influx of patients from the UK, who combine affordable facelifts and nosejobs with shopping and vacationing:

Some U.S. plastic surgeons are promoting themselves through in-flight magazines read by international travelers. The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary in Manhattan, one of the U.S.'s oldest specialty hospitals, is preparing to launch a marketing campaign in London. The initiative is "capitalizing on the value of the dollar" as well as a recognition that New York is "very much a destination," says Allan Fine, a hospital vice president.

So, now you can not only blame the British for sending us Simon Cowell, it will also be their fault when nipped-and-tucked socials can't get a quick appointment with the doctor of their choice.