I rode the bike to Riverstone Park after work last night, to check out the new stretch of Centennial Trail running along the river (fabulous) and to test my riding skills in heavier traffic along Ironwood Drive and Gummint Way on the way home (scary). You encounter several switchbacks with stop signs on the new section of trail, which requires care, but the path opens up onto a beautiful view of the river and runs along Black Rock's new condos on the river. There's a bench or two at vista points along the way for those who want to stop and reflect. City Attorney Mike Gridley and city officials deserve a monster hat tip for dealing with the railroad to add this section. I'm surprised the CAVErs haven't announced there opposition to it. With that thought, I'll play this Wild Card ...

At A Matter Of Opinion, HBO's CindyH started a thread within a thread in which she wondered whether 'tis better to brew your own coffee or have someone at a coffee hut or shop do it for you. Each option takes about 40 minutes. You can read Cindy's clever argument for and against each side here. How about you?

Question: Do you prefer to make your own coffee, mochas, frappuccinos, etc.? Or would you rather drive to a coffee hut/shop to have your favorite made while you wait?

Jae C. Hong/AP Photo
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., waves as he arrives at the Victory Column in Berlin Thursday. About 200,000 heard his speech.

Question: Do the large crowds and media praise generated by Barack Obama abroad in regions hostile to the U.S. influence how you might vote in the presidential election this year?

Item: Putting money where mouths are: Media donations favor Dems 100-1/William Tate, Investor's Business Daily

More Info: The New York Times' refusal to publish John McCain's rebuttal to Barack Obama's Iraq op-ed may be the most glaring example of liberal media bias this journalist has ever seen. But true proof of widespread media bias requires one to follow an old journalism maxim: Follow the money.

Question: Do you see a problem here?

Republican Senate candidate Jim Risch has agreed to a second debate in October — but that may be the end of the road. Earlier this week, Risch said he would take part in an Oct. 8 debate in Lewiston. He is also committing to a Oct. 21 event sponsored by a media group headed by KTVB. "Those are the debates that we are doing," Risch told KFXD radio this morning. This suggests Risch has no interest in taking part in the 10-city October road show orchestrated by Democrat Larry LaRocco and independent Rex Rammell. No surprise there; Risch has pooh-poohed these debates from the outset/Kevin Richert, Idaho Statesman. More here.

Question: Should Risch also schedule a third debate against LaRocco and Rammell, on Idaho Public TV, which would be broadcast live statewide?

The American people might have changed their minds about the wisdom of the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gay and lesbian members, but Idaho's Sen. Larry Craig and right-wing activist Elaine Donnelly have not. Craig and Donnelly oppose permitting openly gay people to serve in the armed forces. The only trouble is, Donnelly, founder and president of the Center for Military Readiness, uses Craig's 2007 arrest in an airport men's room sex sting, and subsequent guilty plea, as evidence for her case/Jim Fisher, Lewiston Tribune. More here.

Question: Do you support the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy?

Kathy Plonka/SR
Wes Hanson, of Coeur d'Alene, who uses a well as his water source, attends a water adjudication meeting Thursday. The Northern Idaho Adjudication District Court will have a hearing Aug. 28 in Coeur d'Alene. The court is then expected to begin the adjudication process, which will catalog and confirm 100 years of water use in the Coeur d'Alene-Spokane river systemStory by Erica Curless/SR here.

*Idaho Records/Sherry Adkins, SR
*Lawsuit filed in Valley View fire/Meghann Cuniff, SR
*Overturned boat closes I90 near Huetter/KREM2. (ISP report in extended entry section)
*Boys & Girls Club eyes new Lakes Middle School location/Maureen Dolan, Coeur d'Alene Press
*Businesses face salvage job after downtown Spokane fire/Spokesman-Review
*Ironwood Athletic Club set to move, change name/Ryan Shelton, Coeur d'Alene Press
*Kellogg police investigate recent gas thefts/Ty Hampton, Shoshone News-Press

Question: Will you be following the water adjudication process for North Idaho at all?

Megan Gomez, 7, and others get hosed down after she and her fellow members of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Carbon County got covered in shaving cream after a group activity got messy, Wednesday. You write the cutline.

Has the poor economy forced you to cut back on the little things, like lattes and manicures?/KREM2

*Yes
*No

Item: Avista defends request for 15.8%, 5.8% increases/Alecia Warren, Coeur d'Alene Press

More Info: Avista requested in early April for the commission to increase electricity rates by an average 15.8 percent, and gas rates by 5.8 percent. If the commission grants Avista's full increase request, the monthly bill for an average electric customer who uses 977 kilowatt-hours a month would increase to $78.08 from $67.58. An average gas customer who uses 65 therms per month would see an increase to $80.05 from $75.14 per month.

Question: Are you sympathetic to Avista's request?

The attorney for the Gozzer Ranch executive accused of punching his 61-year-old neighbor in the throat says his neighbor was threatening children. Ron Van Wert, who represents Gozzer Ranch vice president of development Andy Holloran, said any incident that night had nothing to do with letters to the editor of The Press written by Pat Stroud. "I'll tell you right now, Mr. Holloran absolutely denies that," Van Wert said. "In fact, the story Mr. Stroud has provided is false and that is why we contacted the paper"/Tom Greene, Coeur d'Alene Press. More here.

KCSD eyewitness report

Signe Wilkinson/Philadelphia Inquirer

I boldly went last night where few men dared do go -- to see "MamaMia" with my wife. Of the 90 or so theater goers at Riverstone, I and Nils Rosdahl were two of only seven men. The estrogen level was running high. I thought I'd inadvertently walked into a showing of the "Vagina Monologues" -- and hoped that no one would begin a chant that involved unmentionable female parts. I tried to get Nils to sneak into an adjoining theater showing "The Dark Knight" but he hunkered down with his wife, Mary. Afterward, he said he liked the show. I was OK with it, until Pierce Brosnan began to sing. 007 singing? C'mon. I hardly have enough strength left today to post this Wild Card ...

Matt Slocum/AP
A tarantula clings to a fence to escape the flood waters from Hurricane Dolly, Thursday, in San Benito, Texas.

Anyone know if there's a way to get off Bill Sali's phone list? Over the past week I've received three pre-recorded messages inviting me to participate in a live town hall meeting. All three times he called during dinner. Grr. And I assume I'm paying for this, too/Dennis.

Question: Ideas, anyone?

Construction begins Monday to straighten the curves on Kathleen Avenue from Player Drive to St. Michelle. Safety concerns prompted the straightening of the roadway, as more and more bicyclists and outdoor enthusiasts began using Prairie Trail. A pedestrian-activated crossing light will be installed where Prairie Trail crosses Kathleen Avenue/Kootenai MPO staff. More here.

It was at Gravely Creek where the guy from Montana with the French name dug in the bed of the crew cab lifting jacks and hubs and boom chain for that Hamms he knew was there. Eighty-five degrees and when he dug the beer from the junk it was covered in grease. There’s more, he said, anybody want one? The beer was bathwater warm, or worse. We all knew it/Ralph Bartholdt, The Skinny On North Idaho. More here.

Finish This Line: Beer tastes best when ...

Lido Vizzutti/Flathead Beacon, AP
A Glacier Raft Company boat navigates Bone Crusher rapids on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River near West Glacier, Mont., earlier this month. Darwon Stoneman and Onno Wieringa started the business in 1976.

*Caldwell officer accused of fondling girl/Idaho Statesman
*Idaho congressman says surge is working/Idaho Statesman
*Young plane crash survivor gets help in his recovery/KTVB
*Researchers gather DNA from Idaho basques/KTVB
*US Supreme Court takes Idaho union politicking case/Boise Weekly
*WSU students join protest over trees/Moscow-Pullman Daily News
*Idaho ACLU looking for new leader/KHQ

Question: Have you been whitewater rafting?

Ahn Young-joon/AP
South Korean elementary school students shout the word "mother" as they lay in the water during an exercise at a marine boot camp for students on Daebu Island, in Ansan,South Korea, Thursday, July 24, 2008. Some 70 students took part in the three-day camp as a way to mentally and physically strengthen themselves. You write the cutline.

Top Cutlines:

1. HBO blurkers react to the colonoscopy stories -- A Token D.
2. Chinese sing a stirring rendition of Kumbaya in protest to their government's human rights violations -- Nic.
3. Seoul singers unite -- John Austin.

HM: Shannon

6:32 p.m. Ambulance is on the way to Mile Post 94 on Highway 97 where 2Y0 is in a car, suffering a rash over 90% of his body after swimming nearby.
6:22 p.m. Shoplifter caught at Shopko.
5:59 p.m. Four males wearing backpacks attack a lone male near the bandshell at City Park.
3:53 p.m. Juvenile problem at Children's Village.
3:42 p.m. A 50YO man was knocked unconscious temporarily when he fell from a standing position at Idaho Veneer in Post Falls.
3:12 p.m. A resident in the 1900 block of Front Avenue reports that a motorist regularly parks his car in front of his property and passes out after being at Chillers all day.
2:21 p.m. ISP: 2 hurt in Bonners Ferry accident here.
1:18 p.m. Animal reported abandoned in car at the Coeur d'Alene Resort.
1:09 p.m. ISP: 71YO Clark Fork biker hurt in Sandpoint crash here.
11:10 a.m. A 91YO man is showing symptoms of a stroke at the American Legion post on Highway 41.

On a 2-1 vote, Kootenai County commissioners have rejected Coeur d'Alene Pavings' request for an asphalt batch plant. Last Thursday the commissioners, legal and the Planning Director took a road trip up to the site. Several interested parties followed the county van including Steve Wetzel (attorney for the neighbors against the proposal). Today the Board held a limited public hearing for info related to the site visit. During delibs, Commissioner Rich Piazza voted for the request, Commissioners Todd Tondee & Chairman Rick Currie voted to deny the request. All this, according to a courthouse Berry Picker.

From A Simple Mind Photo
"What is it about construction equipment sounds, that bring out men, like boys to an ice cream truck?" posts Cis/From A Simple Mind under this photo. "Here is a few sidewalk superintendent’s watching and I am sure adding comments. There is actually 3 work men. and 2
sidewalk supers ... You bring down any street, a cat, bulldozer, backhoe, or any other such equipment and the men start coming out of the yards from everywhere."

Pet Peeves: Why is it that people have gotten so lazy that they can't put on some actual clothes when they go to the store? Now, I'm not saying that people are running around naked, thank goodness, but many are without actual clothes. There are so many people running around in their pajamas all day, in public, and it really drives me crazy. I don't want to see your belly, or other parts that are hanging down to your belly because you forgot to put on under garments, popping out of your too small tank top pajama shirt/Live, Love, Laugh, Hope. More here.

*Julyamsh/OnLocation North Idaho
*What's The Buzz: Crunchy Pea & Icky Chicken/Get Out! North Idaho
*A bright black cherry burst quilt in an otherwise dark week/Soul Doubt
*Pamela Anderson: The perfect oxymoron/Dogwalk Musings
*3BT: Memoirs, mom & juice/Kellogg Bloggin'
*A mazing weekend/Slight Detour
*3WW Haiku/Tumblewords
*The dark past/Synaptic Disunion

HBO Numbers (for Wednesday, July 23): 9633 page-views/5309 unique views

Question: Why are men fascinated by construction equipment?

Ric Francis/AP
Arizona State head coach Dennis Erickson, left, and quarterback Rudy Carpenter attend a news conference for Pac-10 football media day Thursday in Los Angeles.

Question: Have you forgiven Erickson yet for throwing Idaho under the bus a second time, when Arizona State came calling?

U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge has issued an order declaring Joseph Duncan competent to proceed in his death penalty sentencing hearings, rejecting a motion from defense attorneys to declare the convicted killer mentally incompetent/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. More here.

After surviving centuries of winter cold, summer heat and lightning strikes, the tree could not stave off the two yellow track-hoes of the Idaho Transportation Department that arrived on a drizzly May 13 to widen the highway. The new four-lane divided highway cuts a wide swath across the land and the tree was in the way. The buckets and hydraulic arms of the heavy equipment pushed the tree to the ground a day after tribal members gathered to honor it in a private ceremony. But in a deal struck between ITD and the tribe, the remains of the tree now lie in a highway maintenance yard on the reservation/Kevin Taylor, Inlander. More here.

Surely some teens, myself included, have the habit to turn the ipod or mp3 player up high. But experts are worried it poses big risks to teens later on. When turning up ipods and personal stereos is becoming more common to block out the noise of daily commutes, hearing-loss experts worry about the dose of noise from say, a bus engine, plus the noise from a personal playlist/Adrianna, Vox Box. More here.

*Free digital science fiction/TXT
*Smaller papers can cover big news, too/News Diary
*Wulff, Gibson talk to the media/Sportslink
*Choosing child care/Parents Council
*Who will be the next Joker/Movies & More

Question (from Adrianna/Vox Box): Do you listen to your music loud? Do you believe ... hearing-loss experts are worrying excessively? Or should we really turn the music down?

Kathy Plonka/SR
In this September 2007 file photo, Salt Lake City Bees second baseman Matt Brown receives the ball from teammate Casey Smith in a rundown involving a Sacramento player. Next month, Brown, a former Coeur d'Alene High Viking will be playing in the Olympics. Column by Mark Nelke/Coeur d'Alene Press here.

Military Suicides: Citing a Navy veteran who killed himself a few hours after visiting the Spokane Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Sen. Patty Murray called on the VA and the Department of Defense to address the rising number of suicides among veterans nationwide. “It is the duty of the VA and of a grateful nation to be prepared to care for their unique wounds. And in order to do that, we need strong leadership and attention to detail in Washington, D.C., Spokane, Washington, and everywhere in between,” Washington state’s senior senator said Tuesday on the floor of the Senate/Kevin Graman, SR. More here.

*High court won't reconsider ruling in Justice Horton ethics case/Lewiston Tribune
*Risch agrees to debate LaRocco in Lewiston/Idaho Statesman
*Montana raises minimum wage, too/Billings Gazette
*Simple e-mail leads Idahoan to Olympic spot/KTVB
*Statesman's owner's revenue tumbles 44%/KTVB
*UIdaho retirees plan to sue school Friday/KTVB
*Idaho agency goes high-tech with -- librarian blogs/KHQ

Orbusmax Special: Mariners offer peanut free seating for allergic fans here.

Some open positions (in the professional technical departments at NIC) won't be refilled, and some class choices reduced. The budget itself increased by nearly $200,000 (not cut), but that's mostly for an across-the-board salary increase. New EMT and med-tech programs were added this year, and auto programs actually expanded/Sholeh Patrick, Coeur d'Alene Press columnist. More here.

Mary Souza disagrees, of course (see comments)

Dear God; Please be with brother Bob and his canoeing camping companions. Speak to him in the quiet of the wilderness. Show him the error of his ways. Help him to release the terrestrial garter snake he so carefully packed to bring home to MamaJD. Help him to rethink that box of brown recluse spiders he planned to send to Jeannie. And oh Lord, when the grizzly has him by the leg, cause Bob to think fondly of Sweet Herb and vow to embrace him as the father he always wanted. And when the bear doth begin to gnaw upon Bob's kneecaps, cause him to repent of all the ways he hath mocked his red-haired brother OTV. Indeed, let him vow to clasp OTV to his bosom if he survives, and let him offer to help pay Spencer's back taxes/CindyHval. More here.

Cindy's latest Front Porch column

Question: Can you think of anything else to add to the Prayer for TUBOB?

At 10:28 a.m., Huckleberries Online received the following "action alert" from Chuck Oxley, Idaho Demo PRmeister:

Folks, apparently Jim Risch has decided to poke his head up from his bunker and go on KFXD tomorrow at about 7:30 a.m. We would love to hear calls to 342-6363 asking tough questions. The show can be heard on AM 63 in the Treasure Valley area. Here’s some ideas. Gook luck, and let’s light up that board!

At 10:40 a.m., Oxley sent the following message to the media:

Members of the media: A few moments ago, you received the message below. It was intended to be sent to my list of Democrats who are active in this kind of thing. I didn’t intend to send it to my media list. However, if you DO feel like calling Jim Risch and asking tough questions, The Idaho Democratic Party would support that 100 percent.

I'd like to give Benewah County Commissioner Jack Buell and his wife the benefit of the doubt in that Sunday dustup with Coeur d'Alene tribal police. Buell, after all, is known for his generosity to fellow residents of his remote North Idaho county. But the Buells have an attitude toward the Coeur d'Alene Tribe and its ownership of the southern part of Lake Coeur d'Alene that needs adjusting, if a tribal police report is accurate.

I think the Buell's should be very very thankful that the CDA tribal officer chose to exercise restraint and not summon through his warrior song his spirit-brothers, the Osprey and the Bald Eagle, to come to his defense. I can scarcely imagine a vision more delightful than a sky full of Ospreys and Bald Eagles screaming in at 100 mph with talons locked and loaded to teach Eleanor a very important lesson in not messing with our Indian brothers on their lands/TUBOB.

Shawn Gust/Coeur d'Alene Press
Above, Bob Balser, a resident of Hayden for more than 60 years, shares his position on the wolf debate with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game Commission Wednesday, during a meeting in Post Falls.Story here. Below, the Lewiston Tribune tells how wolves decimated a pack of hunting dogs.

He said his son soon found Mickey dead. "Mickey dog is almost a legend in this area," Schilling said. "Just a heck of an animal." They started looking for the other dogs. The tracking device they were using was receiving a weak signal. The men returned to Kooskia to get another tracking device, but when they got back, the signal was still weak. They searched the area and soon found Whiskey and Vic, both dead. They walked another hundred yards and found two more dead dogs, 2-year-old Lochsa and a 6-month-old puppy. Then they found Dora/Eric Barker, Lewiston Tribune. More here.

Question: Do you support de-listing and ultimate hunting of wolves to keep their numbers under control?

Someone explain this to me.. I have a couple of large tomato plants...all have bloomed and stuff.. but no fruits AT ALL! My others are putting on fruits, but these aren't fruiting at all! What gives?/Toadman.

Question: Alice Rankin hasn't been around to help on gardening questions this year. Can anyone tell Toad what's going wrong?

A year ago, as Gov. Butch Otter was just starting to lay the groundwork for new taxes and fees for road repairs, state Controller Donna Jones went out of her way to get crosswise with the guv. She fired out a press release touting a $247 million surplus and recommended putting $200 million into roads. Jones didn't quite go so far this July. But with Otter and his transportation crew touring the state to get the word out about a $240-million-a-year road shortfall, Jones is again making life more difficult for Otter/Kevin Richert, Idaho Statesman. More here.

*Regarding Bill Sali's friend, Jack Buell/Unequivocal Notion
*'X-Files' fans 'Want to Believe'/Political Game
*LaRocco works his 30th job/Red State Rebels
*Mom 'not guilty' for 'crime' of spanking/IVA
*Idahoans and 'restrictive' abortion laws/Adam's Blog
*Idaho dogmatists: Day late, dollar short/The Stupid Shall Be Punished

Question: Should Idaho use its surplus, whatever the number available might be, this year to fix roads? Or should it raise taxes to do so?

One officer wrote in his report that he believes "Mr. and Mrs. Buell's attitude was due toour race and (they do not believe we have any jurisdiction on Lake Coeur d'Alene." ... Jack Buell called the assault and racist charges "ridiculous." He said the officers were "looking for a fight." "They were looking for it in my opinion, but we didn't bite," Jack said Wednesday. "It wasn't a big deal -- it really wasn't. But, if they want to go there. fine"/Tom Greene, Coeur d'Alene Press. More here.

DFO: I'm printing Buell's comments from the Coeur d'Alene Press because Buell didn't return phone calls to the SR.

Item: Jokes aside, colonoscopy is a lifesaver/J.R. Labbe, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

More Info: But something about the screening process was decidedly off-putting. Humor writer Dave Barry captured that "something" in the way that only he can. "Andy explained the colonoscopy procedure to me in a thorough, reassuring and patient manner," Barry wrote in his colonoscopy journal. "I nodded thoughtfully, but I didn't really hear anything he said, because my brain was shrieking, quote, 'HE'S GOING TO STICK A TUBE 17,000 FEET UP YOUR BEHIND!'"

Question: Have you experienced the medical equivalent of a roto-rooter exam?

Christopher Anderson/SR
Spokane firefighters fight a multiple alarm fire at the Joels building in downtown Spokane this morning. Story by Jody Lawrence-Turner/SR here.

*Idaho Records/Sherry Adkins, SR
*Spokane River series: Reflections at the end of the ride/Becky Kramer, SR
*Prairie Voice columns: DFO's Huckleberries, Herb Huseland's Bayview News, and Mary Jane Honegger's Rathdrum Prairie News.
*High court ruling could affect Duncan case/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise
*Groups in attack mode on wolves/Brian Walker, Coeur d'Alene Press
*CDA superintendent will continue community forums/Maureen Dolan, Coeur d'Alene Press
*USC picked 1st, WSU 10th in PAC-10 football/Sportslink

The preseason WAC polls are out. Fresno State won the coaches poll, and Boise State won the media poll. Which team do you think will win the conference this year?/Idaho Statesman. Sportslink story.

*Boise State
*Fresno State
*Other

Item: Spanking charges from parade incident could be dropped/Tom Greene, Coeur d'Alene Press

More Info: The mother cited for injury to child during the Fourth of July parade will have the charge dismissed if she and her husband attend parenting classes, according to an agreement with the prosecutor. "It will be dismissed when you get through ICARE," said Tim Van Valin, Rathdrum's city prosecuting attorney after an arraignment Wednesday for 21-year-old Melissa Farrell.

KREM2 video w/Melissa Farrell

Question: Is this the proper resolution to this controversial case?

Originally posted at 10:08 p.m. Wednesday
Item: Tribe wants Benewah Commissioner Buell's wife charged with assaulting an officer/Kevin Graman, SR

More Info: On Sunday, tribal officers John Dressler, a Coeur d'Alene tribal member, and Kaleb Madison, a non-Indian, were on patrol near the mouth of the St. Joe River when they noticed a blue vessel violating the no-wake ordinance, according to individual police reports by both officers. As they approached the boat, a woman on board, later identified as Eleanor Buell, yelled, "You Indians have no jurisdiction on these waters," according to the police reports. Then a man on board, later identified as Jack Buell, asked the officers, "Do you Indians know where you are?" the reports stated.

Tribal police reports

Question: What should be done in this situation?

Joe Heller/Hellertoons

A Post Falls man operating a road grader suffered critical injuries Wednesday when the machine rolled in a crash and pinned him. A citizen found Jay D. Peterson, 53, unconscious and without a pulse about 4:10 a.m. on Mellick Road, about two and a half miles south of Schilling Loop near Post Falls, according to the Kootenai County Sheriff's Department. A Med-Star helicopter took him to Kootenai Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition. He was later flown to Harborview Medical Center. Authorities believe Peterson may have been test driving the road grader, which was for sale/Meghann Cuniff, SR.

I applaud you guys for following thru after I put out that 2 Cents note asking you to tell your family, friends & co-workers about HBO. Immediately, the numbers jumped from the 8000-8500 range to more than 10,000 (three days last week and again yesterday). Equally important, the unique views (individual computers used to check into HBO) has jumped from about 5000 to the 5500-6000 range. HBO probably reaches 6500-7000 on a given week -- or mebbe half the circulation as the CDA Press and mebbe 2/3s the circulation of the SR in Kootenai County. Thanx for making HBO a strong alternative voice in the community. And keep telling others about this zany part of cyber world. Now, for your Wild Card ...

Gregory Bull/AP Photo
A police officer looks at demonstrators from the "400 Pueblos" group during a protest in Mexico City Tuesday. The group, made up of mostly poor farmers from Mexico's southern states, continued their trademark naked marches Tuesday, throwing rocks at federal police.
For Andrew Zahler's SR Today In Pictures, click here.

The University of Idaho Vandals were picked eighth in both the coach and media polls at the Western Athletic Conference’s football media days at Salt Lake City. Vandal coach Robb Akey is intent on changing those predictions as he begins his second season/Sportslink. More here.

Related: Ex-UI coach Pfeifer makes transition in Billings

The north Idaho woman charged with injury to a child for spanking her toddler pleaded not guilty in court Wednesday. Melissa Farrell said she was punishing her two-year-old daughter for misbehaving at the Coeur d’Alene Fourth of July parade. Eight onlookers were so outraged by the spanking they signed written statements, saying Farrell was injuring the little girl. Farrell and her husband told our affiliate KREM TV in Spokane that a judge offered to drop the charges if the couple took parenting classes/KTVB.

"While Gary and Stroud were visiting, (Holloran) and others came up to Stroud and began hasseling him. Halloran had a glass of wine in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. Gary thought that Holloran was intoxicated. After a brief confrontation, Holloran took off his glasses, handed his wine glass to one of his friends and “sucker punched” Stroud in the throat. Gary said that Stroud said nothing to cause Holloran to react and punch him"/witness Gary Wozow, in KCSD report. Report narrative here. News story here.

As long as most newspapers in this country ignore the Conservative side of the news, more and more will go out of business -- which, by the way, is happening here in my home state of Florida. Ask the Orlando Sentinel, Sun Sentinel and the Palm Beach Post how many people they are laying off. We are tired of the Associated Press running your newspapers. So, we Conservatives cancel our newspapers and go on the internet. We can't even get our news from TV -- it's all the same crap. Look at all this drooling over Obama, the Messiah. Doesn't that tell you something?/letter writer L. Graham to Editor Steve Smith, A Matter Of Opinion. More here.

Related: Smith outlines future for SR newsroom

Question (from Steve Smith): Are we too liberal in our news columns? Are we too conservative? Are we just right? And do you distinguish between any perceived bias in our news columns and opinion on our editorial pages?

Misha Japaridze/AP Photo
Women run in a high heel race at Red Square in Moscow, Saturday, July 19, 2008. Participants of the high heel run were challenged to race in stilettos of at least 9 cm (2.54 inches) tall. You write the cutline.

Top Cutlines:

1. The running of the bulls is for sissies. Real daredevils travel to Red Square for the Stiletto Stampede. This year's race was more spirited than usual when it was revealed that the first 25 ladies across the finish line would receive a free Mormon missionary calendar -- CindyH.
*Look Girls!!! It's DFO!!!!! -- John Duh (whom I'd mistaken for Aliasjax)
3. One of these ladies will win a month of free gasoline and a lifetime of orthopedic shoes -- JeanieSpokane.

HM: Shannon & Salmon Run