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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2009

Tuesday Wild Card 15 

"He respects owl because you can't help respecting anyone who can spell TUESDAY, even if he doesn't spell it right." A.A. MilneHere's hoping your spell checkers never fail. I'm not going to tell you how many days we've got left in the year, because I…

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ORG XMIT: XED102 People's Liberation Army soldiers take part in a military exercise in Beijing, China, Tuesday, July 28, 2009. China took foreign journalists on a tour of the People's Liberation Army division north of the capital Tuesday, calling it a sign the world's largest army is improving its openness and transparency. The visit comes ahead of Aug. 1, which marks the 82nd anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army, which now has 2.3 million members. (AP Photo/Elizabeth Dalziel) (Elizabeth Dalziel / The Spokesman-Review)

APhoto Of The Day -- 7/28/09 

People's Liberation Army soldiers take part in a military exercise in Beijing, China, earier today. China took foreign journalists on a tour of the People's Liberation Army division north of the capital Tuesday, calling it a sign the world's largest army is improving its openness…

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ID: Staying At Home Suits Me 16 

Hi, I'm a stay-at-home dad. Now, before your eyes glaze over and you slowly back away, let me just tell you why I am one. Most boys don't spend their childhood dreaming of one day changing diapers, emptying dishwashers, washing pee-soaked bed sheets, kissing boo-boos,…

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ZK: Lighting Up for the Long Haul 12 

Zelda Krup says, "I read an article this week in Time magazine about an amazing new LED bulb that needs only 6 watts of power to equal the output of a 60W light bulb. It lasts 25 years. It costs $50. ...the idea of buying…

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HBO Poll: Obama & The Birthers 

Sixty-two percent (169 votes) believe Michael Vick should be allowed to play in the NFL after serving time for his involvement with dog fighting. Thirty five percent (97 votes) said no way. <a href="http://answers.polldaddy.com/poll/1818421/" mce_href="http://answers.polldaddy.com/poll/1818421/" mce_href="http://answers.polldaddy.com/poll/1818421/">What do you think of individuals who insist that President…

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'No, this is Butch' 

One of my favorite Idaho reporting anecdotes is the time I called then-Gov. Phil Batt's press secretary, Amy Kleiner, and a voice that clearly wasn't Amy's answered, saying, "Amy Kleiner's office." It was Gov. Batt. Well, it just happened again. I put in a call...

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Actress Amy Poehler sips from a giant coffee cup during her appearance on NBC's "Today" program in New York Thursday. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) (April 23, 2009)
 (The Spokesman-Review)

Coffee Collisions and Soup Smash-Ups 

Friends don't let friends eat and drive. Here's a list of the most dangerous foods to eat while driving:http://www.insurance.com/article.aspx/Driver_Distractions_and_Your_Car_Insurance_Rates/artid/140I'm a guilty coffee sipper, but hot soup? Tacos? Ribs? People actually do this?Do you eat and drive?

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Motorcycle units from multiple police agencies lead off the 2009 Armed Forces Torchlight Parade Saturday. (Photos by Jesse Tinsley / The Spokesman-Review)

One Billion Dollars for Cops 

"The Obama administration on Tuesday announced $1 billion in grants to help keep police officers on the beat during the economic downturn — and tried to assure cities not getting aid that they won’t be stiffed." More here: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/jul/28/only-1-7-agencies-get-police-aid/Thoughts?

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Idaho Dems launch candidate hunt 13 

The Idaho Democratic Party is launching a "special candidate recruitment committee for the 2010 elections," at a time when, with the 2010 primary 10 months away, the party has had no major candidate step forward to challenge sitting GOP Gov. Butch Otter. State party Chairman...

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While female Gelada baboons can be unforgiving when it comes to sex …Associated Press
 (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

Found the Monkey 

Yesterday Redman asked "Where's the monkey?" Well, apparently they're busy invading Cape Town: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/07/090724-southafrica-baboons-video-ap.htmlGotta say I've never been a big fan of monkeys. How about you?

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Twitter is a free Web service that allows users to post "tweets" telling friends and family where they are and what they're doing.
 (Illustration courtesy of Doug Dobbins / The Spokesman-Review)

No Twits Allowed in the White House 

July 24: "White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs mentioned casually to CNN today that Twitter is blocked on official White House computers. Gibbs clearly doesn't appreciate the value that can be derived from the innovative social network; he jokes about it as if it is…

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Spend it now or spend it later... 

The National Conference of State Legislatures has surveyed all the states to see how quickly they're spending their federal economic stimulus money - some are spending it all to close their state budget gaps in the current fiscal year, leaving nothing for the following year...

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Wait until late May or June to plant tomatoes in your garden.Stockxpert
 (Stockxpert / The Spokesman-Review)

Killer Tomato 

Apparently, it's not a good idea to locate a research facility for highly infectious pathogens in a tornado-prone section of Kansas: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/jul/27/report-blasts-homeland-securitys-site-pick-for/ Go figure.I can't see or hear the word tornado without thinking of my then three-year-old son running indoors on a blustery spring day.…

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Statesman: Hate Crime Law Important 

A nation that cherishes freedom will not tolerate violence that imprisons its people in fear. A hate crime is a cowardly act that invokes a fear all its own: the specter of being targeted because of race or ethnicity. It is a crime that warrants…

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Huckleberries Online

D.F. Oliveria started Huckleberries Online on Feb. 16, 2004. Oliveria's Sunday print Huckleberries is a past winner of the national Herb Caen Memorial Column contest.