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Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Aug 9, 2012
August 9, 2012
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Along the campaign trail:
Yet another sign this is definitely a 21st-century campaign: MITT ROMNEY and BARACK OBAMA have been snatching up dozens of web addresses to use as potential microsites that take a swing at some aspect of their opponent, each spending about $30-grand on domain-name purchases.
In many cases, these catchy, often issue- or gaffe-specific domain names are still sitting idle. USA Today's collection of ones purchased thus far is pretty entertaining. It recounts Romney's acquisitions in much greater detail. As far an Obama goes, USA Today notes that he takes a more defensive approach (attackwatch.com) but also claims some that definitely take aim at his rival (Mittbot.com). Romney owns:
--agingrockstar2012.com
--theapologistinchief.com
--o-the-amateur.com
--fortyfore.com (this one is up and running, and tweaks Obama's love for golf)
--Mom-Ney.com (purchased after the accusation that ANN ROMNEY has "never worked a day in her life"
--IWillTransmitYourFlexibilitytoVladimir.com, a reference to Obama telling Russian president DMITRI MEDVEDEV that he'd have more flexibility to do deal with controversial issues like missile defense after he wins the election... if he does. (Maiman)Guilty Pleasures:
No winner in Wednesday night's drawing for the Powerball Lottery. That means Saturday night's drawing is valued at $253 million ($170.5 million cash value). Powerball is played in 44 states, Washington, DC and the U-S Virgin Islands. Chances of winning the grand prize (all five numbers plus the powerball) are 1 in 175.2 million.
The Weather:
July turned out to be the hottest month on record in the continental U-S.
The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration says the average temperature was 77.6 degrees, which beat out the previous record of 77.4 degrees set in 1936.
This year is shaping up to be the warmest of any year on record. Every state except Washington has faced hotter-than-average temperatures. (Maiman)Like you really care:
Need more proof BRAD PITT is the coolest dad ever? He just bought his oldest son, MADDOX, a dirt bike for his 11th birthday! The junior speed demon will be cruising around on a Suzuki DRZ-125, which can reach speeds of 50-miles-per-hour. Sources tell Us Weekly the golden boy thought long and hard before splurging on the two-wheeler, but ultimately decided to buy it and pass on his passion for bikes. (Lee)
Forbes magazine has named BEYONCÉ and JAY-Z as the World's Highest-Paid Celebrity Couple in the magazine's annual earnings list. They made $78 million dollars together over the past year. The top-five:
5. WILL SMITH and JADA PINKETT SMITH, $30 million
4. BRAD PITT and ANGELINA JOLIE, $45 million,
3. DAVID and VICTORIA BECKHAM, $54 million,
2. NFL quarterback TOM BRADY and supermodel GISELE BUNCHEN, $72 million,
1. BEYONCE and JAY-Z, $78 million.Reality Round-Up:
It's time --how about a reality show on the lives of a pair of conjoined twins?
ABBY and BRITTANY HENSEL have already been on OPRAH WINFREY's show and made the cover of Life Magazine back in 1996, when they were just six years old.
Now, TLC has picked up a reality show about the pair, who are now 22, showing their graduation from Bethel University in Minnesota, their post-graduation job search, and their travels through Europe with friends.
In case you were wondering, the pair have two heads, and are joined at the neck. They have two hearts and originally had three arms, one of which was removed shortly after birth. They have four lungs, two stomachs, etc, and Abby controls the right side of the body while Brittany controls the left. -
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