Fresh Loaf

“FIGHT WITH ME”: Says John McCain during his speech accepting the Republican nomination for president. I haven’t listened to the audio of his speech, but I assume he emphasized “with,” and not “fight.”

WARRIN’ POLICY: The New York Times examines how the hawkish and moderate wings of the GOP are vying beneath the surface to influence McCain’s foreign-policy compass, and what to make of his bellicose statements about Iran and Russia.

FIRING RANGE: After her aides improperly peeked at her sister’s ex-husband’s personnel files in an effort to get the Alaska state trooper fired, and then unsuccessfully pressured the public safety commissioner to fire him, Gov. Sarah Palin just fired the public safety commissioner, according to the Alaska state police union.

GATOR CHOMPED: The alligator that’s been sporadically spotted around Lake Lanier during the past month has been caught.

MASS TRANSIT: Can save the average Atlanta household $9,129 a year, according to the American Public Transportation Association. But APTA assumes the household would also get rid of a car, so those estimated savings include no longer paying to register and insure it.

NO BLACKOUT: Three Falcons sponsors bought the remaining 1,500 tickets to Sunday’s season opener to prevent a TV blackout. The game marks the beginning of the Mike Smith era, which players are thrilled about, especially when compared with the Bobby Petrino error “era.”

HOT PANTS: In addition to the ongoing rash of high-priced blue-jean thefts in Atlanta, four Gustav evacuees from New Orleans were arrested Thursday afternoon and charged with yet more blue-jean banditry. Hours earlier, Atlanta police arrested three other smash-and-grab suspects after a car chase.

HANNAH: Will bypass the Georgia coast today, bringing just wind and rain, but Savannah officials hope the false-ish alarm won’t discourage future hurricane wariness.

IKE THE DICKENS: The hurricane, which had been a Category 4 storm, is “extremely dangerous,” according to forecasters, even though it’s weakened to a Category 3.

TURF WARS: California’s attorney general and the nonprofit Center for Environmental Health are suing artificial-turf makers in Georgia and Florida for their turfs’ lead-based coloring, which the lawsuits claim violate California’s environmental laws.

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PALIN: Excites the crowd at the RNC with an aggressive speech aimed at Obama’s experience and celebrity. McCain makes a surprise appearance to support Palin, and reminds those in attendance of her national security experience.

OBAMA: Will give a prebuttal to McCain’s acceptance speech tonight on “The O’Reilly Factor.” Maybe this will come up.

KWAME KILPATRICK: The embattled mayor of Detroit has accepted a plea deal and will resign.

HANNAH: Takes a northward turn, and is now expected to bypass the Georgia coast and hit land on the Carolina coast. Savannah’s unlikely to be evacuated, but the Hostess City is still preparing for the uninvited guest.

HAITI: “The situation is as bad as it can be,” according to a U.N. official in Gonaives. The country has been hit by three tropical storms in two weeks, and more than 100 people have died amid flooding and mudslides.

PAKISTAN: Mad at the U.S. for an alleged cross-border raid that it says killed 15 villagers in the northwestern part of the country.

CLAYTON BOE: Gets one step closer to a quorum by appointing Jessie Goree to fill the vacant District 3 seat, but takes two steps back by holding another controversial closed meeting, which two members refuse to attend in protest. Meanwhile, Gov. Perdue is looking into how he could gain more power to intervene in troubled school systems, even if by constitutional amendment, but the earliest that could happen is November 2010, likely too late for Clayton.

WAREHOUSE FIRE: Shuts down North Avenue this morning near City Hall East.

SHOCKLEY AND AWE: Terence Moore fantasizes for UGA/Falcons fans how the beloved former Bulldogs QB could ascend now that he’s the No. 3 behind an unproven No. 1 and a mediocre No. 2.

BAD SPORTS? Spencer Hall at the Sporting Blog defends “the Atlanta sporting landscape” in response to mockery of the Falcons reducing ticket prices in hopes of avoiding a TV blackout for the season opener.

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RNC: Fred Thompson, Joseph Lieberman and a not-too-close President Bush regaled John McCain during the first full day of convention festivities in St. Paul Tuesday. Meanwhile, Ron Paul held his own convention outside Minneapolis Tuesday, rallying his troops behind his libertarian conservatism.

SAVANNAH: May need to evacuate for Hannah, which is expected to be a Category 1 hurricane when it makes landfall Friday. Some scrambling for flood insurance find out it’s too late.

ROTARY CUB: The newborn panda at Zoo Atlanta is back out of the incubator and with its mother, Lun Lun.

TYING UP JUICE ENDS: Coca-Cola is hoping to capitalize on its recent Beijing marketing blitz by making a bid for China’s largest juice company, which would be its second-largest acquisition ever.

DECORUM, BUT NO QUORUM: The new, relatively uncontroversial Clayton school board has just three members, two short of a quorum, but has 45 days to appoint additional members.

UGA: Falls to No. 2 in both major polls despite winning Saturday, as USC’s rout of Virginia leapfrogs the Trojans to the top spot.

CHIPPER JONES: Atlanta third baseman’s quest for the NL batting title is the only silver lining left on the Braves’ dismal season.

CHENEY: The vice president will speak Sept. 19 in North Georgia at the opening-day ceremony for the 145th anniversary of the Battle of Chickamauga.

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HURRICANES: The high seas continue to use the Southeastern U.S. as their chipping green, with three more storms en route. Hanna was downgraded to a tropical storm this morning but may become a hurricane again; Savannah and cities from the Outer Banks to Miami are preparing for impact. Meanwhile, Gustav dawdles over Texarkana after sparing New Orleans the feared devastation. Still, Mayor Ray Nagin says it won’t be safe to return until at least Wednesday.

RAIN BARRELS: Especially useful during hurricane season.

RNC: Resumes today in St. Paul, with President Bush delivering a via-satellite speech at 9:30 tonight. Police have arrested nearly 300 protesters, and have charged 130 with felonies.

GRAY’S ANATOMY: Gray’s Reef, located 40 miles off the Georgia coast, shows effects of human pollution but is generally healthier than researchers had feared.

LOVE IN THIS CUB: The newborn panda cub at Zoo Atlanta has been put in an incubator for closer monitoring based on the behavior of it and its mother, Lun Lun.

BRIAN FINNERAN: Knows he’s lucky to be back on the Falcons’ roster after being out since 2005 with back-to-back knee injuries.

THE CHROME STRETCH: Google readies Chrome, its new browser it hopes will compete with Internet Explorer 8.0.

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