8/8 Morning Communiqué

THESE DAYS

A Bloomberg/Los Angeles Times poll of Americans age 18 to 24 found Bush's approval rating was 20 percent, with 53 percent disapproving and 28 percent with no opinion.

The family of Malcolm S. Forbes sold a significant minority stake in a newly formed company, Forbes Media (which includes Forbes magazine), to Elevation Partners, of which U2 singer Bono is a partner.

The demand for electricity to operate its expanding intelligence systems has left the National Security Agency on the verge of exceeding its power supply, the lifeblood of its sprawling 350-acre Fort Meade headquarters.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Ken Avidor follows the trial of former Minneapolis city council member Dean Zimmermann at Minneapolis Confidential.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

How popular is your last name?

The very first Star Wars trailer.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"It's about too many dumb drivers causing too many dumb things. Distracted driving is a HUGE problem in Minnesota that remains unaddressed."

-- Gubernatorial candidate Peter Hutchinson (I), in a KARE 11 report, calling for stiff fines for those involved in accidents while distracted by cell phones

"When you are a pit bull, and you love what you do and you are going to continue to grow, that talent will find its way out. Talent deserves to be honored. Hands deserve to be slapped if you do something stupid as well, but don't take it too far."

-- Roadhouse actor Patrick Swayze, seeing a future in Hollywood for his friend Mel Gibson, who unleashed an anti-Semitic screed following a recent drunk-driving arrest