Originally published Sunday, August 24, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Odds and Ends
Madonna 50, fit and frisky
Celebrity gossip, famous birthdays and other tidbits, compiled from Seattle Times news services.
People
The queen of pop began her world tour Saturday night in Wales, appearing before fans on a throne as a retinue of dancers wriggled their way across a stage at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium. The show includes the usual Madonna fixtures — sequins, fishnets and bondage-style outfits — and is billed as a musical mishmash of "gangsta pimp," Romanian folk, rave and a nod to the blonde material-girl's roots in the '80s New York City dance scene.
Oops
She almost got $850,000
Oklahoma officials say a typo resulted in a state employee receiving a bonus of $850,000, temporarily. Jo Harris was supposed to receive an $850 longevity bonus for working at the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission for seven years. But a misplaced decimal point turned that into a six-figure windfall. Officials caught the error before the $850,000 left state funds.
Fashion news
Tips for short politicians
The fashion industry has a lot to teach politicians. In an interview with Stylephile.com, Jimmy Au, who designs for shorter men, including Danny DeVito, Mel Brooks and Chris Rock, said John McCain, who is 5-foot-7, has a serious height deficit, especially next to the 6-foot-3 Barack Obama. Au said McCain must avoid suits with big shoulders. "Bigger shoulders ... will make a shorter man look stocky and shorter," he said. Instead, McCain should "wear the trimmest fit within [his] comfort zone. ... Wear pinstripes to create a longer visual line," and "choose a slimmer tie with a simple pattern," he said.
Today in History
A.D. 79: Long-dormant Mount Vesuvius erupted, burying Pompeii and Herculaneum in volcanic ash; an estimated 20,000 people died.
1932: Amelia Earhart embarked on a 19-hour flight from Los Angeles to Newark, N.J., making her the first woman to fly solo, nonstop, from coast to coast.
1949: The North Atlantic Treaty came into force.
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2006: The International Astronomical Union declared Pluto was no longer a planet, demoting it to "dwarf planet."
Today's Birthdays
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, 53. Actor-writer Stephen Fry, 51. Talk-show host Craig Kilborn, 46. Actress Marlee Matlin, 43. Comedian Dave Chappelle, 35.
Seattle Times news services
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
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Opening day at Crystal Mountain
Skiers crowded the slopes at Crystal Mountain for one of the resort's earliest openings.
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