Obama mocks McCain as computer illiterate

John McCain is mocked as an out-of-touch, out-of-date computer illiterate in a television commercial out Friday from Barack Obama as the Democrat begins his sharpest barrage yet on McCain's long Washington career.

The new fighting spirit comes as McCain has been gaining in the polls and some Democrats have been expressing concern the Obama campaign has not been aggressive enough. Obama's campaign says the escalation will involve advertising and pushes made by the candidate, vice presidential running mate Joe Biden and other surrogates across the country.

"Today is the first day of the rest of the campaign," Obama campaign manager David Plouffe …

One of the city's best adverts

Tourism bosses in Bath say the rugby club forms an integral partof the marketing of the city and the surrounding area.

Two years ago Bath Tourism Plus, the company created to marketthe city, surveyed businesses across the city to gauge the value ofBath Rugby's location.

Hotels, restaurants, museums and tourist attractions all tookpart in the survey and, although some business owners did notsupport its plans for expansion, most of those who responded weresupportive of the club's city centre status.

One restaurant saw a 20 per cent increase in turnover when BathRugby played at The Rec on a Saturday and the Jane Austen Centreexperienced a 30 per cent increase in …

7 Indonesian Students Die While Hiking

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Seven Indonesian hikers died in bad weather as they attempted to climb a towering volcano in the far east of the country, police said Monday.

Police Sgt. Eko, who asked to be identified by a single name, told The Associated Press the exact cause of death had not been established, but that bad weather had wracked the 12,224-feet peak in recent days.

A porter who helped to recover the bodies from Mount Rinjani on Lombok island told Antara news agency they may have died from exposure or starvation.

"In their rucksacks we found cooking equipment but no food, …

Obama plans key speeches in France, Czech Republic

President Barack Obama plans a major speech in France on the U.S. trans-Atlantic relationship and another on nuclear proliferation during a stop in the Czech Republic.

And his first overseas trip this coming week also includes plans for meetings with the leaders of China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, India and South Korea.

Obama is pledging to …

Sweet reward: Redmoon takes a new look at dinner theater -- and serves truffles

'THE GOLDEN TRUFFLE'

When: Through June 18

Where: Redmoon Central,

1463 W. Hubbard

Tickets: $35-$45

Phone: (312) 850-8440, ext. 111

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Decadent indulgence is on the menu at Redmoon Theater's new show,"The Golden Truffle." Turning the concept of dinner theater on itsear, Redmoon has partnered with Vosges Haut-Chocolat to create a showthat is part cabaret, part vaudeville competition, part truffletasting.

Artistic director Jim Lasko had been toying for a few years withthe idea of dinner theater, but with a Redmoon twist that would suitthe company's vast theater space on the Near West Side. The idea grewout of …

Regionally coordinated manure composting

In the latest issue of Nonpoint Source News-Notes from the Terrene Foundation, Jim Wimberly of Winrock International suggests more development of regionally coordinated composting programs specifically focused on manure management. Some on-farm composting is still needed, but Wimberly explains the regional framework would involve a service that removes manure from farms in an economically viable "cluster" area, and bring it to a …

Former Guatemalan police director wanted in Spain for crimes against humanity dies

German Chupina, a former Guatemalan police director wanted in Spain for crimes against humanity, died Sunday of health problems related to old age, family members said. He was 86.

Chupina, police director from 1978 to 1982, was arrested in November 2006 after Guatemalan Nobel Peace Laureate Rigoberta Menchu levied charges of genocide, torture and state terror in a Spanish court against him and seven other ex-military and ex-government officials.

Human rights groups accused Chupina of the most atrocious abuses and said he was behind a 1980 fire at the Spanish embassy that killed more than 30 people, including Menchu's father. But he and other police brass, …