by Claudine Zap Hurricane Irene brought unexpectedly disastrous floods to the state of Vermont - the worst in 75 years or " perhaps ever ," according to Governor Peter Shumlin. The epic storm brought flooding, 250 road closures, and one death. But the image many have taken from the state is the damage to its historic covered bridges - and two that were completely destroyed: One bridge was lost in Woodstock, Vt.

by Mike Krumboltz Many would argue that the original "Star Wars" films were masterpieces when they were first released )the prequels not so much(. However George Lucas just can't stop futzing around with his creations. The billionaire filmmaker's latest change can be seen in the upcoming Blu-ray release of the original trilogy. In the battle between Luke Skywalker and the Emperor in " Return of the Jedi ," Lucas has given Darth Vader a new bit of dialogue . Originally,

by Vera H-C Chan August should have been a quiet month for Islamic observers celebrating Ramadan and for countries that take their seasonal break. In the Middle East, though, Arab spring became a bloody summer as civil war continued in Libya and Syria. Meanwhile, the U.S., which has already endured record-breaking snowfall and extreme drought, braced itself for one jolt after another. Here now, the heat in August, as seen through the top online news stories and searches.

by Claudine Zap Money doesn't grow on trees, the saying goes. But sometimes it sprouts up in the garden. An unemployed man in northern Illinois was in his backyard when he came across some serious green: bags filled with $150,000 cash . Wayne Sabaj was headed to pick some broccoli to go with his roast. The carpenter spotted duffel bags that looked like trash by the peppers - but they turned out to be a cash crop: stacks of $20 bills that added up to about $150,000.

by Mike Krumboltz For anyone who lost a loved one on 9/11, the urge to be vengeful toward those connected to the attackers must be overwhelming. But that isn't true of everyone. Phyllis Rodriguez lost her son Greg in the attack on the World Trade Center. In the years since that terrible loss, she has formed what many consider to be an unusual friendship with Aicha el-Wafi, the mother of Zacarias Moussaoui, who was convicted of playing a large role in the attacks.

by Michael Krumboltz Ousted Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi remains in hiding and continues to draw massive online interest. Also huge on the Web over the past several weeks: His family. According to Algerian diplomats, Gadhafi's wife, three of his children, and several of his grandchildren have fled to Algeria, the country directly west of Libya . And while official news is understandably scant regarding the specific movements and activities of the Gadhafi family,

by Claudine Zap Move aside, Kate Middleton . Eat your heart out, Kim Kardashian . British socialite Petra Ecclestone has you both beat when it comes to over-the-top weddings. The Formula One heiress reportedly dropped an estimated $5-$7 million on her big day to wed businessman James Stunt in a three-day extravaganza in Rome. Buzz on the Web was certainly big: Lookups on the extravagant bride increased 389% in just one day. Still,

by Claudine Zap The photo showing the bond between felled Navy SEAL Jon Tomlinson and his dog Hawkeye has captured the attention of the Web. The soldier, who was one of 38 killed in Afghanistan on August 6 when a rocket-propelled grenade took out a U.S. Chinook helicopter he was riding, was mourned at a packed service in Rockford, Iowa, filled with family, friends, and Tomlinson's loyal canine companion.

by Mike Krumboltz Baby on the way and you can't make it to the delivery room? Here's hoping 12-year-old Gaelan Edwards is nearby. Gaelan saved the day when his mom went into labor and couldn't make it to the hospital. The boy explains that he was up late watching TV when he heard his mom call him from her bedroom. At first, he thought he was in trouble for watching the tube when he wasn't supposed to be. But it turned out his mom needed his help in a major way.

by Mike Krumboltz Former Vice President Dick Cheney kept a secret resignation letter in a locked safe in case he ever became incapacitated while in office. Cheney wrote the letter because of his history with health problems. He had already suffered four heart attacks when he signed the letter in March 2001 )he suffered another in 2010(. In an interview with NBC to help promote his upcoming memoir, "In My Time," Cheney said that few people knew of the letter's existence.

by Claudine Zap As if hurricanes and earthquakes weren't enough, there's another menace to worry about: the discovery of one of the world's " most feared " pests, now on U.S. soil. Meet the Khapra beetle . The bug, in larva stage, was identified by Chicago customs officials in a 10-pound bag of rice that came from India. The U.S.

by Mike Krumboltz Rose McGowan is best known for her butt-kicking roles in " Scream ," " Grindhouse ," and, most recently, " Conan the Barbarian ." But in the recent issue of People magazine, the outspoken actress went into detail about a real-life battle far scarier than any movie. McGowan, 38, spoke with People about how she spent her childhood in the Children of God cult. The sect is a "polygamous cult that blended free-love attitudes with Christian proselytizing.

by Mike Krumboltz Katie Holmes wants to scare the hell out of you. But don't take it personally. She wants to scare everybody. Holmes's new horror movie, " Don't Be Afraid of the Dark ," hits theaters this weekend, and anticipation for the haunted-house flick is running high. But will the movie get folks to forget about her previous )and poorly received( fright fests? Holmes horror movies have happened before - and not with good results. In 1998,

by Mike Krumboltz Most of the time, Katie Eastman reports the news. These days, she is the news. The 22-year-old reporter from Des Moines, Iowa's WOI-ABC 5 has become an overnight celebrity thanks to Stephen Colbert. Here's the story: Eastman's employer, WOI-ABC 5 , had refused to air a political ad from Colbert's PAC urging Iowa voters to cast their ballots for "Rick Parry" )note the deliberate misspelling(.

by Claudine Zap Nobody quite heats up the Web like the actress Megan Fox . Her stunning looks, killer body, and, well, controversial comments )which got her fired from the last " Transformers " movie( captivate fans - Yahoo! searches on the star are up 300% in the past day. And now, the bombshell famous for her body art says she's removing another beauty: her tattoo of Marilyn Monroe .

by Claudine Zap Bill Clinton , once famous for his larger-than-life appetite, is now the poster child for a vegan lifestyle. Back in the 1990s, the politician was known - and even mocked - for his fast-food cravings. In a " Saturday Night Live " skit, the late Phil Hartman , playing Clinton, is shown jogging three blocks to McDonald's to mix it up with the people - and sample all of their lunches. See the hilarious sketch here .

by Mike Krumboltz Companies like to push the envelope with their ads. Sometimes the gamble works, sometimes it doesn't, and sometimes, like in the case of Nivea, the whole thing turns into a fiasco. Nivea, a company that specializes in skin-care products, recently released a print ad that it has since pulled. How to best describe the ad? It shows an African American man preparing to toss a decapitated head )his own?( with an afro-style haircut.

by Mike Krumboltz You might not know Jason Momoa by name, but that's about to change. Momoa stars as the title character in the newly released )and highly anticipated( " Conan the Barbarian ." The film is a remake of the 1982 cult classic starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Those are big shoes for Momoa to fill, but don't worry - Momoa's a big guy. Standing 6'4" with long black hair and a chiseled jaw, he seems like a natural for the role of a battle-hungry barbarian.

by Mike Krumboltz A stunning young woman walks down a street in Florence, her head held high. All around, men playfully gawk at her grace and beauty. Just then the camera shutter snaps. " American Girl in Italy " is among the most popular snapshots of all time, and it's turning 60 years old this month. The photo, which was shot in 1951, perfectly captures the fun and romance of being abroad. In honor of its birthday, Ninalee Craig,

by Claudine Zap It seemed like a good idea at the time. A sculpture made from pieces of the World Trade Center had been in the works since last spring - and had been scheduled to be installed outside the City Center in Saratoga Springs in time for the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks . But, for now, it has no home . The artwork, " Tempered by Memory ," is made from steel beams pulled from the fallen twin towers, and was constructed by the organization Saratoga Arts .