• Rudy Giuliani came out on top in the second round of Republican fund-raising, becoming the only GOP candidate to raise more dough in the second quarter of 2007 ($17 million) than in the first ($16 million). For comparison’s sake, Barack Obama took in $31 million over the same period. [NYDN]
• Al Gore III, the former veep and current enviro-saint’s 24-year-old son, was busted in California going 100 miles per hour — in a Prius, natch — with pot, Xanax, Valium, Vicodin, Soma, and Adderall in the car. Wait, these things go up to a 100? Sweet! [NYP]
• AM New York asks the hard-hitting yet barely publicized question that’s on a lot of our minds (no, really): What’s with all the new bank branches in Manhattan? One choice stretch of Broadway has six within seven blocks — including one that replaced a Starbucks. [amNY]
• Finally, a conflict we can all get behind: a war with New Jersey. [Ed. note: Hey!] A territorial dispute raging between Albany and Trenton concerns Garden State clammers poaching in New York’s waters. Boycott Jersey clams! [NYT]
• And on Coney Island yesterday, the six-year reign of Japanese hot-dog-eating champion Takeru Kobayashi came to an end with a definitive 66-frank win by San Jose, California’s own Joey Chestnut. Kobayashi was docked points for “sending a few dogs the wrong way.” Oh beau-u-utiful, for spa-a-acious skies… [Metro NY]
