The Guild 4-19-2004 Spirit of America

Spirit of America ^

[BigWaveBetty]

Help Americans serving abroad assist people in need.

100% of your tax-deductible donation goes to these requests made by Americans serving abroad.

Read the story that inspired Spirit of America.

With bats, balls and gloves donated by their families and friends in the United States, American troops brought baseball to the children of Orgun-e, Afghanistan. Nazim, one of the local players, said, “I like to be a player, not a fighter.” Seeing the difference this made for the local kids Sergeant Jay Smith said, “It’s made me feel the best I ever felt in my life.” Smith also says that baseball and his unit’s other humanitarian activities “literally saved lives.”
Read why.

U.S. Marines Seek to Help Iraqi Children

The 1st Marine Division seeks school supplies, frisbees and soccer balls for Iraqi Kids.

The Marines want to help children like these and improve relations with Iraqis in the 'Sunni Triangle.'
Your donation will have an immediate impact.

$325 provides a supply kit for a classroom and its students.
$100 buys 110 flying discs ("Frisbees").

Any amount helps! Your donation is tax deductible.

[BigWaveBetty]

Just test driving my new tagline... :-) (it's gonna make the spell checker crazy though.)

[BigWaveBetty]

Mr. Smith really does look like the underbelly of a red snapper.

LOL! Hayeah, on a good day!

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

You will die laughing

[Iowa Granny]

thanx for the ping.

Good Afternoon!

[BigWaveBetty]

I'd be having a better afternoon if I'd just gotten back from a week at a swanky resort in Jamaica but then wouldn't we all...

Hillary Clinton leaves Jamaica; entourage occupied 40 rooms at hotel

[BigWaveBetty]

It just keeps getting deeper and deeper.

Oil-for-Terror? There appears to be much worse news to uncover in the Oil-for-Food scandal.

[Endeavor]

Oh yeah, I saw that. The announcers totally explained it at the time. I don't know who was whining, but sheesh, they should pay attention. He hit a great shot out of that waste area.

[Timeout]

Chris Matthews opening his show with discussion of the Bob Woodward book. First words out of his mouth:

"OK, first up, let's go to the Powell book"....LOL!

[BigWaveBetty]

I was explaining to Mr. B about the waste area because he thought that it was a sand trap (he hadn't gotten the scoop yet). He tried to argue that it wasn't a waste area. I said, Stewart Cink's aunt told me so and if she doesn't know whether or not it's a sand trap or a waste area who does?

He had to relent, Ha! It's the first time ever I've won a golf argument. It's the first time I've ever had a golf argument. It's not what you know but who, thanks Timeout. :-)

[BigWaveBetty]

It's unbelievable how Matthews and Fineman were quoting Woodward on Powell, had they not heard what Powell said this afternoon? I especially liked the part about Powell giving his resignation slowly (something stupid like that).

I heard Powell on Hannity's show this afternoon, he's a really good actor if he's planning on resigning because he's unhappy with the administration. He sure sounded like a man with conviction about the job and the man he works for.

[Timeout]

Frankly, I turned off Hardball after only a few minutes...and I won't be going back. It's become apparent to me that Chris has made a decision to go for the anti-Bush audience.

It's a shame because I used to really enjoy his show. I knew he was a lib, but he brought a down-to-earth "realness" to the issues. He had the best guests and , over a week's time, he would provide balance on current issues. No longer. He repeats the same ole guests who spew his own opinions back at him (See: 9/11 widows). He not only believes Iraq was a mistake, he doesn't even believe in the War on Terror.

Buh-bye, Chris.

(And congratulations on winning the argument with DH! Glad to help!)

[pubmom]

What I'm finding is that the facts don't matter to those people, they hate the President-period. I've heard so many weird conspiracy theories, my head spins.

Before this is all said and done, there is going to be a severe shortage of tinfoil. I may start a "Save the Tinfoil" campaign.

[BigWaveBetty]

they hate the President-period.

Poll: Bush support holds despite Iraq, 9/11 hearings

AKA: We can't get Bush's poll numbers down no matter how hard we try! Dammit!

[BigWaveBetty]

and I won't be going back.

I'm with you, don't watch much anymore unless I happen by and there's a guest I want to hear from.

Democrats in love.

[BigWaveBetty]

Kerry refuses to release more records

WASHINGTON -- The day after John F. Kerry said he would make all of his military records available for inspection at his campaign headquarters, a spokesman said the senator would not release any new documents, leaving undisclosed many of Kerry's evaluations by his Navy commanding officers, some medical records, and possibly other material.

Kerry, in an interview Sunday on NBC's "Meet The Press," was asked whether he would follow President Bush's example and release all of his military records. "I have," Kerry said. "I've shown them -- they're available for you to come and look at." He added that "people can come and see them at headquarters."

But when a reporter showed up yesterday morning to review the documents, the campaign staff declined, saying all requests must go through the press spokesman, Michael Meehan. Late yesterday, Meehan said the only records available would be those already released to this newspaper. (more at link)

[BigWaveBetty]

PAGESIX:

April 20, 2004 -- DESPITE what his enemies leaked to the New York Times, Secretary of State Colin Powell is not in any trouble with President Bush for talking to Bob Woodward for Woodward's critical new book, "Plan of Attack" (Simon & Schuster).

"Powell is totally supported by the president," a D.C. insider said. "Not only did the president authorize Powell to speak to Bob Woodward, he encouraged him."

The Times reported yesterday that Powell's cooperation with Woodward had "aggravated long-festering tensions in the Bush cabinet" and said his critics "were startled by what they saw as his self-serving decision to help fill out a portrait that enhances his reputation as a far-sighted analyst."

Powell had warned that it would be hard to disengage once U.S. forces occupied Iraq.

"Look at it this way, Powell was right all along," the insider added. "He was always concerned about a follow-up plan for Iraq and wanted the United Nations to be involved. Everything he said turned out to be true. So are people inside the White House upset with him? Yes, but not the president."

One indication of Powell's standing with Bush is the fact that his former deputy, John Negroponte, was named U.S. ambassador to Iraq yesterday.

"The president picked Negroponte, who is currently the UN ambassador and got his job from Powell. Negroponte was Powell's deputy in the late '80s and is very close to him still. This shows how much the president wants Powell involved in the Iraq stuff - he picked his close friend."


The insider also denied the rumor that Powell would be replaced before the fall election. "Why would the administration get rid of Powell? He is the only person there who has an 80 percent approval rating, and only person giving [Bush] good advice.

"Right now, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld are being blamed for the mess we are in in Iraq, but swing voters love Colin Powell."

There is even talk of Powell replacing Cheney as vice president. Not that Cheney, who has a bad heart, would go easily. Cheney, determined to keep fit, even brought an exercycle on his recent trip to Asia.

"It was this ancient thing, like from the '60s, and he had people lugging it on and off planes wherever he went. It was hilarious."

A rep for Powell declined comment.

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COKIE Roberts made an enemy at the pharmacy counter at Zitomer on Madison Avenue the other day when a crusty old lady mistakenly thought the ABC newswoman had cut in front of her on line. The D.C.-based political pundit told us: "I was raised by nuns, and would never cut off an old lady, as I'm fast becoming one myself." Roberts said she waited a half-hour and left empty-handed: "No one was getting any service as far as I could tell."

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MULTI-millionaire modelizers take note - Elite is for sale. The ailing agency, which repped the likes of Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell, filed for Chapter 11 protection in February. The beauty shop never recovered from a $4.7 million judgment awarded to a former employee exposed to second-hand smoke and a Dept. of Justice class-action suit brought against it by a handful of disgruntled former models. Mark Claster, a partner in Carl Marks Capital Advisors, which has been hired to sell the agency, said Elite "is a great brand. It has sex appeal. It's like a sports team - it will attract a certain kind of buyer."

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Liz Smith says - but personally, I'm asking this faltering government to appoint Welch to redesign the CIA and FBI and force them to begin working together. We can't wait the five years that CIA Director George Tenet says it will take to prepare against terrorism. (Did you write a column for Gorelick asking her to stop hindering the FBI and CIA Liz back in the good old days?)

[Timeout]

Must be a pretty slow news/gossip day when we're reading about which celebrity may have cut in line at the drug store.

What world to these people live in?!

[BigWaveBetty]

It's like sludge out there, it's so bad this is the most exciting bite in 'Reliable Sources' (mho).

• Former senator Fred Thompson must be taking his job playing the Manhattan DA on NBC's "Law & Order" rather seriously. Either that or he just needs to brush up on the law. Thompson, aka "Hollywood Fred," a former real-life assistant U.S. attorney, was spotted Saturday at the D.C. Bar's all-day ethics seminar at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. He was gaining continuing legal education credits, but during breaks, he was dutifully catching up on his script-reading.

Whew, now that all that excitement is over my day can begin.

oh-oh! Almost forgot... saw the always starved for oxygen Sen. Bob Graham stumping for Kerry again yesterday. Why do they let Bob speak in public? It's sad, it's annoying and it's time to put him out to pasture. Crossing my fingers that Kerry will be dumb enough to think picking Graham for VP will win him Florida. heh heh heh.

[daisyscarlett]

These boys are not aging well, hee hee hee...

[Timeout]

You have FR-mail.