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Lame Calculation: Three for Three
Tweet Share on Facebook April 22, 2007 CommentIs this the worst bonus ever? For troops ordered to stay an additional three months in Iraq past their year commitment, the Pentagon is offering three days of leave, or one day per month. "We weren't trying to find some metaphysical balance between the service you were rendering and buckets full of gold or any other thing we can do for you," says Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Michael Dominguez. But three days off? You can imagine the reaction. "I mean, one day a month," says one soldier. "That's pretty lame."
With Anna Mulrine
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Washington Is Abuzz About Bees
Tweet Share on Facebook April 22, 2007 Comment (1)Turns out that Washington isn't faking its concerns about the plight of honey bees, the little pollinators besieged by killer mites and a weird syndrome that has the hives simply vanishing. Leading the charge in Congress is California Rep. Dennis Cardoza, an agriculture subcommittee chairman who has held a hearing on their plight. His concern is obvious: Without a good bee population, the nut growers in his district fail. But there's another connection: As a boy, he made beehives in school. His wood shop teacher was a beekeeper and needed a good supply of boxes, so he offered extra credit for the work. "He used slave labor," jokes Cardoza. Some Washingtonians even keep bees. Morton Blackwell, president of the Leadership Institute, which helps young conservatives get a foothold in politics and journalism, has been a beekeeper for 25 years. And he thinks he knows what causes the bee vanishing syndrome, known as colony collapse disorder. His theory: Giant hornets are eating the bees as they leave the hive.
With Anna Mulrine
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Too Soon to Raise Antigun Money?
Tweet Share on Facebook April 22, 2007 CommentLast week's tragic slayings at Virginia Tech brought two remarkably different reactions from the nation's dueling gun lobbies. The antigun crowd struck first, offering prayers in a statement followed the next day with a fundraising letter. Stopthenra.com, part of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, even offered an enticement: Give now, and a generous donor will match your gift. The National Rifle Association offered "thoughts and prayers," then refused to comment "until all the facts are known" while working to bolster background checks of gun buyers.
With Anna Mulrine
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A Box of Thin Mints Plus a New Pen Pal
Tweet Share on Facebook April 22, 2007 CommentNational Volunteer Week found Labor Secretary Elaine Chao at Baltimore-Washington International Airport helping the USO hand out care packages to troops headed overseas. They were very appreciative, especially when they saw Girl Scout cookies, packs of gum, and playing cards in the bag. Chao, a former boss of the Peace Corps and United Way, plans to write the families of the soldiers she met. "I went," she tells us, "to give out care packages and came home with something priceless—a couple hundred new pen pals." She even shared funny stories with the troops: "I joked to one soldier that after a couple hours standing in the airport in high heels, combat boots were looking pretty comfortable."
With Anna Mulrine
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Out Loud
Tweet Share on Facebook April 22, 2007 Comment"This war is lost, and the surge is not accomplishing anything."
Sen. Harry Reid, the Democratic leader, after meeting with President Bush to discuss war funding"We want Ronald Reagan, and we know Ronald Reagan is not going to be our nominee."
Rep. Jo Bonner, Alabama Republican, on why the GOP wants more conservatives to join the presidential race"I didn't just experiment with marijuana, if you know what I mean."
James Carville, Democratic consultant, giving one reason he won't run for governor of Louisiana"If I charged $400 for a haircut, they'd come after me with white coats."
Leo Fier, a DeWitt, Iowa, barber, mocking Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards's $400 haircutSources: New York Times (2), Times-Picayune, Quad-City Times
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Cartoon
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Friday's Cartoon
Tweet Share on Facebook April 20, 2007 Comment -
Hollywood Lands in Washington
Tweet Share on Facebook April 19, 2007 Comment
Bill Paxton on Big Love Credit: HBO -- www.hbo.com/biglove This weekend is the big one in Washington journalism and political circles: The annual White House Correspondents' Association annual dinner takes place Saturday.
You know the one, where the president is feted by reporters who every other day of the year toss barbs at his White House.
And it's the party that's given birth to huge before and after events, like the brunch blowout hosted by famed MSNBC producer Tammy Haddad and the after parties of Capitol File, Bloomberg, and Vanity Fair. Naturally, lots of Hollywood types who like politics are showing up. But it's not just the only time actors come to Washington, which is fast becoming a hub of moviemaking and tourist destination for the glamorous.
Two examples: Just yesterday we passed Bill Paxton of Titanic, Apollo 13, and Twister fame as he strolled the streets of Georgetown. Man, he's tall. And on Capitol Hill, at Charlie Palmer's steakhouse, we found British actors Derek Jacobi of Gladiator and I, Claudius dining with Lynn Redgrave.
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Thursday's Cartoon
Tweet Share on Facebook April 19, 2007 Comment -
Tommy Thompson Joins MySpace
Tweet Share on Facebook April 18, 2007 CommentIn a sure sign he's serious about running for president, Tommy Thompson has created his MySpace page. It's really not much more, though, than a simple biography and his tiny number of friends–521 and slowly growing–referring to him as "Tommy Gun."
Especially bad: Under his picture there are the normal links to his pics and videos and there's nothing there. Worse, if you click pics, MySpace automatically pushes you to a generic page that links to other candidates like Rep. Duncan Hunter and Sens. Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden. Here's a sampling of the pages of other candidates:
Clinton:
http://www.myspace.com/hillaryclinton
Sen. Barack Obama:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=5173909
John Edwards:
http://www.myspace.com/johnedwards
Mitt Romney:
Rudy Giuliani:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=95972433
Sen. John McCain:
