Luke_Wilbur

Washington at 2:56 1st and 10 at WAS 30 Clinton Portis (WAS) rushed right side for 4 yards. 2nd and 6 at WAS 42 Patrick Ramsey (WAS) pass right side complete to Clinton Portis (WAS) for 1 yard. 3rd and 7 at WAS 41 Philly timeout; 02:13 remaining 2nd quarter 3rd and 7 at WAS 41 Patrick Ramsey (WAS) pass left side complete to Laveranues Coles (WAS) for 14 yards. 1st and 10 at PHI 45 Patrick Ramsey (WAS) pass across the middle complete to Chris Cooley (WAS) for 5 yards. 2nd and 5 at PHI 40 2 minute warning. 2nd and 5 at PHI 40 5 yard penalty on Washington. 2nd and 10 at PHI 45 Patrick Ramsey (WAS) pass across the middle complete to Laveranues Coles (WAS) for 20 yards. 1st and 10 at PHI 25 Clinton Portis (WAS) rushed left side for 1 yard. 2nd and 9 at PHI 24 10 yard penalty on Washington. 1st and 19 at PHI 34 5 yard penalty on Washington. 1st and 24 at PHI 39 Patrick Ramsey (WAS) pass across the middle complete to Laveranues Coles (WAS) for 4 yards. 2nd and 20 at PHI 35 Patrick Ramsey (WAS) pass left side complete to Laveranues Coles (WAS) for 10 yards. 3rd and 10 at PHI 25 Patrick Ramsey (WAS) pass incomplete to the right side. 4th and 10 at PHI 25 43 yard field goal by John Hall (WAS) is no good.

I finally received this email from Telecheck today. It states that they sent me a prior email on October 26, 2004. It is possible it was sent, but I never received it. In addition, I still did receive and Invoice from them on December 3, 2004. Note that she did not spell my name right. Here was the attachment I received. Now hopefully the issue is closed. What Telecheck needs to realize is that this correction took over 9 months and over 18 hours of my business time to get this apology. THANK GOD I reviewed their contract. If they were my customer and I was charging them for my time their bill would be over $2000.00 I really hope they have learned a lesson from this. Any company is only good thier word. Integrity counts.

It is now been almost a month and I received another bill from Telecheck. The company's Director of Merchant Services, Yvonne Larsen, gave me her word that this would be resolved and yet I am still getting billed. I left Yvonne a message on her voice mail and I will have to wait for her response. I can only imagine that Telecheck has no control over its billing software. I did take the time to call a Telecheck Merchant Representative, Wanda, as well. She told me to disregard my current invoice. Wanda stated that corrections were made to my account on December 3 that zeroed out the $80.00 owed and gave me a billing confirmation number 18 to use if I have further problems. Dealing with this problem for 9 months (as you can see from my prior posts) I am skeptical.

What are your rates?

"Finding Neverland" is the story of a man who doesn't want to grow up, and writes the story of a boy who never does. The boy is Peter Pan, and the man is Sir J.M. Barrie, who wrote his famous play after falling under the spell of a widow and her four young boys. That Barrie was married at the time, that he all but ignored his wife, that he all but moved into the widow's home, that his interest in the boys raised little suspicion, would make this story play very differently today. Johnny Depp's performance makes Barrie not only believable, but acceptable. And he does it without evading the implications of his behavior: The movie doesn't inoculate Barrie as a "family friend," but shows him truly and deeply in love with the widow and her boys, although in an asexual way; we wonder, indeed, if this man has ever had sex, or ever wants to. Depp was drawn to the role of Barrie because he could identify with the author's insistence on staying in touch with his childlike imagination. Barrie "only felt comfortable when he was hanging around with kids for the pure reason that there were no ulterior motives," Depp says. "Kids didn't have any agenda... They just behaved and they were pure and honest and he was kind of obsessed with that." I walked out of the Georgetown Theater with sore eyes. This movie is a must see.

I highly recommend Brian K. Vaughen and Pia Guerre's 'Y: The Last Man.' The book is about a character, Yorick Brown, who is the only man to survive a global sex-specific plague. I am currently reading Book Three in the Series, 'One Small Step.' The book reads like a classic Twilight Zone novel. Check it out.

Did you read Jomhuri-ye Eslami's editorial on Wednesday. Iranians fear that national pride has been undermined.

The two men vying for Ukraine's presidency have hammered out a truce of sorts, in a deal that will see the opposition lift the blockade that has paralyzed government since the disputed vote. Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko reached the agreement on Wednesday, after sitting down for talks mediated by the country's outgoing leader and a handful of European officials.

Read the excerpt below from CommonDreams.org

Hi Valencia, It appears you have been a hot topic on our DC Message Boards. How did you find out about us? To make sure that you are getting legitimate posts on the boards (We have deleted over 200 spammers on your topic to date) people will have sign up to ask you questions. Congrats on the web site

Hi Natalia, I have not seen you on the boardz for awhile. For some reason this is not getting the media attention it deserves. But here a good snipet I got from USA Today Here is a quote from Chairman Hunter Here is a snipet from CBS Here is the latest release from House Speaker Dennis Hastert Here is a photo of House Speaker Dennis Hastert

The Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States recommended: The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director should emphasize A. rebuilding the CIA's analytic capabilities; B. transforming the clandestine service by building its human intelligence capabilities; C. developing a stronger language program, with high standards and sufficient financial incentives; D. renewing emphasis on recruiting diversity among operations officers so they can blend more easily in foreign cities; E. ensuring a seamless relationship between human source collection and signals collection at the operational level; and F. stressing a better balance between unilateral and liaison operations. I approve and direct you to implement these recommendations, recognizing that significant progress has already been made in rebuilding the CIA's capabilities under the Strengthening Intelligence Initiative and the Director of Central Intelligence's (DCI) Strategic Direction, especially with respect to all-source analysis, clandestine operations, information sharing, and foreign languages. Working within the framework established by the Strengthening Intelligence Initiative, I direct you to implement within the CIA measures to: (1) Further strengthen the core capabilities of the CIA to meet the intelligence challenges presented by international terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), and other critical national security issues, including, but not limited to, its capabilities to: A. Perform all-source intelligence analysis that, among other qualities, routinely considers, and presents to national security policymakers, diverse views; B. Conduct clandestine collection operations involving human sources and technical methods unilaterally, with other elements of the Intelligence Community, and with foreign partners, and conduct covert action operations as directed by the President; C. Share information rapidly and proactively with other agencies of the United States Government, including specifically those responsible for national security and homeland security, while protecting the sources and methods of its collection from unauthorized disclosure, giving top priority to support of governmental actions to detect, prevent, preempt, and disrupt terrorist threats and attacks on the United States, its people, and its allies and interests around the globe; and D. Collect, process, analyze, and disseminate intelligence information using personnel proficient in foreign languages, and develop information technology tools to assist in effective processing and use of foreign language information. 2. Ensure that the CIA processes, shares, and disseminates to the President, Vice President in the performance of Executive functions, and other appropriate officials in the executive branch, including the heads of depart-ments and agencies with elements in the Intelligence Community, terrorism information and other information relevant to national security and homeland security including as directed by Executive Order 13356 of August 27, 2004, entitled "Strengthening the Sharing of Terrorism Information to Protect Americans." Building on levels attained under the DCI's Strategic Direction I, measures implemented in accordance with the foregoing shall include, but not be limited to, actions to: (1) Strengthen CIA intelligence analysis capabilities substantially and promptly through actions to: A. Increase, as soon as feasible, the number of fully qualified, all-source analysts by 50 percent; B. Assign fully qualified, all-source analysts in a manner that strengthens CIA and Intelligence Community analytical capabilities focused on terrorism, pro-liferation of WMD, the Near East and South Asia, and other key strategic areas in Asia, while maintaining substantial analytical capabilities focused on other issues and regions; C. Increase investment in development of their analytic expertise, field experience, and training in advanced analytical methods, including for geospatial analysis; and D. Continue to acquire and develop tools that enable analysts to connect to counterparts inside and outside of government, increase the speed of the analytic workflow, and deal with the rapidly increasing volume of all-source information. E. Strengthen CIA human intelligence operations capabilities substantially and promptly through actions to: A. Increase, as soon as feasible, the number of fully qualified officers in the Directorate of Operations by 50 percent; B. Ensure that a majority of these officers are collectors drawn from diverse backgrounds with the skills, experience, and training needed for the effective conduct of human intelligence operations; C. Assign substantial numbers of these officers to collection missions reflecting the priorities established through the National Intelligence Priorities Framework; and D. Integrate effectively, as appropriate to particular collection activities, human intelligence collection capabilities and signals and other technical intelligence collection capabilities. 3. Improve the foreign language capabilities of the CIA through actions to: A. Increase, as soon as feasible, the number of CIA officers tested and proficient in mission-critical languages by 50 percent; and B. Develop and employ information technology tools to assist in processing and use of information in foreign languages. 4. Fully implement directives concerning information sharing, information technology, information privacy, and security including Executive Order 13354 of August 27, 2004, entitled "National Counterterrorism Center" and Executive Order 13356. 5. Double, as soon as feasible, the number of officers who are engaged in research and development to find new ways to bring science to bear in the war on terrorism, countering the proliferation of WMD, and against new and emerging threats. I direct you to submit to me within 90 days from the date of this memorandum, through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, a detailed budget and implementation plan, including performance measures, with timelines for achievement of specific, measurable goals. In addition to the capabilities enumerated above, this plan shall also include a description, with appropriate performance measures, of steps underway at the CIA to develop and implement new collection strategies against difficult targets, to integrate human and technical collection tools, to assure appropriate access by analysts to information on the sources of critical intelligence reporting, to expand relationships with experts outside of government and otherwise ensure diverse views are routinely reflected in finished intelligence products. A copy of this plan will be provided to the Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction, which will advise me on the adequacy of the plan, especially with respect to countering the threat posed by WMD. Beginning in June 2005, I direct you to report to me at least semi-annually, through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, on progress made implementing this memorandum. This memorandum shall be implemented subject to the availability of appropriations and in a manner consistent with applicable law, including the Constitution and laws protecting the freedom and information privacy of Americans. GEORGE W. BUSH

Joseph C. Wilson IV, a retired diplomat, is one of the prominent figures in the U.S. government who have charged the Bush administration with using cooked intelligence to justify war in Iraq. Wilson has figured prominently in a scandal after he accused the administration of attempting to discredit and intimidate him by deliberately leaking the identity of his wife, Valerie Plame, as a CIA covert operative. Robert D. Novak is an esteemed television personality as well, Novak appears on and serves as co-executive producer of CNN's political roundtable -- "Capital Gang." He is also an occasional co-host on CNN's "Crossfire" program and often appears as an interviewer on NBC's "Meet the Press." It's been over fifteen months since two administration officials leaked the CIA identity of former Ambassador Joseph Wilson's wife. The Justice Department is still investigating, but Bush has displayed little interest in resolving this whodunit. These days it seems that the lead lawyer on the case, Pat Fitzgerald, has been targeting journalists more than the culprits. Bush has never said much publicly that would indicate he truly wants the leakers identified. (The leak--possibly a federal crime--derailed the career of Valerie Wilson, a covert CIA official working to counter the spread of WMDs, and undermined national security.) Moreover, after the leak appeared in an article by conservative columnist Robert Novak, White House aides talked it up and tried to push the story further. The White House has never acknowledged or explained fully how administration aides attempted to use the leak, once it happened, to discredit or punish Wilson for having challenged the administration on its claim that Iraq had been shopping for uranium in Niger. Who was responsible for the leak? Which Bush aides tried to compound the harm done by the leak? What steps did Bush take to get to the bottom of all this?

Do you remember me taking a picture of you? I will take a look.

What is your web site address?

What bothers me is that Brazil WILL NOT allow international inspectors to make unannounced spot inspections of its enrichment plant. Does the U.S. all the UN inspections of its nuclear program?

That is pretty cool Surfer! Here is a press release I found. Skype Technologies S.A., the Global P2P Telephony Company that provides consumers with the ability to make free voice calls using their broadband connections, today announced the expansion of Asian language options, adding Chinese, Japanese and Korean to the twelve languages already offered on Skype. The enhancement enables consumers world wide to interact with the software in their language of choice and reinforces Skype’s commitment to the Asian market. What is Skype? Skype is ‘Free Speech’ over the Internet — offering free software that allows free, high quality, unlimited, worldwide voice calling over the Internet Skype facilitates a user-built global phone directory accessible to all users Skype works behind most firewalls with no special configuration needed and is easy to download in both the home and the work place Skype helps people to reduce their phone bills Skype offers higher quality calling for broadband users and is also available to dial-up Internet users The new Asian language offerings build on the Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, and Swedish versions already available Users can easily select their language of choice when they install Skype Skype delights the user, is fun and just works! “Skype is transforming voice communications and taking telephony to a new level,” Zennström added. “Skype allows consumers to take full advantage of their broadband and computer investments. In our first 5 months 2.4 million users from 200 countries have joined our rapidly expanding network. While Skype will remain committed to a simple-to-use yet feature rich and free offering, we will introduce an array of premium services at our first commercial launch in 2004.” In addition to 15 language translations of the software, Skype is also equipped with a language editor that allows users to translate Skype into their own language, empowering people to further broaden the Skype community in their own countries.

Maybe this explains it all...

Now that the elections are finally over, let's look at one of the other losers: Exit polling. During Election Day, exit polls showed that Kerry was on his way to a clear-cut victory. What went wrong? Did pollsters sample the wrong precincts? Did voters lie (perhaps embarrassed to tell "the media" they were voting for Bush)? Was it because most of the polling were done in mainly in urban centers. Did those electronic voting machines do exactly what everyone had feared – skew the election? The only the exit that that was true was Kerry's exit.

DCpages is going on 10 years now. This would not be possible with a great staff, energetic volunteers, and readers like you. So thanks and I hope you have a wonderful Holiday Season. P.S. You may be interested in reading our Thanksgiving Guide. http://www.dcpages.com/Events/Holidays/Thanksgiving/ Please feel free to give comments and suggestions. P.S.S Jenna I love you.

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six Years. [u.S. Constitution, Article I, section 3, clause 1] The six-year Senate term represented a compromise between those constitutional framers who wanted a strong, independent Senate and those who feared the possible tyranny of an aristocratic upper house, insulated from popular opinion. A six-year term would control turnover in the legislature, allow Senators to take responsibility for measures over time, and make senators largely independent of Public Opinion.

WASHINGTON – President George W. Bush today announced he will ask the Republican National Committee (RNC) to elect Bush-Cheney ’04 Campaign Manager Ken Mehlman as its chairman at the RNC’s winter meeting in Washington, DC, January 18-19, 2005. Current RNC Chair Ed Gillespie announced on Friday that he will not seek another term, but will serve until the winter meeting. “Ken Mehlman has served the Republican Party and the Administration with honor and distinction. As Campaign Manager, he helped us achieve our historic 2004 election night gains. Ken has a clear vision for making our gains durable while continuing to help expand the message and reach of the Republican Party. He’ll be a great success at the RNC with his boundless energy and commitment to continue growing Republican majorities,” said President Bush of Mehlman. Ken Mehlman most recently served as the campaign manager for the President’s historic re-election. Prior to joining the campaign, Mehlman worked as the White House Director of Political Affairs for President Bush’s first two and a half years, during which he oversaw and executed the President and the Administration’s political strategy with state parties, national committees, candidates, and state and local elected officials in support of the President’s agenda. Mehlman served as National Field Director for Bush-Cheney 2000, where he worked with the campaign leadership in all fifty states and the Republican National Committee to execute winning political plans and mobilize strong grassroots. Before joining President Bush, Mehlman was Congresswoman Kay Granger’s (TX-12) Chief of Staff and Congressman Lamar Smith’s (TX-21) Legislative Director. He practiced environmental law in Washington and assisted campaigns in Massachusetts, Ohio, Virginia, Texas, and Georgia, as well as the 1992 and 1996 Presidential campaigns. Ken is a graduate of Harvard Law School and Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He is a native of Baltimore, Maryland.

Keep a watch out for people standing near you in the checkout line at retail stores, restaurants, grocery stores, etc., who have a camera-cell phone in hand. With the camera-cell phones, they can take a picture of your credit card, which gives them your name, number, and expiration date. CBS reported this type of identification theft is one of the fastest growing scams this month. Be aware of your surroundings and please forward this to your family and friends.

Everywhere you look, people are talking about China as the world's next economic superpower. The world's most populous nation is poor, but a growing middle class hungry for technology makes it the largest potential consumer market in the world. And the country's large concentration of universities also makes it a hotbed of technology innovation. I am just worried that America is loosing everything to them. Is anyone scared?

DNC Urges Secretaries of State to Outline Process for Counting Provisional Ballots The Democratic National Committee called upon all 50 Secretaries of State to, "explicitly outline the standards and timelines that will be used to count the remaining votes for the 2004 election." In the letter to the Secretaries of State, Chairman Terry McAuliffe said, "After such a highly charged and competitive election, I want to make sure that every American can be confident that our electoral process worked and continues to be the model for the world. The best way to achieve these goals is to ensure that every vote cast has been accurately counted. This is in no way an effort to question the outcome of this election, but to ensure trust in the outcome of every election going forward." He continued, "One of the most important things we have learned during this election is that if voters don’t have faith in the infrastructure for casting and counting votes, they will not participate in the process. The critical issues confronting this nation require full participation by the electorate. I strongly believe that your efforts at transparency will go far to affirm the American people’s belief in our Democracy."