Obama takes early lead in Guam caucuses

Four pledged delegates at stake; voting may swing superdelegates too

The Associated Press
updated 12:21 p.m. ET, Sat., May. 3, 2008

HAGATNA, Guam - The early count from Democratic presidential caucuses on Guam showed Barack Obama delegates ahead with 395 votes to 320 for those pledged to Hillary Rodham Clinton.

More than 3,000 votes were expected in heavy turnout at caucuses in the U.S. territory, where neither candidate campaigned.

Four pledged delegate votes were at stake on the island 8,000 miles from Washington. Guam also has five superdelegates and some of those are being determined in the caucus voting as well.

Slow ballot-by-ballot counting was under way in the territorial legislative building after votes were hand carried from some 20 caucus sites.

Long lines of voters were reported in schools, community centers and other caucus sites that were open for voting all day Saturday.

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*** No presidential vote *** (!!!) ????

U.S. citizens in Guam have no vote in the November presidential election, but the close Clinton-Obama race is giving them an unaccustomed role in the nomination process.
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Voters picked eight pledged delegates who will have only one-half vote each at the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August.

Presidential caucuses on Guam usually pass without much notice from the candidates.

This time, Obama and Clinton made their case for the territory's four regular delegates with local advertising and long-distance interviews.

Lines formed early at some caucus sites.

Cynthia Estrada of Dedeo said she was making up her mind while waiting to vote, but she was leaning toward Clinton.

"She's had the experience," she said. "She's got her husband to help her."

Yona resident Tommy Shimizu said he was voting for Obama delegates.

"It's the fact that he grew up in Hawaii, and I think he can make change," he said. "I think it's time for that."

Candidates bought advertising
Clinton and Obama pitched improved health care and economic opportunity as they courted Guam voters from across the international date line.

Both candidates bought local advertising and conducted media interviews. In their protracted race for the nomination, no contest is being ignored.

Both Clinton and Obama say they've got the better health plan for Guamanians.

Obama said in an interview with Pacific Daily News that he would support reexamination of a $5.4 million Medicaid spending limit imposed on the territory. Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, told KUAM radio earlier that his wife would work to remove the cap.

Hillary Clinton also has called for Guamanians to be able to vote in presidential elections.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24441932/

ATTENTION ALL LADIES!

Time is running out! LAST CHANCE to win(?) a date with YOUR NEXT PREZ' to be in 2008!

NO ONE of LEGAL age will be DISQUALIFIED from such contest! Can't beat THOSE odds anywhere else can ya'?

So, PLEASE, give old, wrinkly, GRUMPY TallPockets at least ONE chance, dear WONDERFUL single ladies out there.

If ya' just can NOT bring yourself to do such (even for the GOOD of AMERICA!) TallPockets WILL understand. Just be KIND and let him down EASY, ok?

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“Win (?) A Date With TallPockets”
(If you‘re female & breathing you qualify)

TallPockets is conducting his own ‘contest’ to see if there are any single, heterosexual ladies out there who might, for some unknown reason, want a chance at winning a date with him. Anyone between the ages of eighteen and eighty are eligible to participate. All colors, sizes, and shapes are welcome to apply. There is NO FEE required (only a few, minor telephone charges). Realistically, TallPockets knows he should be paying the ladies who decide to enter. They are the ones taking all the risk. He wants someone who is intelligent enough to share his feeble thoughts. He is tired of dating women who complain that they do not like baking chocolate chip cookies because they hate ‘peeling’ all those M&M’s.

TallPockets keeps a clean and tidy house. He cooks, does dishes, sweeps and mops floors, does laundry (doesn’t mix colors and whites), mows lawn in the summer, takes out the garbage, closes the shower curtain (prevents that dreaded mildew), puts the toilet seat down in the presence of women (five sisters) and doesn’t mind nylons and undies hanging from the shower curtain rod in his bathroom. In fact, he rather enjoys the latter. It bolsters his frail ego and prevents him from spending more of his money on another ‘self-help’ book.

Futhermore, he does not snore while sleeping. Although, he has been known to put other people quickly to sleep. If you are an insomniac, you will not be one for long. He is a passionate lover. He will give that ’special’ lady the best three minutes of lovemaking she has ever experienced in her lifetime. He won’t hog the covers on the bed. He is ok with silk sheets but not on a regular basis. He once had a bad experience where he slid right out of bed, onto the wood floor below and is still removing splinters to this day. He is looking for a ‘spiritual’ person. One who says, “Oh, God!” in places other than just the bedroom.

So, dear ladies, if you’ve played the lottery for years and never won a darned thing and wasted all your hard earned money, why not take a chance on grumpy, old TallPockets? Him show you good time.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: Not responsible for anything regarding this contest or any future dates that may occur should you be the ’lucky’ (?) winner. The odds of winning this contest are much better than you might think. To enter, call : 1-900-HOT-DATE and leave your information and heavy breathing on the phone message recorder. Charges of $3.99 per minute will appear on your next monthly telephone bill (Contest HINT: The longer the heavy breathing the better the odds of winning).

*Above disclaimer issued by the law firm of Dewey, Cheatem and Howe*

Dear Ladies: You pick out strays from the humane shelter so why not give TallPockets a chance? He will give you tons of wet, sloppy kisses AND he is already housebroken!

TallPockets - 2008

Opponents carry injured home-run hitter around bases
Associated Press

Updated: April 30, 2008, 7:40 PM EST

With two runners on base and a strike against her, Sara Tucholsky of Western Oregon University uncorked her best swing and did something she had never done, in high school or college. Her first home run cleared the center-field fence.

But it appeared to be the shortest of dreams come true when she missed first base, started back to tag it and collapsed with a knee injury.

She crawled back to first but could do no more. The first-base coach said she would be called out if her teammates tried to help her. Or, the umpire said, a pinch runner could be called in, and the homer would count as a single.

Then, members of the Central Washington University softball team stunned spectators by carrying Tucholsky around the bases Saturday so the three-run homer would count - an act that contributed to their own elimination from the playoffs.

Central Washington first baseman Mallory Holtman, the career home run leader in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, asked the umpire if she and her teammates could help Tucholsky.

The umpire said there was no rule against it.

`Miracle' Marine dies; badly burned in 2005 Iraq blast

By The Associated PressFri May 2, 8:37 AM ET

A Marine sergeant who became a symbol of resilience as he strove to recover from a roadside bomb blast in Iraq that blanketed 97 percent of his body with burns has died, the Defense Department said. He was 22.

Sgt. Merlin German died April 11 at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, where he was continuing treatment for the injuries he suffered in combat on Feb. 22, 2005, the Pentagon said Thursday.

The former turret gunner was dubbed the "Miracle Man" for his determination in facing his wounds, which cost the former saxophone player his fingers and rippled his face with scars. He endured more than 40 surgeries, spent 17 months in a hospital and had to learn to walk again.

Meanwhile, he started a charity, Merlin's Miracles, to aid child burn victims and considered college and a career.

"Sometimes I do think I can't do it," he told The Associated Press last year. "Then I think: Why not? I can do whatever I want. ... Nobody has ever been 97 percent dead and survived, and lived to walk."

Born in New York City, German moved to its suburbs as a teenager. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in September 2003, according to his charity's Web site. He was medically retired four years later, the Defense Department said.

German had been stationed at Camp Pendleton, Calif. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that the state Capitol's flags would be flown at half-staff in German's honor, saying the sergeant's "courage and unfailing loyalty serve as an inspiration to Americans everywhere."

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On the Net:

Merlin's Miracles: http://www.merlinsmiracles.com

ALL .... Well, it seems that EXXON OIL company just reported their last 'quarter' (Three Months) "NET" profits. A WHOPPING 10.9 BILLION ("B")!!!

If THAT wasn't BAD enough, listen to THIS dear citizens and EXPLAIN this to DUMB OLD GRUMPY TALLPOCKETS if anyone would be so kind as to put him out of his 'misery' .......

Based on those 'paltry' reported profits (it seems the 'analysts' were EXPECTING Exxon to do BETTER!!??), Exxon's STOCK immediately DROPPED by about 3.3%!! .... ?????? ....

"SOMEBODY, HELP ME, PLEASE!" .... WINK? ....

I LUV our STOCK MARKET .... Two companies MERGE into a virtual MONOPOLY .... THOUSANDS of prior employees get PERMANENTLY LAID OFF .... STOCK prices for said MONOPOLISTIC MERGED COMPANY with little, if any COMPETITION, left towards them, Go UP! .... WAY UP! .... ??

Sing along with old, GRUMPY TallPockets dear citizens to that famous old tune from FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, initially voiced by Zero Mostel:

"IF I were a RICH man ..... "

SMILE?? .... ~SIGH~

Later all ....

I need to go back to my SPEEDWAY local GAS station .... Last time I was there, GAS was $3.69 a GALLON .... the sweetie behind the counter, when TallPockets asked her how MUCH SHE was PAID by said Exxon owners, told me, "$7.15 an HOUR".

TallPockets kiddingly told her, "EASY sweetie, you might be OVERPAID some?"

It took a few seconds, but said SWEETIE got TallPocket's 'sarcasm' and just gave me a BIG SMILE.

I then told said sweetie, "GOTTA' Laugh or you'll CRY, right?"

TallPockets has left the Speedway Station .... errr, left the building ....

(I hear an ELVIS PRESLEY song comin' on!!!) WINK.