YELLOWDOG'S VERSION OF THE NEWS...

DEPARTING BLAIR PAYS VISIT TO CLOSE ALLY BUSH
British Prime Minister Tony Blair paid a farewell visit Wednesday to President Bush, an opportunity for close allies to showcase their unity on the war in Iraq and hammer out differences on climate change and trade..It also gave the Prime Minister a chance to show President Bush the new tricks he has learned.. 'Sit, stay and fetch'..President Bush was especially proud of the way he had perfected 'roll over and play dead.'

WOLFOWITZ WANTS TERMS TO INCLUDE EXONERATION AS NEGOTIATIONS BEGIN..
After 6 weeks of combating efforts to oust him as president of the World Bank, Paul Wolfowitz began Wednesday to negotiate the terms under which he would resign, in return for the bank dropping or softening the charge that he had engaged in misconduct, bank officials said.
Mr. Wolfowitz was said to be adamant that he be cleared of wrongdoing before he resigns.He also wants a garantee that his girlfriend gets a new job of out the deal.He requests that she be given the job of President of American Airlines, saying she has plenty of experience as she has flown on a plane many times..

FEDS:POT GETTING STRONGER
Levels of active ingredient climbing almost yearly..
marijuana is getting a little more potent each year.
A project at the University of Mississippi has tested samples of marijuana seized by law enforcement agents annually since the late 1970's to check levels of THC, the active ingredient.
The average amount of THC in marijuana seized last year reached 8.5 percent, continuing an almost yearly uptick the White House drug-control policy office said Wednesday. The THC level has doubled since the 1980's.Jeremy Conley the drug-control policy officer said:"Man, this shit is faaaaaaarout." The interview had to be canceled as Mr. Conley had to go order a pizza, a bag of Doritos, a large Coke and a piece of Chocolate cake...siting a case of severe munchies.

NEIMAN MARCUS OFFERS A ROYAL REST.
Neiman Marcus began selling Vera Wang's Princess Eau de Parfum,the designer's bridal gowns, her Love Knots Toasting champagne flutes and silk pajamas.
But the Dallas-based luxury depratment store chain sold no mattress on which a princess could sleep.
Vera Wang has teamed up with Serta, the major maker of mattresses, to sell Vera WAng luxury mattresses in stores for common folk, such as 1-800-Mattress.But still no mattress for a princess.
But on Tuesday,Neiman Marcus announced it will begin selling a super-luxury line of mattresses designed by Ms.Wang and made especially for Neiman Marcus by Serta.
Each bed features Vera Wang's signatrue floral vine design, the latest in mattress technology and a buxurious down-like blanket top.the collection's five models will range from $1,999 to $2,999.Although the Princess and the pea are not included..you can ask for a special clerk to come by each night and tuck you in for an extra $3,000.

On a sadder note..Bo Diddley is hospitalized following stroke.
Rock pioneer Bo Diddley suffered a stroke Sunday and remains in the intenseive care unit at Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha, Neb. The 78-year old singer-guitarist, who had been slated to perform Saturday at Richardson's Wildflower festival, fell ill following a show at Harah's Casino in Council Bluffs, Neb., according to his publicist.His condition is listed as "guarded" and Saturday's show is canceled...
I can't tell you how much I love Bo Diddley..He was one of my if not my favorite music when I was a kid and growing up...I actually got to see him in concert in San Antonio, Texas when I was about 15.I went with my girlfriend who was a negro(she wasn't black then...she was a negro)...She knew someone in the band, a relative I think..and we got to go back stage and meet him...I was so thrilled...he was bemused to see this skinny white kid hanging with his friends skinny negro kid..Asked us all kinds of questions how did we meet, were we best friends, did our parents know and care?...We were Air Force kids, we didn't know that our being best friends was a big deal, and why would our parents care..care about what?...We wanted to know about the music, see his guitar,get his autograph...and he was quizing us on our relationship..I don't think we ever did understand what the big deal was..He did freak out when I refered to her as 'black widow'...He wanted to know why I called her that..said her boyfriend left her so she was black widow..made sense to us..but think that was the first time he had heard the term black in term of negros..hey, maybe I started it all..
Get well Bo ....