The San Diego Traveler » american idol

This Week’s Featured Photos

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 05:13:21 +0000

Looking through this week’s photos on Flickr, I came across some beautiful images of San Diego that I’d like to share:

Thanks for these fine photographers for capturing a bit of life here this week.

Photo credit: Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/slack12/2635848077/
Photo credit: Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigjno/2625295636/
Photo credit: Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/philipgibbs/2644715032/
Photo credit: Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/badgopher/2622758370/
Photo credit: Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrianlee/2635760426/
Photo credit: Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/annalouise/2636910262/

Post from: The San Diego Traveler

Operation Thin Mint Sendoff

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:13:31 +0000

Each year, Girl Scouts sell cookies to raise money to fund their troops and councils. Since 2002, they have also collected donations for Operation Thin Mint during their cookie sales.

Operation Thin Mint is a nationwide Girl Scouts of America effort, originally spearheaded for the Navy by the Girls Scouts from the San Diego-Imperial Council in 2002. Since that time, San Diego-Imperial Council has sent 1,086,157 boxes of cookies to the troops, and the Operation Thin Mint effort has spread nationwide.

Are Thin Mints the only cookies sent overseas?

Troops receive all eight varieties of cookies.

Who receives Operation Thin Mint cookies?

Troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Japan, Korea, the Persian Gulf, the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean have all received Operation Thin Mint cookies, and notes of support. (Excerpts from the notes can be found at http://www.girlscoutssdi.org/otm.)

How does the military assist?

The Under Secretary of the Navy authorizes Operation Thin Mint, and the Army and Navy help distribute the cookies to service members from all branches of the military. APL, a shipping company, generously donates refrigerated shipping for all of the cookies.

The 2008 Celebration

This year, the USS Midway will again play host to the Operation Thin Mint Sendoff this Saturday (May 3).

Girl Scouts, friends, families, cookie customers, and Mayor Jerry Sanders will gather aboard the USS Midway to thank military personnel for their service and celebrate sending cookies and notes overseas to the troops.

This event will be highlighted by live music, activities and fun photo opportunities. As a special reward, Girl Scouts who sold 2,008 (or more) boxes of cookies will arrive by helicopter. American Idol contestant Mishavonna Henson will perform on-stage, and will be available for photos too!

Congratulations to all of the Girl Scouts, friends, family members, and customers who supported Operation Thin Mint this year. You’re bringing a little taste of home to our military heroes, who so richly deserve it.

Post from: The San Diego Traveler

Come Home, Carly

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 06:24:29 +0000

San Diego’s own Carly Smithson delivered her last performance on American Idol this evening. Her rendition of Jesus Christ Superstar made Andrew Lloyd Webber proud, and you can’t ask for more than that.

Carly definitely out-performed some of the other competitors, so why didn’t she get the votes? Perhaps it was the “kiss of death” when Simon said that hers was one of his favorite performances of the night. Could it be her tattoos that kept her from connecting with the largest fan base? Maybe the fans thought she did so well that she was safe, and one of the other favorite performers needed their votes more. Whatever the reason, her time with American Idol is over.

This certainly won’t be the last we’ll hear from our hometown girl. Carly will next do the talk show circuit, performing on shows such as Live with Regis and Kelly (Monday).

I’m sure there are bigger and better things waiting for Carly, now that the world has discovered her talent, but when she’s done, I hope that she’ll come on home to San Diego. We love you, Carly!

For more American Idol insights, see:

Post from: The San Diego Traveler