Buzz Bin

by Inlander Staff & r & & r & Hello Debty & r & Sanrio has premiered its new Hello Kitty Platinum Plus Visa card. (Mommy and Daddy don't need to know that it sometimes features a 14 percent APR.) Kids can use it to purchase such necessities as Charmmy Kitty quilts, Chococat collages and key chains featuring that naughty little cat, Badtz-Maru. Because if a little girl really loves Hello Kitty, she should show it by carrying a nice monthly credit card balance. (Must be 8, er, 18 to apply.)





Francly, It's Marvelous & r & At a recent international wine competition in Indiana, Barrister Winery's 2004 Cabernet Franc ($25 a bottle) placed in the top 3 percent of more than 3,000 commercial wines entered; every single judge awarded it a gold medal. Learn more in our Food section's Fresh & amp; Tasty column next week; in the meantime, visit www.barristerwinery.com or call 465-3591.





Thespians to the East & r & San Diego native Brian Doig has been named executive director at Coeur d'Alene's Lake City Playhouse. Doig has been active with the theater for nearly three years -- as actor, director, board member and more. Todd Jasmin has changed titles from technical director to Lake City's artistic/technical director. Former Artistic Director Tracy Vaughn will continue to direct productions at Lake City.





"No Fair!" in Chinese? & r & At Saturday's Garland Street Fair, for sale in a knick-knacks booth: Item, one Nixon-Agnew campaign button, $7. Item, one Chairman Mao button, depicting the Chinese Communist dictator hovering over the Forbidden City ... just $5.


Tricky Dick opened up China, so now he's worth more in open-air markets operated by the running dogs of capitalism?





Let the Receptionist Handle It & r & At a "listening session on cooperative conservation" at the Convention Center last week (see story on page 11), Spokane Mayor Dennis Hession (looking increasingly burdened as a summer of scandals progresses) was treated to a refreshing anecdote by Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne (who was mayor of Boise before he was governor of Idaho).


"It was one of those days when I stayed late, and everyone else had left, and the phone rang," recalled Kempthorne. "It was a woman who had some problem, and we went 'round and 'round on the phone. She finally asked who I was. 'I'm the mayor!' I said.


"Oh. I don't want you," said the woman. "I want someone lower down."


So, Mr. Hession, our advice: Delegate like crazy. And don't answer any phones after quittin' time.