We all know it's brutal out there, but are times so desperate that the BBC's top State Department correspondent can't afford a fresh pack of chewing gum?

We told you that TWT's Joseph Curl had traveled with a pack of reporters down to Guantanamo Bay to cover several pre-trial hearings for the 9-11 terror suspects. Curl ragged on his British buds from the BBC in a postcard he sent us on Wednesday. Now another another source (we swear it wasn't Khalid Sheikh Mohammed) has stepped forward with this:

"Just before the plane took off from Gitmo's airstrip to head back to Andrew's Air Force Base, someone noticed this small, white glob stuck to the back of the ear of the BBC's Jonathan Beale. After puzzling with a few colleagues, someone asked him, 'Hey, what's that behind your ear?'

'Oh,' said Beale. 'That's my gum' -- and then he snagged it with his finger and popped it into his mouth!"

DOUBLE, DOUBLE YOUR REFRESHMENT, I guess!?!?

Please, people, we know it's tough for you reporters (maybe even tougher for us). But can't we rally together and send Beale some fresh packs of Juicy Fruit or Doublemint? If you can find it in your heart to chip in a pack or a quarter-- just 25 lousy cents -- we'll send Beale enough gum to get him through this recession.

Dig deep, people.