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Re: Spurned peace talks. -- Listen to Scott Ritter

Subj: Rush Limbaugh to be given Statesmanship Award

Quotes

"A federal judge ruled that Tommy Chong's prison sentence for conspiracy to sell bongs would likely stand and refused to release him from jail pending an appeal. Prosecutors said Chong grew wealthy by glamorizing drug use and trivializing law enforcement in his films, and gosh, that's just plain wrong. Meanwhile...The Claremont Institute is proud to give Rush Limbaugh its Statesmanship Award the annual Churchill Dinner in Los Angeles on Friday, November 21. Limbaugh will be the keynote speaker; fellow radio commentator Hugh Hewitt will serve as master of ceremonies."

--Maru, Attribution

Subj: With eye on 2004 Electoral Votes from CA, Bush gets Congress to "votes" for aid in appropriation bill

Hi BuzzFlash 11/6/03

I sent you this 11/4 NYTimes story about the SIX Senators who met on Monday and passed Bush's request for $87.5 billion by VOICE vote. I reread the story today and noticed a sneaky move by the Bush White House when I was trying to figure how the final size of the bill was $87,543,098,000. Please scroll down to the 5th to the last paragraph.

"The final size of the bill was $87,543,098,000, an amount larger than the annual budgets of seven cabinet departments. All the money will be added to the year's record budget deficit. The bulk of the bill - $65.7 billion - will pay for the military occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan, with $24 billion alone going for Army operations and $10 billion earmarked for Afghanistan. Congress agreed to give $983 million for the operating expenses of the American authority in Iraq, and added to the president's request for $500 million for aid to victims of the California wildfires and Hurricane Isabel."

This means Bush conveniently added the cost of the wildfires to the war appropriation bill. We are played for suckers again. Bush helped Schwarzenegger with aid so he does not have to raise taxes or go back on his campaign promise to end auto tax. This $500,000,000 will be added to America's record deficit and we will all pay. And this plan is a clever calculated way to capture California's 54 Electoral Votes in 2004. So far, Bush got away with it. Thanks for considering this story.

Judy Munro-Leighton
Louisville, KY

* * *

Congress: Senate Sends Spending Bill for War Costs to President [LINK]
November 4, 2003

By DAVID FIRESTONE

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3 - The Senate gave its final approval on Monday to President Bush's request for $87.5 billion to occupy and rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan, completing Congressional action on the largest emergency spending bill ever sought by a president.

The Senate's action came on a voice vote with only six members present, meaning that the decisions of individual members on the administration's vision for Iraq were not recorded. Not voting on the record appealed to both Republicans nervous about explaining the amount to their constituents, and Democrats who did not want their patriotism questioned for opposing the bill. On Friday, the House voted 298 to 121 in favor of the bill. The bill now goes to the president for his signature.

Senator Robert C. Byrd, a West Virginia Democrat who has been the loudest Congressional challenger of the administration's Iraq policy, was the lone voice shouting no during the vote, a contrast to the 12 senators who opposed the emergency spending bill, known as a supplemental, in a preliminary vote last month.

Subj: "Fiends Raped Jessica Lynch"

Hiya BuzzFlash!

Didn't see a link to this article on your site, but here it is, in case you missed it. NY Daily News is reporting that "Fiends Raped Jessica Lynch."

My favorite quote: "Rick Bragg tells Lynch's story for her, often using her own words. Thankfully, she has no memory of the rape."

Holy crock of propaganda, Batman!

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/134264p-119598c.html

Thanks again for all your hard work!

Your pal,

Erin Ferdinand

Subj: Jumpstarting War Despite Iraqi Peace Overtures

Buzz~

Your headline and that story reminded me of an Onion news brief. I'm guessing it was from last February 12 (the issue with the headline N. Korea Wondering What it Has to Do to Attract US Military Attention), but I can't find it in the Onion archive (perhaps another Buzzer can). As I recall, the Onion had Saddam offering open inspections and other major concessions, with Bush responding to each that such provocation would be met with a swift and stern US response.

Once again, the Onion has the scoop!

Harriet
a BuzzFlash reader

Subj: The ABC report about the last minute deal Iraq offered

One thing no one seems to be paying attention to in this story is that Iraq offered to give the US an Al-Qaeda figure who was in an Iraq prison. The guy had a $25 million bounty on his head by the US, but we couldn't be bothered to see if the offer was real. Talk about setting back the war on terrorism. And this same figure is now believed to be one of the ones orchestrating attacks on US troops.

We didn't just miss an opportunity to avert war. We missed an opportunity to knock out a leading Al-Qaeda figure.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subj: Damn Lies and Statistics

Dear Buzz,

In his column last week, Paul Krugman made the following observation about the Department of Labor's "Initial Unemployment Claims" press releases: "for the last month there's been a peculiar pattern: each week, headlines declare that new claims fell from the previous week; a week later, the past week's number is revised upward, and the apparent decline disappears."

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/31/opinion/31KRUG.html

Well, they did it again. Last week's published initial claims number (for the week ending 10/25) placed new unemployment claims at 386k, which the headline proclaimed represented a drop of 5000 claims (seasonally adjusted) from the prior week. The Bush administration touted this number as further confirmation of the economic growth implied by last week's GDP number. http://www.workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/press/2003/102303.html

However, just as Mr. Krugman observed, today's release once again revised last week's number upward by the same 5000 claims, completely erasing the previously announced decline. http://www.workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/press/2003/110603.html

If we go back to the previous week, we see the same thing happened, the department of labor initially declared a 4000 claim decline but later revised it to a 1000 claim increase.

Of course, the releases never mention the actual amount of the upward revisions or restate the previous headline numbers. But if you examine the archived releases, it becomes apparent that for some time now, the DOL has been consistently understating preliminary results by 5000 or 6000 claims each week, then revising the number upwards the following week. http://www.workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/unemploy/archive.asp

If we add up all the DOL press release headline numbers for each week from 10/25 back to 9/27 (5 weeks), we should have seen an overall decline of 23,000 claims. In reality, the revised numbers show that net initial unemployment claims actually increased by 5000 in that same period (386k-391k).

Worse still, we have to remember these numbers are "seasonally adjusted". Seasonal adjustments are meant to remove "normal" fluctuations in the employment rate, such as Christmas hiring etc. Because the formula for making those adjustments is very complicated (and carefully hidden), there is a lot of room for fudging the adjusted numbers. If we examine the actual non-adjusted numbers for the above mentioned period, an even starker unemployment picture appears. In real (unadjusted) numbers, weekly initial unemployment claims were 49,000 higher for the week of 10/25 than during the week of 9/27, as opposed to the DOL's cumulative headline numbers of a 23,000 claim decline.

Dave Collins

Subj: This one will kill you

The last line of this story will kill you... we don't have any stories because the IRAQNam wounded are being delivered at midnight so the reporters won't see them...FUCKING LAZY SON OF A BITCH REPORTERS...the paparazzi could get the photos...they are allowed to stay up late. Here is a clue...will a pulitzer prize...TAKE A NAP and then go to the airport LATE AT NIGHT... did Hemingway go through this or what?

Insult to Injury [LINK]

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subj: Economic Boom?

Requests for unemployment are down and productivity is up. No one has dared ask the Bush administration or economists what kind of jobs with what kind of pay are creating the boom to the economy.

They probably have lines of people wanting those jobs that illegal alien Wal-Mart workers had. Who would want to work 7 nights a week, at $7 an hour with no overtime and no health care? Illegal aliens are not taking jobs away from US citizens, they are working as indentured servants for the most profitable store chain in the US in order to keep over-head down so Wal-Mart can work people at barely enough to pay to afford the corporate health care for their families.

They just announced that the only level one trauma center in central Oklahoma will close January 1, 2004. The OU Medical Trauma Center will be closing because of lack of funds due to the huge number of un-insured Oklahomans. Go ahead thank George W. Bush for Warren Buffet, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Pat Robertson's tax cuts. Why should we care if people who don't care enough to be born wealthy have health care?

I have seen no observable increase in employment where I live. Where I work they are letting people go who qualify for benefits and hiring temps.

Karen Webb, Moore, Ok.

Subj: Must read: Pew Research: The 2004 Political Landscape

Unsuitable for progressive teeth-gnashers and handwringers; surprisingly lacking in appraisal/analyses of healthcare as an issue, media influences upon observed trends, i.e., cable/network Goresification of flashpoints or candidates politically threatening to Bush(see Clark, Wesley).

Valuable, nonetheless, for its reaffirmation of continuing convergence between "independents" and Democrats on key issues of "Assertive National Security Policy," perceptions of "Personal Financial Satisfaction" -- post-9/11 conservative bubble, thanks to media "collaboration," notwithstanding.

Our perception of findings: Democrats should stick to core positions, but with less stridency, less personalization("Bush administration," not just Bush), more, much MORE emphasis on solutions & distinctions, to the degree they exist, contrasted to Republicans.

Democrats MUST ACT COHESIVELY to mobilize political/constituent/consumer pressure upon cable/network monoliths and/or their advertisers whenever Goresification of candidates or issues occur(cf. Republican "media activism" on the buffoonery of "The Reagans").

------------------

The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press [LINK]
The 2004 Political Landscape
Evenly Divided and Increasingly Polarized
Released: November 5, 2003

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subj: Diebold

Just maybe the fattest cats in the Democratic party should begin buying Diebold stock. As they were doing this they should announce they are going for ownership prior to the 2004 election. It would be fun to watch the rethuglicans running around saying that machines they trust now would not be trustworthy if the Democrats control the company.

Michael

Buzz,

This morning I read a terribly sad story in the Palm Beach Post (front page, no less) about a young G.I. who experienced a panic attack while on duty in Iraq and was given a couple of sleeping pills for his trouble. However this young man was overwhelmed by panic and then was accused of, and I quote " cowardice due to fear" Not knowing much about the uniform code of military conduct I must state however, what's our fearless leader's excuse? Last I looked AWOL is desertion and I believe desertion IS treason!! This poor kid faces a possible court martial or even a death sentence;will someone please tell me what the hell is going on here??? One other thought, I think that dubya stays away from visiting grieving families is because of the GUILT or I am giving him too much credit. Maybe he is really incapable of feeling any emotion.

You are truly a real beacon and keep it up.

Ruth Gottlieb
West Palm Beach

Subj: Zell Miller

As I sit here this evening watching Zell Miller on Chris Matthews' Hardball show, I can't help but wonder why he doesn't just go ahead and surrender his membership in the Democratic party and change his party affiliation and go to work for George W. Bush.

Alan Charles
Fairmont, NC

[BuzzFlash Note: If Miller were to change his party to Republican, his fawning support and willing lips would get no more attention from Bush's ass than all the rest of the kiss-up sycophants in the GOP.]

Dear BuzzFlash:

One of the nation's leading papers and one which has frequently been called a part of the "liberal media" is the LA Times. The Los Angeles Times has ordered its reporters to stop describing anti-American forces in Iraq as "resistance fighters," saying the term romanticizes them and evokes World War II-era heroism. The ban was issued by Melissa McCoy, a Times assistant managing editor, who told the staff in an e-mail circulated on Monday night that the phrase conveyed unintended meaning and asked them to instead use the terms "insurgents" or "guerrillas."

Hmmmm, "insurgents" instead of "resistance fighters?"

From dictionary.com: in·sur·gent ( P ) Pronunciation Key (n-sûrjnt) adj. 1. Rising in revolt against established authority, especially a government. 2. Rebelling against the leadership of a political party. n. One who is insurgent.

So much for accuracy and objectivity.

Joe Humbleo

Subj: Democracy at Home

Well our President says he want to establish democracy in the nations of the middle east, whether they want it or not. Would that be like the democracy we have here, which under Bush2 and his administration crumbles a little bit every day. Will they have a two party system or will they expand the Republican party to have a Republican Party in the middle east. The moslem fundamentalists would pretty much mirror the christian fundamentalists we have here. Lets see the Bush administration teach the Arab nations how to manipulate the Supreme Court so as to get the President that the rich want. Of course the Arabs have a long history of the poor being run over by the rich, much longer than here so that won't be hard. Will there be a single set of laws, or one for the rich and one for the poor. Two school systems, again rich and poor. Which group in Iraq will be the mistreated minority, sunni, shia or kurd? I know, women and gays, just like America.

I think we ought to set a better example here before we start imposing our type of government on a culture which is so different than our own. You can't borrow money under sharia, so what kind of financial system would you have? Or will we have a totally secular government in a country which has a culture so much more tied to religion than ours.

I have some idea's Mr. President that might help:

1. Send Justice Scalia to show them how to keep church and state separate.

2. Send Vice President Cheney to show them how to have honest capitalism.

3. Send Tom Delay to help them set up their representative government, while he is there he can help set up another Republican guard.

4. Send your brother Jeb and Katherine Harris to teach them how to have fair and honest elections.

5. Send Rush Limbaugh, Matt Drudge, Ann Coulter, Chris Matthews and Robert Novak to teach them about a free press and moreover journalistic ethics.

Lastly Mr. President you should go yourself to teach their new President. That way they will never miss Saddam Hussein and his son's. Iraq will then be a lot more like America a shinning beacon and all that. The best thing about this is America will be rid of you and yours and our democracy will have a chance to recover.

Steve

Subj: Why isn't Jeb's combat age son in Iraq

If the President thinks this war is to protect America and bring freedom to the Middle East why isn't his nephew in uniform. His nephew campaigned vigorously to get this guy elected so now why can't he go fight his war????

David

Subj: Hyper

According to the Washington Post and other news articles on the Jessica Lynch topic, the "20-year-old private ... has no memory of the sexual assault, but medical records cited in the book -- "I am a Soldier, Too: The Jessica Lynch Story" -- indicate it occurred.

"Indicate"? Does "indicate" mean the same thing as "conclude"?

And "medical records cited in the book" only means the paper is reporting something put in a book. What actual records has anybody seen that "indicate" there was a sexual assault? Where are they? Is there any corroboration from the medical community?

Last, why do readers have to ask these kinds questions, which really ought to be answered in news articles before they are published in the first place? I thought the press was supposed to sort the truth from untruth but this seems more like the hyping of a TV movie and a book deal.

Rosamond

Re: Flabbergasted

In answer to T. Quigley's "Flabbergasted," ...The whole period this administration has existed has been one flabbergast after another. Just when one thinks one has seen or heard it all, along comes another of their flabbergasts. One just has to remember to exhale after their latest flabbergast.

V.Iloff

Subj: Who are the other 3 GOP senators?

Dear BuzzFlash,

Does someone know who the five Uglipugs were on the hypocritical voice vote for the $87 billion on Monday, Nov 3rd? Maybe someone has already addressed this and I missed it. I phoned Senator Byrd's office today to commend him for speaking up and naying the voice vote. I asked Byrd's staff person who the GHP Senators were...she only named Ted Stevens (who sponsored the little fiasco) and Lincoln Chaffee. I asked her if Hagel, the little twerp who criticizes von Bushy but always falls in line and who is one of my senators (unfortunately) was there. She said she didn't know.

I am so ticked off at all of the Senators...from Daschle who agreed with Fiske to set up this little deal--all the Dems, the Independents, the GHPs.. Because there was no vote, they can hide and say they didn't vote for it. What a bunch of spineless, cowardly folks. At least, in the House, there is a record of who caved in to the Bushites.

This really confirms for me that they, the venerated US Senators, DO NOT CARE A WHIT ABOUT AMERICANS, just like DimWit and his crew. Most of the US populace has more bravery and courage than any of them.

I have had it with them all!!!

Thanks for listening,

IrmaS

Subj: Who went AWOL?.....Logic problem

I came up with this today and posted in the Back Room of the BartCop Forum. Enjoy and please share with your readers!

Waldus
Cary, NC

=====

Who went AWOL?

5 men of various ages (62, 61, 60, 57 & 52) with 5 various education levels have 5 different causes celebre', 5 different vices, and avoided military service in 5 different ways......who went AWOL?

CLUES

1. Bill B. has a PhD.

2. Rush L. was classified 4F due to anal cysts.

3. John A.'s vice is abusing Crisco.

4. The MBA is barely older than the college dropout.

5. The MBA snorts cocaine.

6. The one who decries immorality got a graduate school deferment.

7. The Master of Arts degree holder likes to push energy policy.

8. The 60-year-old likes to play the slots.

9. Dick C. is the oldest at 62.

10. The one who had "other priorities" rather than serve is just older than the one who likes to prosecute sinners.

11. The one who got a teaching deferment is close to the same age as the energy policy pusher.

12. The one who castigates liberals is hooked on "hillbilly heroin".

13. George B. likes to denounce terrorism.

14. Dick C. is almost the same age as the holder of a Law Degree.

15. The prosecutor of sinners is just younger than the "big time" drinker (multiple DUIs).

Subj: Simone Holcomb

Doesn't anyone find it ironic that the party of "family values" has not come to the defense of Simone Holcomb and her decision to stay with her children? Because she has made that honorable choice, she is being charged as AWOL, maybe dishonorably discharged, and could lose all her benefits. We have a man who went AWOL during the Vietnam conflict and he was rewarded with the title of US pResident. Ah yes, the GOP, the party of do what I say, not as I do.....hypocrites!!!

Just so fed up,

Maria
Fort Myers

Subj: hellooooooo

allen greenspan says the rising deficit could put social security and medicare at risk for the baby boomers coming retirement. helloooooooo! THAT IS WHAT THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION WANTS! THE REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET RID OF THEM FOR YEARS!

kate

Subj: Arnold wants to get to the bottom of this

Buzz,

No doubt having learned from O.J.'s legal "dream team," Arnold will now try to find the real gropers of these women who claim Arnold groped them.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Gov.-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger (news - web sites) will hire a private investigator to look into allegations that he groped women, but he may keep the results from the state attorney general, a spokesman said Thursday. [LINK]

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subj: Possible Headline?

Check out yet another assault on reproductive rights.

Construction subcontractors being harassed against work on Planned Parenthood project!

These cretins must be beatin' back to the 19th century.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/2203830

Earl
Central Texas

Subj: What about getting a real democracy at home?

From an "appointed President".. while the US needs a real democracy with PR, like Germany and NZ etc.

from Greenpeace world headlines...

MILITARY

10) UPDATE 1-Bush challenges Iran, Syria, Egypt on democracy By Steve Holland WASHINGTON, Nov 6 (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush on Thursday challenged Iran and Syria and even key U.S. ally Egypt to adopt democracy and declared past U.S. policy of supporting non-democratic Arab leaders a failure. Calling for democracy throughout the Middle...

David

Subj: venting, issues, questions

This is a bunch of stuff that's been keeping me up, literally waiting for "dawn's early light".

Why am I sort of looking over my shoulder as I type this?

Since when has "the media" allowed itself to be told what and what not to cover? Why hasn't a single reporter turned up at Dover Air Force Base to cover the arrival of all those flag draped caskets? Just because the Pentagon doesn't want them to is not an excuse. Certainly the story of a soldier from the time he/she left to the time he/she returned is a story that needs to be told. The same applies for conditions at VA hospitals and all the problems currently being encountered by all those now returning without limbs and with a host of ailments. How did the Reagan's become a cause celebre?

Hindsight is 20/20. We know that this administration does nothing unless there's something to be gained. So why are they pouring money into computerized voting systems? And why are states falling all over themselves to blindly get this money? How many elections have already been corrupted? What are their real results?

As our fearless leader has not called (who was it who leaked Wilson's wife's name in his column?) in to the Oval Office for a personal dressing down and request for the NAME of his contact, we can assume that the president doesn't really care to find the answer, or he knows who leaked this information. This is treason, according to our Constitution. When will all involved be brought up on charges? Yes, there are other crimes that should be included for various persons. The entire list would take ages to write, but here are a few that come to mind:...lying to invade another nation; stealing the election in 2000; the mother of kickbacks to Halliburton, Bechtel, et al...at the expense of taxpayers and people whose lives are on the line; blatant nominations of lobbyists to control the interests they once worked to undo; the steady usurpation of our Civil Rights; Enron and all the energy pirating that went on and is still going on; the literal disregard for the 9-11 investigation; why the heck was this country left naked for those bombers and that loss of life? There are many more. And that's the problem.

Why is it so creepy to watch the network version of Hitler's rise? What are we doing to stop essentially the same thing from occurring here? Since when has the US gotten into the concentration camp business? War crimes, anyone?

Thank you for taking the time to read these early morning ramblings. Maybe Congress or one of the candidates for President will do something to alter the course this country is going before our Nation becomes a non working train wreck.

Sincerely,

Dixie Alexander

RE: BuzzFlash Breaks Another Record in October

I couldn't agree with you more. Keep up the fine and noble cause, the world will benefit from your due diligence.

Barbara

Hey Buzz,

Congratulations on your record number of reader visits in October -- it couldn't happen to a nicer website. I recommend you to anyone I think might be interested, and I wish you continued growth and prosperity.

Jon Krampner

Subj: Has anyone else noticed???

A co-worker who voted for Bush and now regrets it and I were talking and she was the one who brought this to my attention: Whenever Bush gets in trouble or it doesn't look like he is going to get what he wants something bad happens? I am not a conspiracy theorist, however I am noticing a pattern.

1. When it looked like Congress wasn't going to give Bush everything he wanted when it came to his $87 Billion request for "rebuilding" Iraq, a US Helicopter is shot down killing 16 of our troops. Shortly afterward most of the resistance from Congress dissipated and $87 Billion was approved with no accountability as to how it would be spent. Just what Bush wanted.

2. Whenever Bush's gift to the logging industry looks like it is in trouble, forests in the west erupt in flames and are characterized as the "largest in history." Suddenly support for Bush's forest initiative grows.

3. Whenever Bush's economic policies are strongly criticized we receive bad news about the economy, but when new tax cuts are announced we receive " good" economic news...

4. For a while, every time Bush's poll numbers took a nosedive, a new terror alert was issued and his poll numbers jumped.

5. When Bush's poll numbers were at their lowest, 4 commercial passenger jets were hijacked resulting in the worst terrorist attack in history to happen on our soil which has resulted in the implementation of and extreme right wing agenda.

There are quite a few more examples I am sure. Maybe someone who can write better than I might want to look into this and make the case. I don't want this published because the last three times I've traveled by air, I have been a "selectee" for more intrusive searches...

Warmest regards,

Blair C. Barrett
New York, NY.

Subj: Decade of Defiance

"Report: Days before the US invasion of Iraq, Saddam Hussein's spy chiefs attempted to buy off the Bush administration with huge oil concessions."

Figures. It wasn't 'buy off' so much as finally 'give in' to the post-Desert Storm "offer" Bush Sr. made to Hussein to "help rebuild and produce" Iraqi oil fields. Hussein's so-called decade of defiance was really about his refusal to let the Texas oil boyz make the grab.

Rosamond

RE: BuzzFlash Breaks Another Record in October

Thank you for being there and for being so vigilant. We (the people) will continue to be with you as long as you don't let "your" success go to your heads! Congratulations on your record month! Obviously you are providing what the country needs and in a format that reaches the humble masses.

Sandra

RE: BuzzFlash Breaks Another Record in October

Congratulations once again. Your site is an oasis in this right-wing-dominated world we live in.

Harry

Re: BuzzFlash Breaks Another Record in October

Very well said. For exactly the reasons you stated in this promotional piece, you are essential to a continuing dialog between my friends and me.

John

Subj: Major discrepancy in economic headlines this week

Dear Buzz,

Do you have any idea what is going on with the job creation data this week? A study by Challenger, Gray Christmas that appeared on Yahoo and CNN.com suggested that the country shed 172,000 jobs in October. This morning's headlines on NYT.com suggested that 126,000 jobs were created last month.

Are we being conned by a government office? Is data being given a spin to suggest that the job market is recovering when it actually isn't?

A BuzzFlash reader in Georgia

[BuzzFlash Note: We also saw the disconnect and asked the same thing in a News Analysis article this morning.]

Re: BuzzFlash Breaks Another Record in October

Hi BuzzFlash,

We were with you in the beginning, and you've never let us down. We'll continue to donate and support you when possible.

Gratefully yours,

Loyal Senior readers, and supporters of BuzzFlash.

RE: BuzzFlash Breaks Another Record in October

Hey Buzz,

Thanks for this, and I strongly support what you are doing. Your rhetoric in this mailing, which I know is a genuine reflection of what you believe in your heart is right, is outasight, right on for these times and the very big job ahead of us. Bush is a punk-a** chump, but in a weird way he is some kind of Godsend. If not for he and his lying fascists I probably would not be again delving so deeply into our collective history and into the question of what it means to be an American citizen. The charlatan charade is too too obvious, and too obscene, now. Thanks for the four ideals. Your clarity is much appreciated.

In common cause,

Tim Silva
Arcata, California

Dear BuzzFlash friends:

I just witnessed the most brazen and despicable pandering putdown by one four start general against another four star general on FAUX News.

Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf blatantly attacked Gen. Wesley Clark big time!!! He attacked his fitness as a general, his character, and his fitness to be a presidential candidate!

Ron Gordon
Princeton, NJ

Subj: An Alternative Media Voice Silenced

Buzz--

Love your work, keep it up, etc.

Here's a saga which has gone largely unreported:

An international alternative media voice was silenced, apparently for daring to air anti-globalization programs.

Radio for Peace International, a Costa Rica based listener-supported shortwave station heard throughout the Western Hemisphere, aired programs like Democracy Now! and Free Speech Radio News until shut down by the administration of the UN sponsored University for Peace, on whose campus the broadcaster is located.

At issue may be the views of the university's new president, American businessman and former World Bank advisor, Maurice Strong, versus those heard in the diverse programs aired on the shortwave station. RFPI enjoyed a decades long relationship with the university until very recently when power and water were cut off to the station's self- and listener-supported facilities on the school's campus.

Please help spread the word. This is a case of a valuable progressive media voice being silenced; it may not be by medialith consolidation or threats of boycott but it is still an important story.

For more info:

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=03/11/04/1556254

http://www.pacifica.org/programs/fsrn/fsrn_031106.html

http://www.rfpi.org

Thanks and regards,

Bob Dunn
New Orleans

Subj: Did you see this one?

General Pace said, basically, "we didn't do any postwar planning, because that might have made the war "inevitable."

"Pace also told the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee that the Bush administration had put off much of the planning for the aftermath of the Iraq war -- launched on March 20 -- out of concern such planning would bring on the conflict.

"We did not want to have planning for the post war make the war inevitable. We did not want to do anything that would prejudge or somehow preordain that there was definitely going to be a war," he said."

Uh, wasn't this was "inevitable" from day one of W's administration ?

http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/2003/11/001369.html
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2003-11/06/content_1164000.htm
http://billmon.org/archives/000860.html <---- links to msnbc story that later expunged the quote in question.)

http://famulus.msnbc.com/famulusintl/reuters11-05-100316.asp?reg=mideast&vts=1 1520031622 <-- censored

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=3764099 < ---complete

A BuzzFlash Reader

2.8 MILLION!!! CONGRATULATIONS BuzzFlash!

You're awesome. I'm glad to hear you'll always be around. You'll go down in history. It's been so enlightening to read the news, editorials, and the intelligent, informative and sometimes humorous letters in the mailbag. It's sort of like a support group for sane people.

That's really interesting news about Jessica Lynch coming forward like that. And the kicker is that it was CBS that was fighting for that interview! Ha ha ha. Maybe a little proof that what goes around, comes around. I have a new found respect for her. She's very brave to speak out like that, and they're all brave to be in Iraq like sitting ducks. But how outrageously unfair and horrendous to be used like that for PNAC's agenda. I hope a lot more soldiers speak out like that, but I don't want them to be punished for it. That part is scary with these freakin maniacs who want to shut everybody up. It's really falling apart for them. Also, this giddiness about the economy - I don't think it'll last too long. A jobless recovery is an oxymoron. And our " leaders" are just plain morons.

Go Dems in 2004! There's hope. We've got a lot of fighters out there.

Congrats again.

Barbara in NYC
(taking a much needed mental health day off)

Subj: Turn The Screws On CBS!

Mr. Barkin:

I no longer watch any TV except for occasional monitoring sessions. My wife who works long hours and occasionally watches a movie is beginning to suspect that we should drop most of our cable contract. We have a new diversion which seems to be becoming our new evening ritual. We sit together and get our news from sites like yours, BuzzFlash, Truthout, Alternet et.al. For entertainment we go to Peace Pretzel, GWBush.com, The Onion et.al. Or sometimes I read aloud to my tired spousal unit from books; currently we are reading "Bushwhacked" by the inimitable Molly Ivins. Although the news we are getting from these sites are disturbing, it is real. And it brings my wife and me closer through this shared activity. I highly recommend it to anybody.

Peace and Unrest,

Michael J. Fowler, Firefighter/Paramedic retired

p.s. I have started appending my profession to my name as an "educational" exercise; I have been surprised ay how many people think firefighters are strictly "establishment" types. Mostly, this is a misconception. We are blue-collar humanitarians to a large degree.

Re: BuzzFlash Breaks Another Record in October

WOW! I love this essay! It is SO true and so well-written; articulate and coherent! I rely on BuzzFlash.com to keep me posted on what's really going on with the Bush-Mafia gang who are all wolves in sheeps' clothing!

Thank you for such a fine and excellent job!

Nancy Fox
Valdosta, Georgia - and I'm ashamed of that a.h. Zell Miller. He's a pariah and a Benedict Arnold.

United States businesses announced 171,874 jobs were cut in October 2003, adding to the 76,506 jobs cut in September 2003. Yet the economy grew 7.2% in the third quarter of 2003. How can this be? Could it be that the big military-industrial businesses that contributed heavily to George Bush are growing and profiting at the expense of the American people?

John Andersen
Hickory, NC

Subj: Bush should be charged with Cowardice

Just wondering if maybe President Bush should be charged with cowardice, like the poor kid from Colorado. At least he had the courage to go fight. Bush, never even left Texas, and then went AWOL. Shouldn't he face similar charges.

Thanks for your time.

Best Wishes,

Cindy Mann
Wichita, Kansas

Subj: Keep em' in the dark!

Anyone old enough to remember the actual film footage of the dead American soldier being dragged through the streets of Somalia also remembers the visceral reaction in your gut seeing the chanting and celebration by the crowd for the downing of the Blackhawk helicopter and the killing of Americans. Remember all the shit Clinton took for GHWB’s little fiasco. That is why all the film following the recent crash of the Chinook helicopter was confiscated. Can you imagine the American people continuing to want to "help" the Iraqis after seeing a crowd of 100+ celebrating more American deaths? BTW, this crowd was four times larger than the "crowd" that pulled down Saddam’s statue during that staged propaganda event.

The more news that is omitted from traditional media, the more I become concerned that a large number of people simply are not informed about what is going on. Where I live, the local media spends several minutes of each broadcast updating us on the preliminary trial of Scott Peterson. Why this case has garnered so much attention is beyond me. Almost never is there any mention of Valerie Plame or the on-going pseudo-investigation. To say that priorities are skewed would be an understatement of gigantic proportions.

Turk