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| March 11, 2005 |
MAILBAG ARCHIVES | ||
The BuzzFlash Mailbag The opinions expressed in the Mailbag are not necessarily those of BuzzFlash. Read the BuzzFlash FAQ for info on submitting to the Mailbag. Subject: Noble Readers Richard Wagner Subject: Millman: Picking A Fight To that end I would suggest that Democrats put forth the following plan to "save social security" WITHOUT DELAY. Step 1: Immediately prohibit further spending of the social security trust fund surplus FOR ANY PURPOSE. ("Lending" to the federal government would be expressly prohibited.) Step 2: Create a repayment schedule to replace ALL funds already removed from the trust fund. The repayment MUST be completed by 2018, the year that, all sides agree, the system begins to pay out more than it takes in. Step 3: Provide immediate access to the "conservative" funds available now only to federal employees, with the same investment guidelines currently available only to them. At the same time the government should commit to an all out "educational campaign" about the absolute importance of saving and the devastating potential of too much debt. End of plan. No new taxes, borrowing or changes in benefits. Solvency by all accounts until 2042. This plan indirectly challenges the Republican agenda on many fronts. It's also uncomplicated and capable of being understood. The Democrats need to claim this as their own "plan" without delay and shout loud and long that it involves NO NEW TAXES, NO FEDERAL BORROWING AND NO BENEFIT CUTS. What can the Republicans say except
that they can't stop taking the trust
fund surplus or pay back what they've
already taken because the nation spends
too much and is in too much debt already?
The Dems need to get in front of the
Republicans, plant their feet and yell
"No more deficit spending"
really loudly if the Republicans try
to knock them down. The stories going around about how Canadians are critizing the US should be brought up. We Canadians are not angry at the citizens, but at the US Government's way they have been treating our country in trade disputes, and telling us how we should be doing things to please their policies. Respect must be earned, no matter what the concequences to Canada. There will always be remarks and jokes about the Texans, Polacks and crazy Canucks, and about the way we both talk, and our comparisons about the beer we drink. This is to be expected, it is no different than if our parents had some kind of argument and did not get along any more, then telling the kids to not play together any more. Please do not get angry with us because we do not want to get into the WAR MODE with the Missile Defence thing. Diplomacy is our way, yes it has worked, except with Mr. Bush. These comments and stories are directed at your Government, particularily Mr. Bush. We are at his mercy, as are many other countries, at any time he can enact any law that will cripple the Canadian economy, and has done, with softwood lumber, which has cost the American home builders massive cost increases in lumber, and the so called Mad Cow scare. Are you aware that the cattle industry in your country has the S S S rule? It means, shoot, shovel, and shut up. There is no way your industry cannot have it. The truth is out there, on the Internet, read up on it, it's quite sickening what is being hidden from you, and your own govt., is doing it. Good luck in your daily lives and may you not suffer too much, but be prepared for the worst, there seems to be money for BOMBS, but not for schools, the sick, elderly, or social security, or infrastructure, there does not seem to be anything good for the citizens that is coming from the White House lately. Pressure to bully the rest of the world until the remaining oil and money is controlled by a select few. May the Great America that once was
envied, return. Subject: Re Army
lacking tourniquets article (Baltimore Sun) The tournequets article caught my eye. I am retired Army Signal Corps, and after retirement took EMT training so I would have improved first aid skills on Boy Scout trips with my sons. Eventually, I became a Red Cross instructor as well. One of the reasons tourniquets are not issued is that it is actually a liability issue. As far as I know, tourniquets are not taught, as civilians using them had caused more tissue and nerve damage by their use than not using them. Thus, if you used a tourniquet in rendering first aid, you are not covered under the Good Samaritan law, as you are improperly practising first aid. My 2002 Community First aid book for the Red Cross, in the section caring for open wounds, p. 149, does not even mention use of a tourniquet. Therefore, that is not the usual standard of care. I am not sure at what level they are allowed--I would imagine you would at least have to be a medical doctor--I would check with the American Red Cross on this. Plus, you still have to comply with the protocols of your local hospital. Now medics may be taught the use of tourniquets--I don't know--but I do know that the place they do the teaching is Ft. Sam Houston. I know that medics are supposed to be trained up to the National Assn. of Registered EMT standard, but there is some leeway, I think until 2007, before everyone has to be qualified by regulation. But as for other soldiers other than trained medics using tourniquets, that does not sound right. In my soldier's manual of common tasks, skill level 1, putting on a tourniquet is listed as a common soldier skill (081-831-1017), but even there it carries a warning to use it only after pressure bandages have failed. In a court case, one would have to go through a soldier's training records and see if they were actually current on the skill within the past year (which might be true if training was properly documented), but then the courts would look to the record of the trainer, to see if they were properly qualified--and I doubt if many of those trained in this particular common task skill were taught by a medic. Thus the potential to be sued is pretty high, but the services can claim soverign immunity. I have read newspaper articles where even military medics were having their EMT/Medic certifications revoked for performing amputations in the field--clearly exceeding their training. Reading between the lines, it sounds like the injuries were so severe, that the body parts were so close to separating, that even by moving the body, the parts became detached. But, by not splinting it as they found it, it could technically be considered an amputation. Real world medics are conscious that the longer they are outside their armored vehicle, the more vulnerable they can be to attack, and medics in particular have been targeted, so some first responder work is probably done in a real hurry. Again, what usually rules is the hospital protocols, so the real answer would be what are the rules set forth by the closest MASH-type hospital unit? Please clarify this for readers, as there are a lot of first responders who will be puzzled by this presentation of the information. Joe Dunphy Subject: Bumper Sticker My daughter said, "They will make her get rid of that bumper sticker." I guess we all know who "THEY" is! A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Dan Rather Was a True Journalist to the Very End Subject: Are 'bloggers' Journalists? Is a middle-aged man in Peoria with a video camera on a par with Martin Scorsese? I occasionally cook ... will I be the next "Iron Chef?" My wife and I regularly give our 6-year-old son paper and crayons to draw ... should his musings about Spiderman be hung in the MOMA? If you happen to be the first-born son of a former president, does that make you equipped to be president yourself? (Okay, it's a cheap shot, but what the hell?) And lastly, if you own a pencil and paper are you in a league with Hemingway? The Internet has allowed us to blur lines that once were clear.
While I believe that the Internet is true democracy, I am not so
sure that I give credence to much of what is out there. 'Blogging'
allows us to put our opinions, ideas, thoughts, musings about anything
under the sun in a public forum ... and that's a good thing ...
but let's not confuse it with journalism. [BuzzFlash Note: "Journalists" and "bloggers" are self-described, not pedigreed or licensed. Many working journalists don't have journalism degrees, but just started writing. Yet some bloggers have journalism degrees and/or previous experience in the business ... so, it comes down to individual cases, don't you think? We trust some in both camps, and distrust others. (Gannon/Guckert?) We agree that the Internet is true democracy.] Subject: Robert
K. Pappas Interview Wasn't the job of journalism at one time to get to the truth? Yeah. It was at one time: Here is the reply from a real reporter from the old west:
Cwald Subject: “WE GOT OSAMA ON THE RUN!” Just when I think I’ve heard it all from the media, this appears on the MSNBC Hardball web site!
Yeah, and pigs fly! Yes, Chris, we do need to address that ridiculous situation about weapons for terrorists right here in our own backyard, but your first premise was faulty to say the least! As SUPEREGO, GEORGE W. BUSH marches on towards liberty for all, with Patriot Acts and torture okay at home! Osama is not on the run, but terrorism is on the rise. After all these years, Osama is not only NOT on the run but CRAWLING into the world view with an occasional videotape that might as well say, “I’m still wanted and not dead!” Also Andrea Mitchell was on television and like a “good little doo-bee” raving about the Bush success. What a pair Andrea and her husband Greenspan, “Mr. I won’t chastise the Prez too much, or I may be the next to say I want to go home and spend more time with my family!" the two of them make! As a counter argument to the effusive reporting of Andrea Mitchell, it is suggested you read the Boston Globe article by Robert Kuttner that asks, “What Rise In Freedom?” May we also suggest, with terrorism on the rise, that Bush’s old
but questionable platitude, “If we fight them there, we won’t have
to fight them at home,” gives too much credit to Mr. Bush, and too
little credit to an enemy that would not be stopped if they wanted
to attack us. Just like WMDS, the LEADERS, AL-Zarqawi and Osama,
HAVEN’T been found, even though they were the cause of America’s
greatest tragedy! Subject: The
Ministry of Truth (Earthfamilyalpha.blogspot.com) Subject: Question--Paid Reporter I have been trying to get the NPR Ombusman, their management, and/or Juan Williams to state whether or not Mr. Williams has received any money from the Republican Party or the White House for any reason, including his so-called reporting. I have been stonewalled for over a month on this issue. Could BuzzFlash please ask NPR to simply state whether or not Mr. Williams has ever accepted money from the Republican Party, the White House, or anyone associated with either? Thanks for your help, Paul Davis Subject: They Can't All Be Wrong Right around the start of Bush's attack on Iraq I heard a truly chilling essay outlining the startling similarities between steps Hitler took during his rise to power and what the Bush administration has been doing. My blood ran cold as I listened to Thom Hartmann's essay entitled The Day Democracy Failed. I also never forgot it. Since then I have become interested in all of Mr. Hartmann's material. Now I've read that Senator Byrd has made comparisons between Hitler and Bush, with solid historical backing. Now I've read Helen Caldicott's claim that the PNAC document is too close to Hitler's MEIN KAMF. They can't all be wrong. I know millions of Americans are furious with Bush and company, and rightly so, but as far as I'm concerned the comparisons these and others are making between Bush and Hitler is what this country REALLY needs to study and research. Whether Bush is just an incompetent, or one of the worst evils this country has ever seen, he and ALL of his cronies need TO GO!!!! Bush's actions and policies completely and totally contradict his claims of wanting to protect the American people. Slashing social services, inventing unnecessary costly wars, sanctioning torture, completely stripping us of our rights and liberties, etc., etc. etc. Do your history, people, and then do whatEVER you can without hurting anyone (including yourselves) to put this administration completely OUT of business. Thanks again BuzzFlash. I want to contribute but am currently out
of work. I'll keep in touch though and contribute when I can. Subject: Canada Subject: "Girlie man" Because I love BuzzFlash, I hope you will stop using the term
"girlie man" to mean weakling. As a woman, I find it offensive.
Imagine smearing a race, rather than a sex, as cowardly and weak,
and you'll see what I mean. Perhaps you think you are using the
term ironically, but any use of it only perpetuates an insulting
association between the ideas of femininity and cowardice. (The
same goes for using "balls" as a metaphor for courage.
Please just stop.) Thanks. Subject: Picking
a Fight on Social Security 2) Bush broke his promise to use our Social Security Tax Surplus to pay down the Debt. 3) Instead, Bush has spent our ENTIRE Social Security Tax Surplus plus another $2 Trillion on corrupt corporate welfare and tax cuts for the wealthy. 4) Bush needs to rescind his tax cuts for the wealthy, end his corporate welfare increases and fix his broken budget to protect Social Security. 5) Until Bush fixes his budget any discussion about radical makeovers of Social Security are worthless. 6) The private accounts Bush proposes would bust the budget and are not sound fiscal policy. 7) The only fix Social Security really needs is a return to sound
fiscal policy. Subject: Saddam's capture, on news for weeks, not this
A BuzzFlash Reader [BuzzFlash Note: UPI now reports that the DoD is calling the story "ridiculous." No further elaboration. Does that put us at the "he said/she said" point on this story?] Subject: A Mind Is A Terrible Thing
Paul Moore Subject: Bill Moyers, New York Times Dear BuzzFlashers, http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/05/politics/05social.html http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/09/international/europe/09iraq.html One of the two photos (again not displayed on the website) is of the car. The caption reads "Italian television yesterday showed a car in which it said the journalist Guiliana Sgrena was wounded." The interesting point here is that the body of the car, shown in the photo on a flatbed, photographed from below and showing the front left and side, including both doors, shows no apparent bullet damage. Visually it's not consistent with US news accounts that the soldiers aimed at the engine compartment. So the questions are - Is this really the car? If so, where's the damage? If not, why is Italian TV showing it? Why is the Times printing pictures without giving the story? Standing
unexplained, these pictures are not "worth a 1000 words."
More like a dozen questions. CLICK HERE FOR PART 2 OF THE MARCH 11, 2005 BUZZFLASH MAILBAG. |
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