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| May 9, 2006 |
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The BuzzFlash Mailbag The opinions expressed in the Mailbag are not necessarily those of BuzzFlash. More reader opinion is at "Contributors." You can write to Mailbag at http://www.BuzzFlash.com/contact/mail.html. Guidelines for submissions are at BuzzFlash FAQ #18. Subject: He Lies About Soccer, Even My ex-husband is a pathological liar. The most interesting facet of pathological lying is that the liar tells stupid lies that gain him nothing by the telling of them. You might lie to cover up a mistake you made (check is in the mail) or from kindness (that is a great haircut). The pathological tells a lie where the truth wouldn't be out of place either. My ex is a successful salesman but he used to tell people he worked for the Department of Transportation. I was reading George's interview with the German reporter. Since I linked to it through Dependable Renegade I had to check to see if I was actually on the parody White House site. I was not. This is the interview where Bush says his best moment in office was when he caught the 7.5 lb perch/large mouth bass (there is some controversy). The rest is just about as bad. It starts with a discussion of the first duty of the President (he says to choose the rug). It ends with this exchange:
If you think Bush just grew up in Midland, Texas you might believe that he never saw any soccer. But Bush went to Andover and then to Yale. Yale has fielded a soccer team since 1908. And Andover has had a soccer team since well before Bush attended. In fact, Andover just received a generous one million dollar gift to rebuild the soccer field. The donor? The father of two Andover soccer players, Stanley Smoyer. One of Mr. Smoyer's sons, Bill, graduated a year ahead of George Bush. Since Bill Smoyer also played varsity baseball, I'm going to hazard a guess that Bill and George knew each other, and that George might have seen some soccer played at his elite Eastern prep school. (Bill Smoyer went to Dartmouth and then enlisted with the US Marine Corp. He was killed in Vietnam). So why lie to the nice German reporter and say you never knew about soccer? Is it because brush-cuttin' cowboys don't go to eastern prep schools and play sissy European games like soccer? Has he lied for so long about his bio that he doesn't even remember who he really is? Or is it just because when his lips move you know he's lying - as the old joke goes. Kristi Warriner Subject: Manufactured Oil Crisis We are told by “experts” that high gasoline prices are a result of the law of supply and demand. World demand is increasing faster than production and in a global market economy changes in supply or demand affect the price of commodities. As a producer I do not have to raise prices. If I am selfish (in other words if I act on my self interest without regard to the common interest) I can use a supply shortage to my own advantage to raise prices to increase my profits. Should I maximize my profits at the expense of my fellow citizens? That’s a moral and ethical question, not an economic question. The “law” of supply and demand is merely a description of the way business typically operates rather than a requirement that it must operate that way. Supply and demand have been manipulated by big oil, which purchased competitors to reduce competition, purchased refineries and closed many of them to reduce market capacity, acquired retail outlets to control the pump price. U.S. oil companies get almost 50% of their crude oil from wells in the US (Texas, Oklahoma, Alaska) and their costs to produce that domestic oil have not increased. They manipulate the domestic market by selling much of the US-produced oil to Asia and in turn buying crude for U.S. consumption on the world market. So the pundits can talk about the law of supply and demand, but what they mean is that Big Oil controls the supply and will demand whatever they can get away with regardless of damage to the consumer, the economy or our national security. We need a rational national energy policy of self-sufficiency for our national security and the health of our economy, but we will not have one while the men from Big Oil are in the White House. Arthur G Broadhurst Subject: Bush and Nukes Does nobody see the Bush hypocrisy? Here we have the world's biggest terrorist, GW Bush, who is telling all these countries to disarm their WMDs and to stop their nuclear programs, all the while Bush is holding onto his Nukes and is threatening to Nuke Iran. Open your eyes world! Bush is the real threat, no one else. Thank you BuzzFlash for being here to point us to the truth. Thomas Thomas Czech Subject: Presidential Politics I'm not understanding the Republican game plan. The president's poll numbers are way down, it looks like the democrats could possibly take control of the Congress in the 2006 elections. So why is it that we aren't seeing the White House trying to be more accommodating of what the American people want? If the republicans lose control of the Congress this year, that isn't likely to mean that Bush will be held accountable for his law-breaking ways. BUT, what about 2008? It seems to me that Bush's overreaching for power puts the republicans in danger of totally losing power in the 2008 presidential election. What part of the big picture am I missing? What is the strategy involved with this? A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Bush's best moment out of five years of presidency John Kennedy's best Presidential moments were his signing of the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. When over one million wildly ecstatic Germans gathered to hear his famous speech at the Berlin Wall. And when he created the Peace Corps, and announced that America would be the first nation to put a man on the moon. The big mouth ass just proclaimed his best moment was catching a sub-sized 7 pound bigmouth bass....when the records are over twice as large. And the beleaguered planet suffers and pays for this gargantuan fool's over-sized delirium. Suzanne Subject: Why the National Guard Troops Aren't Coming Home It's easy to see why the National Guard troops in Iraq and Afghanistan won't be coming home later this year, or even in 2008. Most of the Guard and reservists have jobs they left, and expect to come back to. Of course, with outsourcing, the economy, high gas prices, a lot of those jobs and businesses will be gone. So who will the returning troops vote AGAINST when they return? If they return? Mike Curtis Subject: Brazil next? Hello, Mr. Bush. I see by an AP item dated May 5, 2006:
Looking toward a coherent foreign policy, which seems so far as I can tell an intent to destroy the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, I am wondering -- when may we expect an application of military force against Brasilia to begin? Any reply consistent with existing law would be appreciated -- not to mention a pleasant surprise. John F. Williford Subject: Congrats to you ... our most important informer! Every day, the only good news that comes off he media is that Bush has slipped another number down ... and your web site! And I ... like Dee Turner ... am just about fed up with the usual suspects. I would love to hear some other names as prospects to run this country. It is too easy to say ... anyone but bush ... or Cheney ... or anyone connected to this administration. I almost feel sorry for anyone with a conscience who is Republican ... unfortunately the Bush administration has just about ruined the name. I suppose Gore is the one ... but I really loved Howard Dean, too. He fought harder than anyone at the time ... and he told it like it was. But I am sure we will find many more ... when the time comes. Shirley ... St. Louis Subject: Right-wing radio guy apologizes http://www.kabc.com/goout.asp?u=http://www.kabc.com/mcintyre... Bruce Young Subject: Rummy Logic & Enduring Lies (Parry/Consortium News) I just saw the Rumsfeld/McGovern video and have to conclude Rummy was lying and continues to lie. In the seconds before, during and after stating "I did not lie", Donald blinked a dozen times or about 3 blinks a second for 4 seconds. Subsequent blinking reduced dramatically as he changed subjects to something more comfortable. Ask any intelligence professional what that has to say about the truthiness of this statement. In addition, Rummy went on to say "I am not in the Intelligence business." DoD has its own intelligence services and now is in charge of the CIA with the appointment of Hayden. So it would appear that this statement is also false. I am sure the Bush WH would like to control all information creation, dispersal, and revision. That way everything can come to us with a nice, shiny "BOW." Finally, the video shows two or three security people moving in on McGovern, while Rummy "nobly pleads" to allow the questioner to remain. I was only surprised that the female security official was not a nurse with a tranquilizer needle (Kursk family briefing/Russia). How far we have come in just 5 years. Tim Krause Subject: If This Isn't a De Facto Dictatorship, What Is? I have to agree and have been saying this from the very beginning of this idiot's career. Are we Americans? Do we believe in democracy? Do we stand for dictatorship or a government for the people and by the people? We must depose of this dictator. Gary Subject: Vichy Democrats I've been thinking about some of the Democrats in Congress and how ineffective and useless they are. It's as if they have some vested interest in the status quo. Where is their outrage? Do they even want to regain power? The name Vichy Democrats seems to be a good way to describe them! A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Wasted Energy Dear BuzzFlash, During the Carter years we learned all sorts of energy saving techniques to use at home. Business and industry joined in the efforts. The nation even went on daylight savings time all year for the energy savings. I don't think I've seen this particular aspect mentioned anywhere but I bet any of us can go to a medium or large city and find examples. My community (apr. 18,000) had a KMart. It was a medium-sized store (80,000-100,000 sq.ft. according to the KMart Corporation page) even though it was called a Big KMart. Ours was one of the 283 stores closed in 2002. The building sat vacant waiting for a tenant or buyer. Lowe's Home Improvement decided to locate a store in our community (for which we are very thankful) on the former KMart property. According to the Lowe's press release announcing the store, it is to be 94,000 sq. ft. and cost $12 million to build. Do you see where I'm going with this? The KMart building, only a few years old, was 80,000-100,000 sq. ft.; Lowe's will be 94,000 sq. ft. The KMart building was razed to make room for a similarly-sized and, I presume, similarly-constructed building. The energy used to manufacture the construction materials for the KMart building and the energy used in that construction surely not used up but gone just the same. Energy used in razing the building and disposing of the materials gone. Cinder blocks and other materials, no doubt nearly identical to those to be used by Lowe's, now in the landfill. And Lowe's will expend how much energy to construct a building nearly identical to the one it demolished. I understand the concept of corporate identity and why corporations want all their outlets to look alike. Really though, how different is one big open floor building from another big open floor building. Maybe it's time to think beyond the financial and corporate identity pros and cons of renovating vs. shiny new made-to-order construction and take account of the energy costs entailed by each option. Kathy Gustafson Subject: Impeachment? As a die hard liberal, impeachment would be a dream come true. However, if it never happens, the Bush administration is forever tainted. What shames me is that people are more concerned with TomKat and their offspring. How sad an indictment of our society. However, I see the light at the end of the tunnel. I lived in England and they have a saying. "Lie back and think of England" when you are being shagged and not enjoying it. Well, I think true Americans are saying, no, we are not taking it anymore. We are tired of being screwed over and told to deal with it. But it has cost thousands of lives. Not just American lives (as if they count more), but of so many countries, not least of these is Iraq. But now I see Americans losing the blinders and becoming enraged. Some say too little, too late. It's not. I welcome the flip floppers. At least they are not total robots. It just took an immoral, war mongering, monster to show his true colors for them to turn. Welcome, I say. About time. Christie Cascio Subject: Hayden Nomination Regarding Hayden nonirritating for CIA Director position.... There is opposition (for various reasons) to Hayden's nomination from both sides of the aisle. At the hearings, Hayden will be under oath and the issue of illegal wiretapping will come up and this will stoke the fires. Bush's polling numbers are still falling and his coat tails are tripping up Republican candidates, an "up the glass - down the hatch" kool-aid drinking vote won't help republicans in November. 3 possible outcomes: 1. Public pressure will force Bush to withdraw Hayden's nomination. (least likely) 2. The Republican Congress will drink the kool-aid and rubberstamp Hayden's nomination. This is a bit tricky - poll numbers show an increasing dissatisfaction with Republicans. A Republican voting in favor for Hayden would have to weigh it against voter's concern about illegal wiretapping, and how much an "Aye" vote for Hayden would hurt/help them. I think there would be a confirmation vote - if there are enough votes to confirm Hayden and still leave wiggle room for Republicans (who would be hurt by a YES vote) to vote NO. 3. MOST LIKELY: Confirmation vote will be delayed, and while Congress is in recess for the summer campaigns - Bush will appoint Hayden. This is the most likely outcome and will raise some outcry about bush playing BOY-KING AGAIN - however it will be bush taking the heat NOT REPUBLICANS RUNNING FOR RE-(s)ELECTION. Republicans can express "concern" with "run-away presidential powers", and make a bunch of promises to address this IF re-(s)elected Dory Hippauf Subject: Rush Limbaugh A person who is forced to "turn himself in" to authorities because he has been charged with a crime is not considered "not guilty" when he is also forced for 18 months to adhere to a rigid program demanded by the court. Mr. Limbaugh is guilty as charged and this episode will be a part of his legacy for as long as he lives, but Mr. Limbaugh is guilty of much more egregious behavior than this drug charge. On a daily basis and for years he has used his access to a microphone to distort records of individuals and the nation. The damage he has done and continues to do in trying to convince unsuspecting and susceptible citizens of his wrongful conclusions and his continuance of shrill and strident orations that may be half-true but are mostly false, are tremendously harmful to this country. A true patriot does not support causes of his nation that are lies, unjust, and illegal. Much of what Mr. Limbaugh spouts is uncivil, unrefined, and destructive. He is hysterical, raucous, and wrong! Another case of a charlatan trying to buy innocence and freedom. He should be in jail. Mildred Perry MIller Subject: This Democrat Will Not Vote For Hillary Email to my daughter, a democratic activist in California.
Rupert Murdoch to host fundraiser for Hillary Clinton campaign (MSNBC) Mike Subject: Murdock Raises Funds for Hillary Have the rest of you noticed that the people most eager to see Hillary as the Democratic nominee for President ARE REPUBLICANS? I am a Democrat and 35 year active feminist. I agree with Molly Ivins. I will not support Hillary Clinton for President. For her and my reasons, see her column of Jan. 20, 2006. Edith M. Conrad Subject: Kinder, Gentler Handling of Big, Fat, Loud White Boys What would happen to non-wealthy, persons of color possessing even a quarter of the narcotics Rush was said to have obtained? Check out this article on: http://millsriverliberal.blogspot.com A.D. White Subject: Media I really wish Progressives would stop saying the words 'Main Stream Media.' It is not mainstream media it is the 'Corporate Media.' These so-called main stream media have broken the trust of the people. They are owned by conservatives. They have conspired with the neocons by using code speak, creating an image in the minds eye of middle America. This negative image of liberals, progressives and Democrats is kept up with willing participation of the very people it is meant to hurt. Corporate media!!!! Get it right. Never ever say those other words. David St. Amant Subject: A Letter to My Republican Senators Regarding General Hayden: Dear Senator (DeWine/Voinovich), Porter Goss was reportedly blind-sided the Bush administration on Friday when he unexpectedly resigned his position as director of the CIA, an organization that was by all accounts severely damaged by the politically motivated purges of career officers that were implemented under his tenure. This week the president announced his intention to nominate Air Force General Michael Hayden as Goss’s replacement. Now, quite apart from the obvious civic dilemmas posed by assigning a uniformed military officer to the leadership of such a crucial and powerful civilian agency, General Hayden has in the recent past exhibited his failure to qualify for this position. In a January press conference concerning the controversial domestic wire-tapping program under his purview as NSA Director, General Hayden participated in a jaw-dropping exchange with a reporter from Knight Ridder in which he unequivocally and repeatedly denied salient and explicit elements of the Fourth Amendment:
Well, to settle this dispute, here is the entire fourth amendment: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” This is just more evidence of the wholesale incompetence that has been foisted upon our government by the Bush administration. Not only should General Hayden be rejected as head of the CIA, he should have been removed instantly from his crucial position at the NSA for this exhibition of fundamental ignorance of the basic constitutional restraints on our government’s intelligence-gathering and law enforcement powers. General Hayden himself said it with pristine irony at the end of his exchange with the Knight Ridder reporter: “... and believe me; if there’s any amendment to the constitution that employees of the NSA are familiar with it’s the fourth!” To put this in context; it's as if you - a Republican Legislator in the United States Senate - were to explicitly disavow the Checks and Balances and Separation of Powers that were designed by our founders to....oops; bad example. Never mind. Ken Duerksen Subject: Lyrics Posted Today by TJ Davis, Nashville, TN Wonderful Song, TJ; Thanks for posting it. Do you have it set to music? could you share the chords in the Mailbag? Ken Duerksen Subject: Sanctimonious Back Stabbing Democrats They are doing it again. This time the Democrats are targeting Lamont of Connecticut. Reid is calling for Lamont to back off "kissin Joe" Lieberman. Same ole B S they pulled in Ohio. Lamont is scaring the hell out of the entrenched Status Quo in the beltway. They are so afraid a breakthrough non good ole boy might cause a groundswell that would jeopardize their seats. Anyone out there have the campaign headquarters address of Lamont that accepts contributions. I contribute to individual candidates only. Worth noting: Lieberman has the neo-con right-wing vote over republican challengers in Connecticut. What does that tell us? There is even talk of Lieberman switching parties and going right wing after the mid terms. Lawton Watson [BuzzFlash Note: Here's his site: http://nedlamont.com/.] Subject: Is BuzzFlash Complicit? BuzzFlash continues to print headlines to the effect that the media is "weak" or "lapdogs" etc. You can't possibly not know by now that the media is *neither*. They are fully capable of asking the tough questions and fully reporting. But, the reporters aren't in control, the corporate suits are, and *they* are part of the corruption and so *purposefully* give the current administration a pass. Much of the administration's agenda is also the corporations who *own* the media. Again, you can't possibly not know this by now. So, why are *you* giving the media a pass by suggesting they are rolling over, weak, timid, etc., *INSTEAD* of reporting that it is the corporate control of the public's airwaves which has hijacked the truth? Yes, there is a big difference. Weak or cowed implies the press is inept, stupid, or afraid. They are none of the above. They purposefully under report and censor because they are under orders to do so - or find a new job. It's a distinction *you* should make clear. There are plenty of good web sites showing who owns what and who controls what. How about an onslaught of links and reports on your web site about *them*? How about more accurate headlines? Only when the media feels under attack in a significant way, will they yield to the call for a return to a somewhat free press. What we have now is PRAVDA. Carolyn Gray Subject: Make Nice Children Being an Independent, moderate, liberal I want to see Republicans out of office, out of power, and publicly humiliated. I want the country and the world to see the people of this country rise up and throw out this corrupt bunch of buffoons. As an Independent I am not thrilled with the Democrats, either, but they are all we have left. So reluctantly, I will more than likely vote for a Democrat come this November. In the meantime it would be helpful if the liberals, who see a light at the end of the tunnel and are chortling with glee, toned down the rhetoric just a tad. You know, or should know, that Democrats alone cannot elect a Democrat to office. Republicans alone can’t elect a Republican. It takes the Independents, the Greens and all the rest. People in all these groups, including some Republicans, are thoroughly disgusted with the pinheads who have made such a mess of our country. So, Democrats, please quit trying to screw it up. Over the last few years anyone who didn’t agree with the Republicans was portrayed as unpatriotic. Those who didn’t agree with the Democrats were called stupid. Then Liberals decided to alienate as many people as possible by calling anyone who was against ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION a racist. Wow that’s just what I would do if I wanted to encourage someone to vote for my candidate. Right here on BuzzFlash I personally was attacked and called an agent of Karl Rove because I thought the Democrats needed to grow a spine and stand up for something that those of us who had love for neither party could connect with. Since that time I have stepped back and taken a closer look at the Liberal Community. Whoever attacked me did me a favor. If Liberals really want to oust the Republicans quit insulting and alienating the people you need to do that. If you find it all that satisfying to attack anyone who does not follow your philosophy 100%, then keep it up. May not elect your candidate, but then you will have plenty of time to blame everyone except yourselves and the lousy candidates you keep presenting. Marjorie L. Swanson Subject: American Embassy in Baghdad Okay, I just finished reading the story about the new US Embassy being built in Baghdad. Fascinating and an item I hadn't heard about as of yet. Just a few questions: 1. What company is doing the construction? Is it the infamous Halliburton DBA KBR? 2. How much is this costing the taxpayers? 3. Why? Why is it necessary for our country to have such a huge complex in Iraq? 4. How does this new Embassy compare in size and amenities to other US Embassies around the world? 5. Something seems amiss -- our government apparently can't find the money to fund the clean-up of the Gulf Coast area and of the vital Mississippi waterway, but we can find funding for this? What the hell is going on here? Lisa J. Rupert Murdoch to host fundraiser for Hillary Clinton. Welp folks, whaddya say to that? 5/9 I say Hillary is very shrewd to have been working to disarm Rupert Murdoch. And apparently successful, too. Just keep in mind, this is support for her Senate campaign. It's not unusual for big biz to throw a little cash to both sides. Rosamond
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