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| May 10, 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: The Famous Bullhorn Moment Take a minute to look at the moment that was supposed to have propelled Mr. Bush to total support by the Amurcan people. It's what we are all supposed to remember. This was all there was to it:
From the White House webpage. Watch the video if you can stand it. Sigrid Smith Subject: Fish Story or Cover up? Friends, I read the following story online, quoting a German paper Bild about Bush's favorite moment in office. I am sure you read it too or at least have heard about it.
Pathetic of course, but is there some kernel of the truth hidden in this story? I thought that 7.5 lbs for a perch was exceptionally big so I went online and searched for fishing records. Ah Ha! I found that there had been no native perch caught anywhere near that size. They were from 1 to 3 pounds, EXCEPT one instance of a 12 lb. Nile perch caught in Texas in 1980. These Nile perch had been stocked in some Texas lakes from the late 1970s until 1984. Reading about the Nile perch we find that it is not at all the benign species that we think of when we think perch.
Bush was proudest when he caught a 7.5 lb. fish that can grow up to 400 lbs. What a perfect metaphor! If indeed it was a Nile perch which had been placed in the Bush photo-op fishin' hole, how perfect to find that it is responsible for the extinction of more that 200 species of smaller fish and they "eat their young." I read further in the article and found the following which I quote: "This species has been nominated as among 100 of the "World's Worst" invaders." Friends, can you imagine a better way to describe not only Bush's favorite moment, but Bush himself? But on the other hand, if it was not a rare Nile perch, it would have been a native perch and he was just another lying fisherman. An even better metaphor. Mike Cochran P.S. THE COVERUP. After writing the above I saw another reference to the fish story in an American paper. Obviously a vast right-wing conspiracy is at work here. They reported the "best moment," but the fish had been changed to a "Large Mouthed Bass." Could it be that the White House had the translation changed to a fish that better fits the image? On reflection I see THIS is the really best metaphor of all. [BuzzFlash Note: Maybe this is finally the "Bush Lies - Administration Covers Up" story that ill informed "just folks" will care about. Could the fish story be this year's swift boat story? Although a bad translation from the German newspaper may explain the confusion ... why not go with it?] Subject: Bushy's Big Fish Well, glad a BuzzFlash contributor said bushey caught a 7+lb. big mouth bass. UNTIL THEN I thought bushy's big fish was the CHRISTIAN COALITION. A BuzzFlash Reader in Md. Subject: On a Theme of Colonel Jessup “You can’t handle the truth!” shouts Jack Nicholson’s character, Col. Nathan R. Jessup, in the movie "A Few Good Men." Clearly, in that spirit, the credibility of our current political class in America may be known. Today, judging from numerous reports, America’s political class, led by George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, is planning to launch another iniquitous war, this time against the government and people of Iran. According to these sources, the plan calls for an attack using tactical nuclear weapons. Moreover, to my knowledge, the government of Israel has uttered not a single peep in opposition to this plan. (What about radioactive fall out? Are their no "Westerlies" in the Middle East?) It has been said countless times before, but bears repeating here! If the truth be told, nuclear weapons have nothing to do with national security. The reason is that they are of absolutely no moral, spiritual or practical use whatsoever. In other words, for all moral, spiritual and practical purposes nuclear weapons unambiguously render every other being or thing in the world irrelevant, including national security! As every American knows, their country's nuclear weapons are just the “top-of-the-line” among all the high-tech explosive toys they pay for - toys that may be fun to play with, but mostly translate into a handsome profit, steady work and career advancement for those who order, design, manufacture, oversee, stockpile, deploy, sell, or use them. Unfortunately, though, unless there is a responsible adult in the area “boys will be boys,” as they say - for no particular reason, other than that they have them and can, perhaps, boys will always insist on playing with their toys no matter what the cost. How efficacious is all this likely to be in Iran? If the aim is to prevent Iran from using and denominating its oil revenues as it sees fit to (1) benefit the Iranian people, or (2) marginalize America’s influence in the area, then attacking Iran with nuclear weapons can only hasten both of these outcomes in the short term, not prevent them. Annihilate, or otherwise co-opt, the familiar surroundings of human beings and you destroy their inherent sense of meaning and authenticity in the world. Obviously, then, those same individuals will fight like piranha over the corpse of a dead horse in defense of their own hard won identity as human beings. That is the lesson we Americans taught the British back in the 18th century. It is also the lesson of Vietnam...and Iraq! If the aim is to keep America safe from a nuclear attack of some kind, exterminating the innocent men, women and children of Iran with nuclear bombs seems a rather odd, if not to say hypocritical, hence self-defeating, place to begin. Indeed, this would invite a retaliatory nuclear strike of some sort against Americans, would it not? All in all, complete abandonment of all nuclear infrastructures everywhere, America, Korea, Iran and Israel included, combined with a rigorous and enforceable non-proliferation policy plus mutual worldwide disarmament across the board would seem to be a wiser course of action. Then Americans, along with everybody else, would really be safe from a nuclear attack! Overall, one wonders why wise and intelligent diplomacy in Democratic good faith for a change is not deemed to be the better course for American foreign policy these days. In truth humankind cannot and must not abide the presence of nuclear weapons in its midst, the sole purpose of which can only be to destroy the truth of the world for humankind, hence humankind itself. Robert K. Fobes Subject: Media Bias Not That Damaging Dear BuzzFlash: I get very annoyed at the cover-up role mainstream TV news networks accord Bush and his buddies, but if recent polls are any indication, suck-up networks like the original Big Three, CNN, and, of course, the king of suck-up, Fox, aren't getting the attention they once did. We have the Internet to thank for that. Over a quarter of the country gets its news from online sources while television and newspaper ratings continue to plummet. People are sick of spin, smart enough to recognize it, and are acting on it. That's the wonderful thing about BuzzFlash and other web sites that dare to print the truth - not even W. and his paranoid wackos can keep up with everybody, and there's plenty of journalists out there who will not be bullied. Not that the media doesn't try to shut us up. I have submitted several "Letters To The Editor" to my local paper, the "Morning News of NW Arkansas", and they resolutely refuse to print them. I see pro-war letters ad nauseum, usually from the same two or three contributors over and over, and a few "pet" contributors, but my stance must be too liberal and unpatriotic since I write to protest Bush and all his policies, lately the likelihood of bombing Iran. When your local paper says they welcome your comments, take it with a grain of salt. And cancel your subscription if they won't present a balanced forum in their "Letters To the Editor" page. That's supposed to be a free space for all views, not just theirs. I'll be canceling my subscription if my letter doesn't show up in the next few days. I don't mind not having every submission published, but I submit letters very infrequently and see no justification for being censored, unless it's professional jealousy. Scott Subject: Of Lapdogs, Water Toters and More I watched with amusement the first half of "Meet The Lapdogs" last Sunday morning. King George's number one lap-poodle, Tim Russert, was trying his damndest to get the future House leader, Nancy Pelosi, to fall into one of his "Gotcha" traps, {without much success}, she just wasn't taking the bait ole lap-poodle was throwing out! Then when all else failed, he hit her with the really big one! "Will the democrats, if they take back the House, and/or the Senate, will they impeach George W. Bush"? Well, she kinda dodged the bullet by saying there would be investigations, blah, blah, blah! What she should have said was,"You can bet your sweet ass, and your next month's taxpayer paycheck from King George, on it, lap-poodle! "You see, lap-poodle, it is a crime to start a war based on bald-faced lies where thousands and thousands of innocent people have died"! "You see, lap-poodle, it is a crime to torture prisoners"! "You see, lap-poodle, it is a crime to illegally wiretap American citizens." "You see, lap-poodle, it is a crime for the president of the United States to lie to the American people every time he opens his f***ing ugly mouth"!! "Do you get the message lap-poodle"? "If so, then come on November"!! Yeah, that's what she should have said, but, sigh, she didn't. Anyway, I thought, all things considered, she did a pretty good job with ole lap-poodle! I loved her the time she accused Kyra Phillips of CNN of carrying water for the Bush administration!! Really got ole Kyra's bowel's in an uproar, she did! Ole Kyra had to take a commercial break to think about that one!! She got herself composed and came back after the break and announced that neither she nor anyone at CNN showed favoritism to the Bush administration! LIAR!! You know, I sure am glad Will Rogers never met George Bush! Will Rogers said he never met a man he didn't like. Sure am thankful he never met ole King George! Aren't you? By the way, that latest lie King George told about catching the seven pound five ounce perch in his lake just didn't sound right to me, {sounded kinda fishy} so I checked with some of my friends around the internet and, LO and Behold the WORLD RECORD for a fresh water perch is FOUR pounds and THREE ounces, caught in New Jersey in 1865!! The reason it sounded kinda fishy was, being raised in north west Arkansas, I caught a lot of perch and never even heard of one anywhere near that size! Oh, well, just another King George whopper! Oh yeah, now they have changed their story and that was a bass that King George caught! Well, gotta go now, BuzzFlash readers. Take care and watch out for those giant perch!! Don Adams Subject: On Preventing a War Iran claims that its only interest in developing a nuclear bomb is as a deterrent against Israel, which already has an arsenal of these weapons of mass destruction. If Iran's leveling with us, there should be no problem in resolving this conflict. Our government merely pressures Israel to get rid of its bombs. Israel will have to comply because it's totally dependent upon American support. Iran then will have no reason to build its own bomb(s) and, presto, problem solved; assuming, of course, that our government actually wants to avoid an Iran war. A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Found His Calling I see Bush is traveling the country pushing his prescription drug plan. He truly is a snake-oil salesman! Phil in Vermont Subject: Folk singer Jim Hinde "The Perp Walk" (Lyrics, © 2004 Jim Hinde / Folkbone Productions ) World leaders are trying to beseech Bush. A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Bush... (what else) There are two questions...I would love to ask bush ...more than two...but, start with that. 1. Mr. Bush (I cannot call him president) why are you proud that you started the creepy, failing, confusing and idiotic medicare drug bill? The only persons who will benefit, or gain anything are the drug makers who wrote it. 2...Mr. Bush....why are you trying to tell the rest of the world that they cannot possess nukes? you think you are the only one worthy? not!!!!! 3. (I knew there would be another one)...why did the supply and demand of gas...just come right after 2004? seems strange to me...all the s+++ hit the fan after the election...funny, don't you think? do you actually think that even uneducated Americans believe that? Two things I am sick of the Democrats saying,
the people who may be needing to save their jobs,
the ones still in office....like Kerry, or Feingold...Clinton...etc...(you know who you are)
when asked about Iraq....they would draw down
slowly...by the end of 2007? sure, yeah....why
not say what Gore did.....it is a phony war, it I hope I live to see the day when everything comes out....but hey, he might be building that palace like embassy in Iraq....for himself....he is so stupid ...he might just pass himself off as a Muslim. We have to bring him back to the US for his trial...please.... The embassy, incidentally, I read about just after the 2004 election....they called it palace like, then. Shirley...........St. Louis Subject: Hayden is a Felon Bush's nominee, General Michael Hay don, is not qualified to lead the CIA because he is a felon. He's the one behind the illegal domestic spying. The law specifically prohibits tapping Americans' phone lines without a warrant and, like Bush, he just ignores the law and does it anyhow. The man is a criminal and deserves to be in jail, not leading the CIA. I suppose the government thinks that they are above the law, but one of these day the people are going to rise up and take America back and restore law and order. I'm Marc Perkel - And I approved this message! Marc Perkel Subject: Poll Gives Bush Worst Marks Yet on Major Issues (NY Times) My favorite quote. Thank God ... even the hardcore repugs are catching on--and in the heartland, no less!
A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Re: The Taliban and Terrorism It is no accident that the Bush administration was distracted mere moments before Bin Laden was captured and the Taliban was neutralized or that the administration dare not label the Taliban a terrorist group. Bin Laden and the Taliban represent a variant of the Wahhabi* sect of islam which the Saudi royals use to retain their wealth and power. This sect is useful for them, because it preaches the need for a monarchy to enforce a strict islamic code of law. Other sects, such as that of the shi'ites, call for rule by clerics, which would strip the Saudi royal family of their power and money were it to become dominant in Saudi Arabia. And the Saudi royal family, as we all know, are the employers of George Bush Sr. , James Baker III and have entirely too much to say about what the current administration does. So, since the Saudi royal family is at war with the Shi'ite variant of their own religion, the Bush administration is now at war with the Shi'ites. Or at least it wants to be at war with the Shi'ites. That is why W. is so desperate to drop a nuke on Iran, disrupting its economy and subverting its government. And at all costs, the Bush administration must keep the attention of the American people off the real terrorists, the angry Saudi extremists who are being shipped abroad in a holy war in order to fool the Saudi people that their corrupt monarchs actually give a damn about their religion. Christianity can serve a similar purpose. There is a puritan ethic which goes, "If you are beloved of God, He will bless you with wealth, privilege and power in this life." We are currently witnessing a revival of this antiquated ethic in the US in the Religious Right. No one does it better than the Bush family, who have turned "success" into a license to lie, steal and cheat with God's blessing. This is another form of divine mandate, though they are careful not to use these inflammatory words. Fortunately, America was founded by people like Tom Paine, who wrote "Common Sense."
It has taken a few years, but the American people now recognize that our selected ruler George II is not fit to be president by a 2 to 1 margin. Since the "common sense" really is common sense, it is only a matter of time before the citizens of Saudi Arabia notice the same thing about their royals. *Check out this link:
Suzanne Tolbert Subject: Hillary we like you, but please don't....... I admire Bill Clinton and I truly hope that Hillary is easily re-elected to the Senate. We need her to remain there to be of assistance to the next elected Democratic President because he will certainly need quite a bit of help digging us out of the mess in which Bush will leave this country. I referenced remarks to Hillary in the Mailbag several days ago. I stated that I have no desire to see her run for president. At the time I didn't know that Rupert Murdoch was holding a fund raiser for her. I am not surprised. Why should I be? She's becoming a bit transparent, almost as transparent as Joe (the Repub leaning ) Lieberman. But I'm not angry, because a girl has gotta do what a girl/senator has to do to stay in office. Right????? Meanwhile, I noticed while reading the Mailbag that I am not alone. Edith Conrad, Mike in Peachtree City, Ga., and Shirley in St. Louis, also join Jeff Cohen in wishing that Hillary will content herself in the Senate. And because of Geedubya, the U.S. is in deep doo doo and we desperately need someone other than a Bush, Clinton, McCain, or Lieberman in the Oval Office to clean off the crud. Dee Turner Subject: Congratulations, George! http://videos.digett.net/jacksonbrowne/lives/lives_in_the_balance.wmv You have officially brought America back to 1968. At least I will know how it feels to be born again... John L. Johnson P.S. Great tune here. JB's vocals have not changed in 30 years. Still good stuff. Too bad he has all this new material. [BuzzFlash Note: Here are the lyrics (lyricsfreak.com).] Subject: Iranian letter reaction headline 5/10 Your headline alleged that Pres. Bush wants death to everyone who disagrees with him, but the link referred to a BBC article that only discussed the reaction to the Iranian letter. The death desire subject was not mentioned in the BBC article. Was this thing about death desire editorializing (maybe even paranoia) on the BuzzFlash headline writer's part, or is the link faulty? Thanks for your help with this. A Faithful BuzzFlash Reader [BuzzFlash Note: Well, it wouldn't be our first headline that extrapolated. Hope you found the story valuable ... and the ones we posted from The Independent, Yahoo, the New York Sun, The New York Times, and CBS (which you can locate easily using our search page). Don't know if you get the BuzzFlash Alerts, but our morning alert today also editorialized about the Iran nuclear issue.] Subject: Where Did They Go how come no one talks about the 25 million retirees who have lost their pension - they are never talked about and their plight is ignored. A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Bush Set To Bomb Iran Yep Buzz, you're absolutely right-- Bush is set to Nuke Iran And VERY SOON! This time HIS 'RUSH to war' is much more pronounced. Condi had trouble looking Matt Lauer in the eyes and she couldn't see for blinking on the Today Show this morning as she beat the Iranian War Drums, QUICKLY dismissing each suggestion for negotiation. Seeing Condi Rice's fast IRANIAN Rambling is just eeeeerry! Where's Congress To Stop The Madman This time ???????????????? Jean Subject: Just Let Them Self-destruct The Republican Party has become the gift that just keeps on giving. Those members in Washington that aren’t crooks seem to be fools. Some are both. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson has managed to stick his foot in his mouth by first breaking the law about awarding contracts based on politics and then saying he was lying about breaking the law based on politics. Senator demands resignation of Housing Secretary after 'don't like Bush' dispute (Raw Story) Democrats I would like to suggest a strategy. Just stand back and let Republicans self-destruct. Now and then you might like to point out the latest Republican idiocy. Too much blabber and Democrats sound like a bunch of self-serving political hacks. (Which should be the Webster’s definition of most politicians.) A while back I was sure that the Democrats needed to stand up and stand for something. Now I am not so sure. The problem is that most Democratic spokespeople don’t speak very well. Nancy Pelosi may be a very nice woman. She may be a very good Congressperson. However she is a crappy public speaker. She stutters, she fumbles, she looks lost. What kind of image is that? Harry Reid comes across as the guy who gets sand kicked in his face at the beach. I am not saying he is, I'm just saying that’s the impression. And I think the whole country has Schumer and Biden fatigue. Come on, the Democrats have got to have some big, tough, types who come across as tough and are articulate. That alone would be different from Republicans. Most of them cannot hold a conversation devoid of talking points. I once had great hopes for Barack Obama but he has managed to morph into just another politician. He speaks really well, though. Otherwise, maybe the best strategy is to just sit back and watch them self-destruct. They are really good at it. Marjorie Swanson Subject: Marjorie Swanson Thanks, Marjorie: You seem to be in touch with the feelings of the majority of Buzzers and express our thoughts quite eloquently and most importantly "To The Point." Thanks again. I believe we and BUZZFLASH need many more contributors like you! Lawton Watson Subject: Bush's Appointments I really like the way bush does the "Alice's Tea Party" bit - "Everyone! MOVE OVER ONE CHAIR." The Washington area housing market will surely become a buyers' market after all these psychos get thrown out of office\indicted\convicted and get to frog walk into history! Of course the DEMOS (Who got less of the graft, but some, none the less...are talking about a GHWB-like pre-court pardon for everyone!!! (See, they DO get the same Tax-break\BRIBE as the Republiscums). A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: The US Embassy in Iraq There has been little mention in U.S. news of what will purportedly be the largest embassy in the world. What I have seen comes from foreign sources. The main building, it is said, exceeds the size of any of Saddam's palaces and covers an area greater than Vatican City. Baghdad locals are angered that the contractor, identified only as Kuwaiti, is employing only foreign workers. They also question how the U.S. State Department acquired the prime 105-acre property along the banks of the Tigris river. The compound will allegedly contain a cinema, numerous cafes offering the choicest of foods, tennis courts, a super-sized swimming pool, a gym, power and water plants capable of providing for thousands, and 21 separate buildings. Congress was given a cost estimate of about $600 million. A BuzzFlash Reader [BuzzFlash Note: The AP wrote about it in April: New U.S. Embassy in Iraq cloaked in mystery: Baghdad locale, slated to be completed in 2007, to be largest of its kind (MSNBC).] Subject: Defying Logic Let me see if I have this straight: The GOP strategy for the 2006 election is if you don't vote for us, they will be elected -- and they think this will motivate people to vote for the GOP? Say huh? Are they paranoid, delusional, avoiding reality or all of the above? We have gone from a country that had a surplus, was only involved militarily in the Balkans as part of a NATO peace-keeping force, had a robust economy and generally speaking felt and believed that our country was still worth something above the rest of the world. The people who bombed the WTC shortly after Clinton entered office were apprehended, tried in a court of law and doing time. Fast forward to 2000: It is most likely sure that the GOP schemed and manipulated to steal the election even though Bush said he believed in states rights. Uh huh. We are now involved in two ground wars in the Middle East, possibly entering into a third. We have a growing deficit and a government that can't spend fast enough to line their own pockets. We have figuratively lost another great American city -- New Orleans and large parts of the Gulf Coast. Can't blame Bush for Mother Nature, but damn it, we can blame him for making FEMA a pathetic shell of what it was during the Clinton Administration. The CIA, which seemed to function fairly well during the Clinton administration, all of a sudden keeps coming up with "faulty" intelligence (a bull crap story if I've ever heard one). Our selected pResident is spending more money on Iraq than on our own infrastructure and helping our elderly and poor. Funding for humanitarian purposes has been cut while defense spending has skyrocketed. We have habitual and chronic liars allegedly "leading" our country into a black hole from which we may be unlikely to escape; all the while, they keep patting themselves on the back and telling themselves how wonderful they are doing, while trying to convince an increasingly skeptical and disbelieving people that all is as good as they are trying to convince us it is. Sure -- sounds like a FANTASTIC strategy to me. Lisa J. Subject: Oh, No, the Freddie Krueger Moment Has Arrived Your headline "It's the Freddie Krueger Moment" expressed my sentiments exactly concerning George Bush's endorsement of his brother for President. Dear god, hasn't our country endured enough Bushes in positions of leadership? These guys make the Caesars look good. They've stripped our country of its dignity and its position in the world. They've pillaged the treasury of our country and in the process pillaged a few other countries as well. They've brought us to the brink of Armageddon and now GWB has the nerve to tell us he thinks Jeb would be a "great President." Who, other than Big Babs, gives a damn what GWB thinks? He's a washed up loser of the highest order, and any opinion he has ranks somewhere between regurgitation and defecation on the relevance scale. Mr. George W. Bush, PLEASE GO AWAY and take your unsolicited opinions with you. Carolyn in Tennessee Subject: Happy Anniversary Dear Buzz, Congratulations and thanks for all you do. After these six long years we all need the sounds of Chicago's own late great Johnny Hartman and a bottle of champagne. Regards, Catherine Sloan Subject: Bush's Escape Plan A thought has been running through my head lately. Bush seems almost giddy...with every word he utters...he has that half smile...evil grin...whatever you want to call it. He knows, that if the dems take over in November they will start impeachment hearings...no matter what they say. If they can impeach and convict....he is out, and he will leave with that legacy...but, in his case...nothing will actually be found out until after he is gone...and living in some embassy like palace in rich man's oil land. If not....he gets to live out his other two years...and leave the mess for the next president to clean up....and the way the fickle American people are sometimes.....they will actually blame whomever takes over. It's a no win situation!! Shirley ... St. Louis Subject: $20.9 billion US taxpayer money later, NO Iraqi services back to PREWAR levels
Why would any American elected representative sign such a bill??? A BuzzFlash Reader [BuzzFlash Note: Don't miss this part: "Exactly how and why the change was made isn't clear. Republican Appropriations Committee aides say legislators shifted the Iraq money to the foreign operations accounts at the request of the White House, not to curb oversight."] Subject: Am I the only one who noticed?
Um..................and why does this not apply to Iraq? A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Strayhorn delivers signatures (Star-Telegram) Will Strayhorn split the Republican vote and give the Texas governorship to a Democrat? A BuzzFlash Reader |
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