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| May 12, 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: Remember, Hayden gave John Bolton access to NSA intercepts And don't forget, Gen. Hayden was head of the NSA when John Bolton, our esteemed recess-appointment U.N. ambassador, showed up requesting information the NSA had intercepted on U.S. citizens. Some people claim Bolton only asked Gen. Hayden for NSA surveillance intercepts on 10 U.S. citizens, but after all the lies of the Bush administration, we know better, don't we? And, I figure that Bolton wasn't the only Bush administration official to ask Gen. Hayden to pass along any NSA intercepts concerning "persons of interest," like John Kerry and his campaign staff before the 2004 elections. Cheney is bound to have made requests of Gen. Hayden. Possibly even Bush. Rumsfeld, too. And Karl Rove, definitely Karl Rove. Douglas Feith? Wolfowitz? Addington? Alberto Gonzales? Hell, Gen. Hayden probably set up an NSA information kiosk in the NSA building's lobby and had a line of neo-cons waiting to have their requests filled. Take a number. Take a number. It must be nice to have the NSA, under the totally willing Gen. Hayden, helping you spy on your Democratic Party opponents. Listening to their every call. Intercepting their e-mails. Spying on their text messaging. And now the Bush administration is gearing up for the November elections. And even with all their illegal surveillance being exposed, the Republicans probably figure the 2008 presidential election is in the bag. The black bag. A black bag NSA and CIA operation. The Bush administration is the most dangerous administration in American history. Nixon on steroids. And many of the Republicans pulling these illegal, anti-democracy stunts are the very same Republicans who supported the crimes of Richard Nixon, and participated in the illegalities of both the Reagan administration and the first Bush's administration. I guess it's hard to teach old Republican dogs new tricks...like honoring our democracy and the rule of law. Hell, they make up their own laws as they slouch along, trampling our nation underfoot. Impeach them. Arrest them. Throw the book at them. Evil, pure evil seeps from their every pore. Paul Sorrells Subject: NSA and the Phone Companies After hearing today's news, I switched my phone service from AT&T to Qwest and told them why and that I'm really angry about their actions. At least I have the Qwest option in my area. I urge everyone who does to switch and tell them why! A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: 1984 Just got finished looking over the selection of books and media for sale and while it is a great selection I thought I might see George Orwell's 1984 there and did not. I don't know how you choose what to sell, and while I bet a lot of the readers have already read it, I thought I would mention that it is a must read!! There are some very eerie similarities in this work of fiction to what is going on right under our noses. It paints a sad picture of where we could end up if people don't pay attention. Here is a link to the book online: http://www.online-literature.com/orwell/1984/ Nichole Albers [BuzzFlash Note: Yes, it's a must read. We sold it a while back but currently would direct readers to their local library or favorite book seller (besides us).] Subject: Protest NSA Spying with the Freedom of Information Act Today we have learned that the NSA has collected information about tens of millions of telephone calls made within the United States since shortly after September 11, 2001. Show your displeasure with the NSA and President Bush by making a Freedom of Information Act request for records of your telephone calls. Simply block and copy the form below, paste it into your word processor, fill in your information, print and mail. That's all there is to it.
Jimmy Verner Subject: How I Loathe the Resident Horror! I've just read the USA TODAY article on how AT&T, Verizon, and BellSouth (may they all rot in HELL) are cooperating with the NSA which is collecting ALL phone calls made in the US. Looks like George Orwell was right - Big Brother IS watching. Orwell just had the year wrong. I am so SICK TO DEATH of what is going on. We have turned into a FASCIST DICTATORSHIP and the good citizens of this country are so SCARED that they are willing to give up their freedom not to be scared. Like a bunch of sick little children they look to daddy to keep them safe. It is INCREDIBLE when you think of it. An attack on this country - orchestrated by BushCo - ends 200+ years of freedom. More people killed every year in auto accidents, but I don't see anyone trying to outlaw cars. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY? A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Ahmadinejad’s Letter to Bush CNN, amongst other sites, has an English translation of President Ahmadinejad's letter to Bush. It is, at the least, a very, very interesting read, although somewhat time-consuming. Upon reading it, it is easy to understand WHY the Bushistas dismissed it out of hand. It is obvious that this letter expressed points and valid questions that is far beyond the ability of the Bushistas to comprehend. President Ahmadinejad is very intelligent, displays common sense, and is articulate -- all traits that no one in the Bush administration possesses. I'm sure that even if Dr. Condi explained it to Li'l George, he still wouldn't have "gotten" it. After all, it wasn't "My Pet Goat," had no pictures, no adoring audience, and wasn't a piece of cute children's fiction. Had it even been compiled into a Powerpoint presentation or a CD with highlights, it still would have been beyond all of their collective intelligence, or lack thereof, to understand. http://www.cnn.com/interactive/world/0605/transcript.lemonde.letter/ Lisa Johnson Subject: killing laura good god! where are the democrats? hiding somewhere in the fetal position? why isn't the congress doing its job? if bush killed laura bush in a fit of rage in front of twenty people, then said as president that is his right, i'm quite sure the media and congress would just say well that's in the past we need to look to the future! this is insane! i feel like i'm living in the twilight zone! karen massey Subject: Presidential Library Hey BuzzFlash, Don't say I never gave you a really, really good link. This is the best thing I found for your site since "The Smoking Gun" (I am the person who found TSG and turned you on to it.) Well here is one that is funny as hell. Bush Library.... Enjoy... we all need a little laughter these days. http://www.unclemelon.com/george_bush_library.html Cindy Subject: Colbert Roasts President Bush - 2006 White House Correspondents Dinner - Google Video This roast definitely gave Bush and the American Media Playhouse a nasty case of mad cow! You go, Stephen. Thank you so much. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-869183917758574879 John L. Johnson Subject: Does Bush Think All of Us Are Incompetent Like Him? Hi BuzzFlash, Let me get this straight. Bush says he is “only” wiretapping Al Qaeda Suspects in America. Then we read in the same article that Bush has had over 200 MILLION AMRICANS wiretapped!!! What on earth does Bush think ALL of us are? Does he think we all are dumb, incompetent, ignorant and inept, like his Republican Followers, who would do everything and anything he wants? Breaking News: Bush - WIRETAPPING 'STRICTLY TARGETS AL QAEDA SUSPECTS ONLY,' SAYS THE 'PRIVACY OF ORDINARY AMERICANS IS FIERCELY PROTECTED' Government Monitoring About 200 Million Americans' Calls (ABC News) Are you trying to tell me “W”, that Al Qaeda has made over 200 million phone calls to/from their followers here in America? Is that what you are trying to pull “W”, with your latest stunt, over my “non-ignorant” eyes? Good try but it won’t work! You guys are really getting desperate and lame at the White House with your inept stunts! And “W”, if Al Qaeda has indeed infiltrated America, like you claim with your massive wiretapping, then they have really gotten into this country - “BIG TIME” - under YOUR WATCH! Face it. You are simply trying your old “Level Red” Scare Tactics for your dwindling number of followers, when it is just your way of getting your people to back your illegal spying on Americans! By the way folks, the projected July 2006 population for The United States will be 298,444,215. Hope all of you out there realize that YOU are, in the eyes of Bush, a member of Al Qaeda! Chew on that one for a while! So stop insulting the rest of us “W”, by thinking that ALL of America is a bunch of fools. Some of us still have a brain that “actually works.” Stop thinking that all of us have a brain with your level of incompetence. I’m real tired of getting insulted by this jerk in The White House! Tom Wieliczka Subject: Vonage Is Not 'Sharing' with the NSA Buzz comm, Attached is the response I received re: my query if Vonage was 'sharing' w/the NSA. Vonage is not turning over international or domestic phone records to the NSA. A VERY good reason (besides great service and saving BIG $$$) to 'switch' ASAP! Please Share with the 'community.
Ken Subject: Verizon Reporting My Phone Call #'s to the NSA I just sent the following email to Verizon.
GG.P. Subject: NSA Database of Phone Records I urge everyone that uses AT&T, Verizon, Bell South to call your provider let them know how you feel about them turning over your phone records to the government. I have made my call. Another lie by Bush. This is domestic spying. Maryann Secreto Subject: Great Web Site Dear BuzzFlash: While deep in the Melissa Rossi book, "What Every American Should Know About Who's Really Running The World," she spotlights a fellow named Russ Kick, who is a true maverick journalist out to find and report the stories Bush, Washington, and a lot of other questionable characters don't want you to read. Mr. Kick, through the Freedom Of Information Act, has acquired a wealth of stories and places them on his web site: http://www.thememoryhole.org/. It's astonishing how much real news is filtered, twisted, censored or just plain killed. As the saying goes, history is recorded by the winners. Now, however, we don't have to depend on the godawful television news networks or newspapers, about half of them owned by Rupert Murdoch, so you know which way they're going to lean. I think it's important to spread the word about your web site, which I do constantly, the aforementioned web page and all those thumbing their noses at the neocons and Bush. The First Amendment: use it or lose it. Scott Subject: Bushy The Turd, Oops I Mean Third Keep watching folks. The current squatter was in Florida yesterday, promoting his desire to see brother for the next president. Something will happen, and the corporate media will be all JEB FOR PRESIDENT. We will hear more and more of this mantra. They don't plan to give, they fight dirty and the cards are stacked in their favor. IMPEACHMENT NOW could stop this movement by the red party. I would vote for Hillary because I want BILL back! We need smarts to run this big country, instead of the shifty, sly reds that slid off off the bar stools. A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: NSA Database With this newest disclosure, I think I hear the lovely sound of Bush's bid to win confirmation of former NSA director Gen. Michael Hayden as CIA director crashing into a large brick wall. Of course, we can always hope he finds another job..... in Dubai. NSA Has Massive Database of Americans' Phone Calls http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-05-10-nsa_x.htm Joe W. Subject: Boycott AT&T, Verizon and Bell South Dear BuzzFlash, Can we somehow start a national boycott of AT&T, VERIZON & BELL SOUTH? These companies need to know that they simply can't help turn this country into the new "USSR" - Heaven knows the Bushies are doing their best to do so. What in heavens' name does George H. W. Bush think of what his son has done to the country and his CIA? What a horrific way to start the 21st century! BOYCOTT AT&T, VERIZON & BELL SOUTH!!!! A Buzzflash Reader Subject: How Big Is Too Big? The NSA phone call database is too big and too dangerous. Suppose you like George W. Bush and don't believe he would ever misuse information of this sort. Maybe you're right. But can you guarantee the next president will be as noble? Or the one after that? Information like this is a weapon, and weapons are made to be fired. It's only a matter of time before some president gives into temptation and uses this, the most comprehensive blackmail database of all time. I have a full essay on this topic at my blog. http://www.paulcilwa.com/blog/2006/05/060511.htm Paul S. Cilwa Subject: NSA Illegal Wiretapping Today I went into my local Verizon center and ended my contract. I still had over a year left but decided it is a luxury, not a necessity. I will have to pay a disconnect fee, but in the long run I will save money. I had already decided to do this before reading that Verizon was one of the companies that allowed the NSA to listen in on our calls. When I spoke to the customer service rep he asked me why I was disconnecting. I told him why but also let him know that Verizon had let the NSA illegally listen in on my calls. He said that he would let the company know my views. It may not be much, but I feel like I made a difference today. No more money for Verizon. Annette Lopez Subject: Telephone Monitoring There are conflicting statements the scope and extent of government monitoring of telephone records and conversations. President Bush regularly says that the only intercepts being made by the government are calls to or from the United States between known al Qaeda operatives and other persons, but I doubt that’s the whole story. If that were so, and if we had some confidence that intercepts and monitoring are limited as the President says, most Americans would not object. However there are persistent reports that the actual scope of the intercepts is much wider than that and in fact involves millions of calls of ordinary Americans. The USA Today report, not denied by the administration, is that NSA intends to create a database of every telephone contact made in the United States (Qwest so far has refused to cooperate). The government says, but will not substantiate, that its monitoring program, whatever it is, is legal and constitutional. But it refuses to use the FISA court, which is the exclusive method provided by law for obtaining legal wiretaps in national security situations. Senator Roberts and other right wing defenders of the President’s warrant-less spy program imply that in the post 9-11 world we must sacrifice liberty for security and continue to say that “leaks” to the public about the NSA telephone intercept program are dangerous to our national security because they give information to al Qaeda that we are intercepting and listening to their telephone conversations. Duh! That is one of the stupidest statements to come out of Washington, where a lot of stupid things have been said lately. Does anyone think that al Qaeda does not know that we are trying to intercept their telephone conversations? The secrecy is not so that al Qaeda does not find out what we are doing, it is so the American people do not know that their rights are being violated in the name of an endless war as part of the Bush administration’s attempt to consolidate power in the president, who in turn seems to believe that he is above the law. Does the NSA assume that terrorists are going to use ordinary telephone land lines to discuss their activities? Do they suspect that terrorists have not heard of cell phones, particularly throw-away phones that can’t be traced? Does anyone other than me think this whole monitoring project is more billions wasted in foolish projects that only pretend to make us more secure? Arthur G Broadhurst well this is interesting. george bush has done all the things our right wing nut case relatives in arkansas used to tell us clinton was going to do. (even they have turned on bush now) A BuzzFlash Reader oh for pete sake! bush seems to think if he says something then that is the way it is. nixon claimed he wasn't a crook too. we have a congress that refuses to investigate anything illegal this man does! this is insane! it is a nightmare and congress won't let anyone wake up! shorty in memphis I do not give one tinkers god damned about the democrats, but that bunch of cowards may be the only hope we have of saving our country from bush and his mafia at 1600 pa ave! god only knows what all these people have done that we don't even know about!
BuzzFlash - The NYTimes today, May 11, has a long review of 13 books about Bush from Ron Suskind's "Price of Loyalty" about Paul O'Neill's very revealing experience as Secretary of the Treasury to the recent "Imposter" by the conservative Bruce Bartlett. The reviewer, Michiko Kakutani, finds that all the books are consistent in describing the Bush administration as having an "appetite for big visionary ideas" and a "tendency to shrug off the advice of experts" (ie anyone who might be burdened with real information or experience!). "The fallout of the...penchant for out-of-channels policymaking would be felt most acutely in the build-up to the war in Iraq" (to say nothing of disastrous aftermath!) John DiIulio, who for 8 months was the head of the faith-based initiative, says he heard "not three meaningful, substantive policy discussions" - a complaint echoed by Paul O'Neill - and that the West Wing staff lacked "basic policy knowledge" and had "only casual interest in knowing more." http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/11/books/11admin.html?_r=1&oref=slogin What a sad, sad story for all of us - from the loyal Republicans who were kicked aside to the thousands dead in Iraq. Billions and billions of dollars have been spent on destruction, the treasury is bare, but the most of the mainstream media still don't think it's polite to point out that the president and his crowd have been running around buck naked for the last several years. Naughty naughty Stephen Colbert for speaking a few truths. Colleen Clark Subject: "Self-Coup" A self-coup is a form of coup d'état that occurs when a country's leaderdissolves (disembowels or eviscerates) the national legislature and assumes extraordinary powers. Warrantless eavesdropping by the NSA and/or others constitutes the establishment of Secret Police. Feingold is right to demand this self coup nonsense stops right here. It augurs well that the recently retired Generals are restless that governmental policy should receive an open hearing, not be decided by a cabal of George, Dick, Rummy and god's will. Craig Johnson Subject: NSA database has Rove's calls? So, if the NSA has this huge database of who called whom, there should be a list of Rove's calls. Shouldn't Patrick Fitzgerald have access to that list? I'd kinda like to see it myself.... A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Diebold Voting Machine Spurs Security Concerns "Diebold spokesman David Bear said there is no evidence electronic results have been subject to tampering. He added it would be hard for anyone to exploit the recently discovered flaw if officials follow security procedures already in place, but that Diebold is developing a permanent solution to address concerns." From The Plain Dealer article (Thursday, May 11, 2006) entitled "Diebold voting machine spurs security concerns" by Dan Goodin of the Associated Press. Of COURSE "there is no evidence electronic results have been subject to tampering," because there is NO PAPER TRAIL to use to PRODUCE the evidence! How dumb does the Diebold front man think we are? As dumb as the 55% (now 31%, if you believe the polls) who voted for Diebold's candidate in the presidential race? It is time for a paper trail! http://tools.democracyforamerica.com/petition/paperballot/ Hterrya Subject: Kristy Warriner Well, I suppose I am amongst the paranoid, I just thought along with the way that everything seems to go bad at the same time.....my phone was going out...and it is not very old. For about three months now, when it rings, I answer...and into the conversation about 2-3 minutes....it starts beeping in my ear....a slow beep...I never had any idea what it was...this is the kind of phone that charges itself when you hang it up....the last one lasted forever. After about 6 beeps.....it just goes dead...I say 'hello, hello' a couple of times...no one answers back....then I have to go to the upstairs phone or the cell phone and call them back. I wonder if my republican relatives and friends (I use that word loosely,) thought they would cause me this much heartache? I don't think they cared at the time...and I am not sure some of them care now. So....I thought I would have to pitch a perfectly, fairly new phone. I, for one, am writing to AT&T ... and getting rid of them. Not only do I have my phone through them ... but my internet service ... What did I do ... why me ... why me??? I don't think god is punishing me for despising the idiot in chief...jerk in chief?...criminal in chief...choose one! now, I am mad! Shirley ... St. Louis PS: and I don't give a rat's fat fanny about how much of a politician Hillary wants to be...to forsake her party ...anyone who kisses up to Bush is not a democrat! Subject: Republican Politicians & Other Vermin Do elected Republicans wake each morning with the intention of doing damage to the people they are supposed to represent? Is it just an accident? Is it that they care for nothing but party loyalty? Are they acting out of greed? Or are they just nuts? (This rant is for politicians not home grown voters we want to entice away from the dark side.) Yesterday those dunderheads in the Senate passed a tax cut they’re touting as the best thing since sliced bread. The Republicans constituency, the rich, the richer and the too rich to believe will be getting a nice chunk of change. For the rest of us, not so much. Millionaires will save around $42,700 and I will get about 9 bucks. I promise not to spend it all on something frivolous like my heating bill or gas for my 1993 Ford Tempo. (Don’t laugh, it still gets 35 miles to a gallon.) http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/12/washington/12spend.html?th&emc=th Stop walloping the Republicans for a moment to whack the 3 Democrats who voted for this contemptible bill. Hello there Senator Bill Nelson, Senator Ben Nelson and Senator Mark Pryor. Faux Democrats strike again. Our kids and grandkids get to pay for the idiocy of this generation. Every day Bush and his sycophants attempt to convince the citizenry that they care for nothing except the well-being of the people. That doesn’t seem to be working very well as Mr. Bush’s poll numbers drop ever lower. (29% this morning maybe less by the time the sun goes down.) So our lesson for today children is that the Patriot Act allows your government can enter your house while you are at work and you will never know. They are collecting a data base on many millions of American’s phone calls. They have mortgaged our children’s future to Communist China. Welcome to the Conservative Theme Park we used to call the United States of America. Put your civil rights and freedoms over there and take a ride on the “We will keep you safe Carousel.” And that shining beacon of freedom for the rest of the world, turn that out, it’s not working anymore. Marjorie Swanson Subject: Jebbie boy picture on AOL's front page today So, AOL has on its front internet page today, a picture of smiling Jeb Bush,
stating his brother and father want him to run for president....( what a
surprise, yawn).
STEPHEN COLBERT FOR PRESIDENT..... A BuzzFlash Reader
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