May 7, 2002

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As nightfall does not come all at once, neither does oppression. In both instances, there is a twilight. And it is in such twilight that we all must be aware of change in the air -- however slight -lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness.

- Justice William O. Douglas, US Supreme Court (1939-75)

Just an idea, when shrub or anyone else cites the war as a reason to screw us it should be called "playing the war card."

James Tice

It's not the evening news, but you get your information where you can!

After reading today's 'Mailbag,' I made an effort to catch the first show that covers Hollywood to see if they would mention the "Ozzy. Mom loves your stuff." quote that was reported as "Your mom loves your stuff" by AP. "Access Hollywood" came through and verified what Frank Calandra said about CNN's version. The entire portion was replayed and, clearly, jr. said, "Mom loves your stuff." What I found very funny, too, was that he was obviously very miffed that the audience's reaction to Ozzy was far greater than the reception jr. received. As the ovation persisted and grew (with Ozzy soaking it up), he said something along the lines of: "This was a mistake," with that nasty smirk he does so well.

Here's a thought: Everyone is assuming that Ozzy's *stuff* that mama bush likes is his music. Given the substance abuse history of the bushie clan, are we sure that jr. was referring to music?

Liz Taylor
Houston

These are quotes from the article, references to the press conference, which was "a carnival," according to the NYT:

"The crowd roared while Mr. Cheney, who was at the head of the table turned scarlet."

"The thing about Ozzy is that he's made a lot of hit recordings," the President said, mentioning "Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath," and "Blood Bath in Paradise." Mr. Bush paused, then deadpanned, "Ozzy, Mom loves your stuff."

"Is this a great country, or what?" the President said.

"Are you sure, Ari, we're not leaking enough?"

"The woman under the Burka was Karen P. Hughes," not Hillary Clinton, the NYT wrote.

NYT also wrote that Laura Bush merely cupped his hands around his mouth, not laid his hands across his face, as though she were slapping him.

"Bush has collected an average of $1million per week." NYT

timmymac10

President Was Comedian in Chief at Press Dinner

May 6, 2002

By ELISABETH BUMILLER

At the Saturday night carnival that was the White House Correspondents Association dinner, President Bush briefly threatened to close his remarks on a serious note and reflect on "all we have been through since I was here last year." But the president, who knows that being funny at such events is serious business in Washington, told the crowd of 2,600 people - including the evening's most ridiculous guest, the MTV star and aging rocker Ozzy Osbourne - that he had thought better of it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/06/national/06LETT.html

If the Justice Dept and the CIA want to put suspicions to bed then they should stop behaving as if they are part of a cover-up. This news attached below from the LA Times only makes a murky process murkier as this report comes on the heels of Snider's resignation a week ago and the revelations of the FBI's utter failure to heed legitimate warning by agents in the field re. Arabs (including one of the 19) training to fly in Arizona reported last week!

Senators, Representatives and Staffers: I hope you will ask hard questions (and follow-ups) of Dir. Tenet and send the appropriate messages to AG Ashcroft. I understand Tenet may be at a hearing with the Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

Media: There is compelling evidence of prior warnings and prior knowledge. No one as far as I know has been held accountable for the worst intelligence failure in history. Now it appears cover-up, delaying tactics and lack of cooperation are the order of the day in order to be sure this investigation goes nowhere.

It appears there are those on the Intelligence committee who are not content with sweeping things under the rug and looking the other way.

I hope the media does its job and reports on the growing evidence of an attempted whitewash of prior warnings and likely prior knowledge of the attacks of Sept. 11

Colleagues, friends, and investigators: In my view now is a good time to once again intensify our efforts to put the pressure on our representatives in Congress to be sure key people see the key documents that support the case the public has not been told the whole truth re. 9-11.

Please look for a compendium of the best researchers, web sites sources, unanswered questions, etc. to follow in a future email on this issue.

KFH

Inquiry of Intelligence Failures Hits Obstacles
Sept. 11: The lawmakers leading the investigation voice concerns that the CIA and Justice Department are undermining efforts.
By GREG MILLER
TIMES STAFF WRITER

May 4 2002

WASHINGTON -- WASHINGTON -- Lawmakers leading the investigation of intelligence agencies' failures surrounding the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks are increasingly concerned that tactics by the CIA and the Justice Department are actively impeding their efforts, congressional sources said Friday.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-000031609may04.story?coll=la%2Dheadlines%2Dnation

I received this recent spam from the GHP. Makes me wonder if this TV show will be 'fair and balanced,' unlike those on the GHP station (Fox News Network), or more propaganda. Why am I wondering, I know it will be more lies, distortions, smoke and mirrors - typical
GHP tactics. I guess they believe they have another gullible minority group.

The Republican Party Continues Outreach, Launches Spanish-Language TV Show

In an unprecedented effort by a national political party, the Republican National Committee (RNC) today announced the launch of a Spanish-language television news magazine. Abriendo Caminos (Forging New Paths) will inform the Hispanic community about important political issues and Bush Administration initiatives that directly affect their lives. "President Bush has shown us that if we simply bring the Republican message to the Hispanic community, their support will follow." said RNC Chairman Marc Racicot.

Raquel Perkins
Buzz reader

[BuzzFlash Note: For more on this, you can read the AP story: Republicans Unveil TV Show in Spanish.]

Don't ask me how I got on a freeper mailing list, but this is choice. The RNC is calling on all
Repugnicans to write letters (let's hope they all write as well as w) to their newspapers' editorial boards to expose the dems' stonewalling on getting any more religio-crazies into the courts.

1) Since the repugs own the media, it would seem this is an unnecessary step.

2) Maybe we should write some letters too...

Kwade Dragon

May 6th, 2002
President Bush Calls on the Senate to End the Vacancy
Crisis in the Federal Courts

A year ago this week President Bush sent the first 11
of his 100 judicial nominees to the Senate for
confirmation. Only three of these eleven qualified
individuals have received hearings. Tom Daschle and
Judiciary Chairman Pat Leahy have been stonewalling
President Bush's nominees putting "justice at risk in
America." President Bush has called on the Senate to
end this "vacancy crisis" by confirming his judicial
nominees. The President has asked that we all "help
spread the word" about how serious the crisis is.
President Bush needs you to write a letter to your
news editors today!

Click here to get the facts and write your news
editors today!

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

The Republican Party Continues Outreach, Launches
Spanish-Language TV Show

In an unprecedented effort by a national political
party, the Republican National Committee (RNC) today
announced the launch of a Spanish-language television
news magazine. Abriendo Caminos (Forging New Paths)
will inform the Hispanic community about important
political issues and Bush Administration initiatives
that directly affect their lives. "President Bush has
shown us that if we simply bring the Republican
message to the Hispanic community, their support will
follow." Said RNC Chairman Marc Racicot.
Click here to read the complete story in English.
Click here to read the complete story in Spanish.
Click here to watch the Abriendo Caminos trailer in
Spanish.
Sign up to receive Email messages in Spanish!

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

I just got discharged from the Marines (honorably) as a Conscientious Objector. My request (or 'demand') for this status began back in May of 2000. (Just so you know I wasn't one of those guys who suddenly lost it when 9/11 hit.) Anyway, I just saw this posting regarding a Pakistani article claiming over 70 US/British soldiers had been captured by the Taliban and Al Qaida. Of course, from the mainstream perspective this would naturally appear hard to swallow, considering how we've been led to believe that our casualties have been very few, almost to a miraculous degree at that. (I remember when FOX NEWS - they play'd it in the chow hall, not my choice - had some concerned reporter announcing that one solider had actually been SHOT IN THE ARM! GASP! She closed the account with "let's hope he'll be all right.")

Anyway, getting to the purpose of this email... About a month ago I was speaking to a Marine wife who happened to be of Palestinian decent. During the course of our objective conversation on the so-called "war," she related something I found slightly disturbing, yet not entirely surprising. Through her husband they had friends who were in the Special Forces. Well, one of them had been killed while fighting in Afghanistan, was brought home, and had a military funeral - but nothing was mentioned in the papers or, rather, the Pentagon never acknowledged the incident that lead to his combat-related death. Somehow he got 'exempt' from the body-count roster. And who knows how many others had been killed, yet magically overlooked, when it came to press briefings.

It reminds me of a comment you made regarding those instances when a helio would supposedly "crash" due to 'faulty' maintenance or something. As if it was a convenient way to cover up a fail mission or what not and instead say "see this is why we need a bigger budget to prevent these 'accidents'."

So when this is over (if ever), perhaps THEN we'll see how many have really died in the name of high approval ratings.

Keep up the excellent work!

Waging Peace in Minnesota,
-Nick Sucik

Remember that Cheney Refused to Allow Price Constraints?

Sharon Andrews

May 7, 2002

Enron Forced Up California Energy Prices, Documents Show

By RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr. and JEFF GERTH

WASHINGTON, May 6 — Electricity traders at Enron drove up prices during the California power crisis through questionable techniques that company lawyers said "may have contributed" to severe power shortages, according to internal Enron documents released today by federal regulators.

Within Enron, the documents show, traders used strategies code-named Fat Boy, Ricochet, Get Shorty, Load Shift and Death Star to increase Enron's profits from trading power in the state — techniques that added to electricity costs and congestion on transmission lines.

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/07/business/07ENRO.html

Where is the outrage? The bankruptcy court allows a company in bankruptcy to pay their "important" people millions of dollars. This is obscene, as is the whole Enron mess. I have no problem with paying a nice salary to people doing their job, but to pay anyone salaries, bonuses and stock in any company at the rate it is happening today, and happened everyday at Enron, just invites corruption. Incidentally, the outrage must extend to the congress that threw out the laws protecting the people and allowed a company like Enron to even exist. Enron has, as far as I can see, no function except to cause the rise in prices on all power, then steal the proceeds. The mafia doesn't have to worry about the law anymore, they are the law. If there is any honesty left in our government they will completely disband these leaches. Is that a joke!! We had better all get outraged at the greed and dishonesty.

Suellen

500 Oregon Soldiers Deployed To Middle East

More than 500 troops from Medford, Roseburg, Grants Pass and Klamath Falls will spend months training in Colorado before heading to the Sinai Peninsula to monitor the border between Israel and Egypt.

http://www.koin.com/news/20020506_troopsdeployed.shtml

My question is why?

Don Limbaugh

[BuzzFlash Note: This is from a Web site for the Oregon National Guard: "The primary mission since WW II has been to train for war, though none of our units have been mobilized for a war mission since that time." Well, now they're mobilized. Any wonder what they plan to do?]

Dear Buzz,

Subj: Crossfire Quote of the Day

May 6, 2002

BEGALA: "...Time now for the CROSSFIRE Quote Of The Day. It comes from the Honorable Clarence Thomas, the U.S. Supreme Court justice who is seen but rarely heard. So, like Garbo, when he speaks we listen. The controversial justice recently spoke out about his job and it's our "Quote Of The Day.

Quote, "I really don't want to be a judge, I don't like it. It's contrary to my personality. I don't want to be judged, I don't like judging other people."

Clarence, you can always go back to being an unnamed faceless federal bureaucrat who sexually harasses Anita Hill..."

http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0205/06/cf.00.html

Liz

Hi Buzz:

Will Farrell, the guy who does such a great job impersonating our beloved President is leaving Saturday Night Live. Why does this strike me as strange? I recently remarked to my husband that Will has it made as long as Jr. is President. He could demand almost any salary and SNL would oblige because he is perfect for the role. Now, he's leaving the show, moving on to greener pastures. This calls for a big Hmmm....sort of like Tiger retiring from golf tomorrow. Maybe I have an overactive imagination but the timing of this move seems very strange to me. What do you think? Another question - just who will play Jr. or will they retire his character?

http://www.calendarlive.com/top/1,1419,L-LATimes-TV-X!ArticleDetail-58220,00.html

Regards,
Marlene

Dear BuzzFlash,

Subj: Next up for the Bush war.. CUBA!

Yep, you read that correct. The US is talking about declaring Cuba the newest member of the Bush 'axis of evil.' And they are already using the 'invade' word.

War on terror may extend to Cuba
http://www.guardian.co.uk/bush/story/0,7369,711100,00.html

Why don't we just go ahead and get it over with and send out our nuclear missiles in every direction?!

Just shoot all 6,000 nukes out in the full 360 degree's around the Wonderful USA!!

After all, we aren't too hot on Canada these days either, Bush even has Americans booing the Canadian national anthem at hockey games. All because they had the nerve to say something when the US killed some of their people. What's the matter with those stupid Canucks? Don't they know that's the USA's job under George Bush.. to kill everybody??!

And Mexico's president came out and supported the democracy that Bush tried to overthrow in Venezuela.

Hell lets just nuke everybody!

And if there are any survivors we can just take them over to Bush's newly created US torture chambers. And when all their fingers and toes are used up, send them over to the new Bush tribunal, where they can be secretly tried, secretly convicted and then secretly shot!

Welcome to the George W Bush New World Order...

...also known as 'The United States of Genghis Khan'

Kelley Kramer

Dear BuzzFlash,

Ok, here's what I wanna know.

How come it is that when our actually elected officials in D.C. were debating the fast track trade agreement, which supposedly would give W the power to make trade deals to benefit U.S. companies so they could sell their products in other countries that probably don't want them anyway, how come it is that people were saying there needed to be something in the fast track law that provided money to retrain American workers who get "displaced" by trade. I mean, isn't the idea of the trade agreement to make it easier to have more jobs here? So why would anyone get displaced, which I suppose really means laid off, fired, terminated, unemployed, whatever?

When is someone, other than our wonderful lefty fringe folks, going to come out and tell the American public that all these fast track trade things do just about nothing in terms of creating good-paying jobs for people in America, but do lots to improve the bottom lines of the stockholders of those companies that move production to places where they only have to pay $2 a day to the people who make their widgets?

We don't make anything in this country any more. Not cars or steel, not clothes or shoes, not furniture or appliances. Service is our business, our only business. We shuffle money around at credit card processing centers or we sell the cheap junk that passes for clothing and furniture at Wal-Mart or we act and sing and flip burgers and play ball and lobby and sue. I would add we heal to that list, but we don't have enough doctors and nurses to go around, because too much of the government assistance that used to help non-wealthy kids get to college and medical school has dried up because the haves didn't like so many of the have-nots suddenly being able to have. And too many of the have kids aren't bright enough to be the kind of doctors we'd trust, so we end up importing doctors (and computer engineers) because we don't even produce enough of them any more!

Anyway, that's what I wanna know.

Peace,
Linda Ann Wheeler Hilton
Buckeye (near Phoenix), Arizona

Dear Buzz,

You might want to mention that the newest anthrax scare just happens to be in Gephardt's state. Wonder why St. Louis, Mo. of all the cities in the entire US...

MEB