YOU GET WEALTH BY CREATING POVERTY

You don't think so? Hear a good argument for what's happening in America under Republican domination. I just happened, myself, to tune into a radio presentation by Michael Parenti from 1995 as saved by Alternative Radio. Where to order!


HALLIBURTON MISSION CREEP CREEPS OUT CREEP CHENEY

Time Magazine, June 7, 2004, page 38: Orr who is an adviser to the Iraqi Business Center in a talk with a group of Iraqi businessmen "gave few answers for what a growing number of disaffected Iraqis say is a system designed to shut them out of their own country's economic recovery."

No wonder Dick Cheney is getting mad enough to curse. The noose around his neck tying him to the Halliburton no bid contract draws ever tighter. Do you imagine those dudes watching Fox are even getting wind of this stuff? Do you imagine that Rush Dimbulb tells his audience about this stuff? In this new world of lying conservative newsmen, how do the duped get out of the trap to get to the truth? Pretty serious stuff.

Same Time, different page. Page 41: Representative Henry Waxman, a senior Democratic member of the House Government Reform Committee says, "This [no bid contracts] is a great deal for Halliburton and Bechtel, but it's an absolutely horrendous arrangement for the taxpayer."

Find more at: Time Magazine, June 7, 2004 But it'll cost you. These guys at Time must think we're all made of money and can just cough up five to ten dollars every day to make links to our blogs.


LITTLE BIG MAN

I want to thank the Spokesman for its Tuesday, June 29th, 2004 "Our View" support for the Constitution and the Supreme Court's ruling on combat detainees. Though not all I would like, the Surpreme Court did not back their appointee to the presidency. Thumbs up, Supremes! I believe this war will go on for at least 100 years. The real question was "can prisoners of war be detained for a lifetime?"

But in the same paper you allow a commentary in a news article on the front page. In a purported "news" story by Kevin Taylor about the Idaho National Guard Unit, preparing to go to Iraq, Kevin writes, "These were the men—and they were all men...." Do I hear a commentary about the "manhood" of our troops in this line? Even if Kevin only meant to indicate that all the troops preparing to leave were men (no women) still I want to comment a little about our young troopers.

I speak from a long life of reading, observation and thought about all the matters which confront the human animal on his way from birth to death. And I speak from a deep felt grief for young men, worldwide, who are continually asked to do unspeakable things to their fellow animals and to suffer unbelievable fears for world leaders' transient causes. If we continue this way, does anyone actually believe we'll have a war which truly will end all war? The only way to end war is to not have a war.

Inside each strutting young trooper, I see the manchild, playing soldier in a field or jungle or pushing a truck through a sandbox. I also know that young men are more vulnerable to having their agressions channeled toward those who are not the "us" in an "us versus them" confrontation. It's in their animal, evolutionary nature to act that way. I was that way as a youth when I swallowed everything that black and white war movies told me about Japs and Huns being bad guys.

Speaking of the manipulation of young men—we can't forget that Eisenhower made sure that most of the troopers who landed on the beaches of Normandy had little or no combat experience. The thinking was that the troops without knowledge of beach landings and combat would more easily leap off those landing craft onto the beaches and advance. Now, isn't that cold calculation by the forces which lead?

Anyhow, I grieve for young men like those Idahoans, and I abhore old men like Bush who have lived their lives and learned nothing. Was it the cocaine or the scotch that did your brain in, George?