Mike Gravel & Fair Tax Act

Hahahahahahahaha. Wait …. hahahahahahaha …. mmm …. hahahahaha. My side aches. Okay, where's the composure? Seriously folks.

Mysterious experienced politician, anti-war warrior, fair tax and direct democracy advocate, yelling the nukers are here, the nukers are here - Mike Gravel - appears out of nowhere.

Gravel, the latest "man of the people" supports the FAIR TAX. Pols have tried to pass this tax bill before.

There is so much fluff and fraud in this tax method (and Gravel) I don't know where to begin. It may take days/weeks of blogging. If you read no more than the above links it seems obvious the "fair tax" will be a better way of bending Joe over without all the yearly IRS paperwork involved. Big Daddy Guvmint will not bend Joe over every payday, but the City, County, and State enforcers get the job.

FAIR TAX allows for States to collect a little bit for themselves as payment for collecting and sending taxes to the Feds. We have exorbitant city, county, and State screw-u tax where I live now. When I leave home to do the weekly shopping I bend over and back out the door.

FAIR TAX: "To preclude any citizen from paying the FairTax on the basic necessities of life, a Rebate check is sent (in advance) each month. Also, called a "Pre-bate" check. The amount of the Rebate is determined by Family size (not income) and is calculated by multiplying the annual Poverty Level (as established by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services) times 23%, then dividing by 12 to determine the monthly amount of the "Pre-bate" check."

Basic necessities are shelter, food, medicine, clothing. A government check for everyone. Now who would bite the hand that feeds them in advance? Who among the lower, working, and middle classes will knock the status quo if they be gettin' a check every month? A dependent of the Federal government. Many folks, currently living at, near, or around poverty level and millions in the middle wouldn't dream of refusing a rebait check. They will never rock the boat, buck the system, fight the power, or challenge anything the Government does – they will think they need that monthly check.

For millions, filing a tax return is already a yearly EIC bonus bait of 2, 3, 4 or 5K; to buy a used car, pay off those payday predatory loans, a new computer, etc. These folks are already getting a "prebait" from Big Daddy Guv, or as I call it – the Master's Bait. The current system works fine for millions of lower to middle income folks. Just keep a check of some kind comin' in. Rebate or bribe. A cheap method for control of the piddling masses.

Millions of folks, living paycheck to paycheck, will wait for the prebate, spending more on non-necessities because the guvmint rebait check will take care of this month's necessity. It will feel like free lunch money once a month.

Me, I wouldn't mind a fair tax/rebate. I'm frugal. I could invest that monthly check in other income producing projects/hobbies. Everything we own is paid for and grandpa's generational trust guarantees the grandkids' future. That check could go to the vacation fund. Bring rebait on Big Guv. I could be ziplining in Costa Rica on your dime.

And the Fair Tax eliminates corporate taxes. "Dramatically reduces the price of new products and services, estimated at 20-25%, because corporations no longer need to hide these costs in the retail prices that are now passed on to consumers."

Yessirree, products and service prices will be reduced by 25 percent. Those big lovable corporate lunks will never again plump up dividends with hidden costs to Joe Consumer. Hahahahahaha. Please, stop, what a show.

It was under Poppy Bush that politicians decided a "luxury tax" would be "fair." Higher "sales tax" on yachts, automobiles, private planes, furs, jewelry - over a certain price. The yacht, fur, diamond industries lobbied - and rich people bought their luxuries overseas. The projected revenue from the luxury tax never happened. Poppy lost reelection.

What would happen to all the wealthy tax sheltered exemptions disguised as do-good institutions and families/friends hand-me-down foundations if we did away with the income tax? If there was no tax benefit to giving money away would the wealthy give it away? Solely for PR? The wealthy I have known would not donate a dime if not rewarded in some financial manner at the end of the photo-op. Wealth can be addictive – how high can the net worth numbers go.

When Joe Blow is paying 23 percent sales tax on a compact fuel efficient painted tincan car and a coat from Wal-Mart, from what nation will the wealthier folks buy their cars, furs, jewels? You think the wealthy will avoid the FAIR TAX? It's not as though they have to buy a car every couple of years to get to work, or particle board furniture, or a diamond from Zales, etc.

Remember, taxes have always gone up for the little people. How quickly would the FAIR TAX rise to 25 percent, 28 percent, 30, 40? Think the wealthy will buy in America to fund those rebate checks for Joe?

Mike Gravel, same shit and shinola politician. Polishing.

What some fear is the idea of no income taxation below a certain level. Nor do I hear anyone proposing that no human being needs mega millions or billions – instead the claim is the wealthy among us have "earned" it. Earned it because they were savvy, sharp, smarter, more talented. Yep, never mind that inheritance, "family" connections, corruption, government contracts, wars and slave wage labor made these men and women super rich – they "earned" that money. And billions of other can crawl along waiting for the end. (Mises also has an older article on the fair tax.)

Tokens

Y'all know I support and read BAR (Black Agenda Report) but I have to argue with this piece Obama, the Phony Anti-War Candidate: Kucinich is the Real Deal.

I'll agree Obama is a phony anti-war candidate.

And once upon a time I gave Dennis Kucinich the benefit of the doubt but I can no longer do that. DK is the token "leftist" embedded in and by the Democratic party to draw the votes of those who detest the other cheek of the corporate ass, i.e. Hillary and Obama. As the story always ends - when Dennis loses the nomination – most of his followers shrug, sigh, hold their nose and vote Democrat.

Remember how well Dennis played the 2004 role of "extreme left of the democratic party" and then threw his support behind the ridiculous bones-man John Kerry and Johnny VP, who Kerry would tutor on how to become an aristocrat – Little Lord Fauntleroy Edwards.

KUCINICH: "The next critical step we must take is to help elect John Kerry as the next president of the United States," Kucinich told reporters. "The word is unity. That is the operative word."

Operative is the word all right. Unity of the Dem Party. Phaaaaaaattttt, raspberry on you Dennis.

Kucinich is not the real deal peace candidate – he just plays one in the House, otherwise, the democratic party would have discarded him long ago.

DK's "peace" proposal is to use a "UN peacekeeping force" and to "provide funding for reconstruction, jobs, and reparations." So although the monetary and human cost of imperialism will not drop a helluva lot, we can parcel out 40 acres and a camel, and call it international peacekeeping and feel better.

And then there was this statement in the BAR article : "The U.S. maintains 730 military installations in 50 countries around the globe!"

This figure has been spinning for years. What is not said is that liberal spin can make a single guard shack outside Camp Humphreys in S. Korea a "military installation".

As previously blogged here, the US does not have 730 installations around the globe. The number is closer to half that, or approximately 300 or so. This 730+ figure comes from spinning the DOD's "Base Structure Report" of real estate/real property. Here's the official base list from military.com, which adds up to about 233 worldwide, with two-thirds of those in the US. Not included on the list are "installations" such as in Honduras, Joint Task Force-Bravo located at Soto Cano Air Base. Or Pine Gap "joint reconnaissance" in Australia. Such "installations" usually have 500 or fewer US personnel, who are considered guests, "renters" on the installation/base of that particular country. Guests who operate with the approval of that nation's ruling elite, "guests" who bring in big bucks for certain sectors of the host economy. It's not cheap to rent the ruling class in other countries ya know.

I suppose the US could leave these "jointly run" bases and let Russia or China befriend and spend more on renting those countries. Surely Putin would be more than happy to rent Palmerola and the People's Republic of China could find some use for joint reconnaissance here and there after the US leaves. No reason why the US should hog all the global installations.

I think what I'm trying to say is the New World Order is here. There's just some disagreement on who will rule it. The new bosses, or the old bosses. And for anyone who doesn't get it - the new boss is the same as the old boss.

TechCojones

Technology, defined as that thing which progressives always claim will change the world for the better. The progressive minded promise technology will enlighten, educate, inform, entertain. Technology, primitive or current, will reach more people - it will challenge the powers that be (TPTB). Packaged and sold in such a way, it is hope.

Technoinfo began around 1460 with the Gutenberg moveable type. The printed word can be credited not only for a revolution in the production of books, but for promoting the development in the sciences, arts and religion through the transmission of text.

One of the first Gutenberg printables, the Bible, limited to 145 or so copies, was the Anglo contract with God that to rape, murder, plunder, enslave, smite and smote darker inhabitants around the globe was all outlined and approved right there in the guten book. Just follow the testament of priests and kings. Mark your X at the bottom and board the ship; heathens await to be "civilized" and god will sort 'em out.

Printed information and knowledge, the Word, at the speed of movable type and distribution, limited but available to a few.

After 1460 mankind did become smarter and wiser. Yep, sure did. Although literacy was not rampant, some day modern average Joe would reap the rewards of learning to read the printed word, better yet – he would let others, more "learned", interpret the meaning of words - from the pew, the podium, the blackboard.

Joe advances slowly but surely. Manifestos, newspapers, Marvel comics, romance novels, Playboy, Hustler, VCR instructions, assembled in Mexico, made in China.

In the 1800s "wireless telegraphy" began evolving. Telegraph, between 1825 and 1835. Telephone around 1875. Radio, connected closely with the first two, was put in use around 1903.

Again, progressives of the era shouted a new age of information would usher in a better world for common man.

Information, instant or almost. Live. Call for Phillip Morris. Telegram. Europe at it again. World War on radio waves and movie newsreel. Is that you Myrtle, only the Shadow knows.

Then television. From the silent big screen and talkies – a TV, a big box of information in every home. Truly a feat of the genius of modern man.

Television was guaranteed to free the sheople of ignorance and boredom – it would educate as well as entertain - and as public airwaves "it would always be free." Hahaha, folks really believed that one.

But the best was still to come. The Internet.

And again, folks are promised, assured, excited – it's a new era of outreach and information for the common man. Average folks will use this newfound tool of knowledge to unite and challenge the status quo.

Yessiree, we the sheople got TPTB by the techcojones this time! We're internetted.

We're ready, hear us roar – in numbers too big to ignore …. (Helen Reddy? I need to google that).

Keyboard revolutionaries - let the rebellion begin!

Just as soon as I win this round of Word Whomp and play a few hours of World of Warcraft – I'm gonna sign that online petition to save the Gitmos and send a scathing e-mail to my congressman to end the PersianKitty War and bring our troops home now.

Totally Limited Dennis

Dennis Kucinich on re-re-investigating 9/11 : "Cleveland Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich told an interviewer during one of his recent presidential campaign jaunts that he plans to hold an inquiry sometime in September on "some specific areas" of 9/11. "The inquiries will be limited," Kucinich told blogger Keith Farrell, who posted his interview on YouTube. "But I think that by focusing on some specific areas that to me represent the most egregious examples of distortion of truth or lack of information, by focusing in on that, I'll be able to bring forward a new dimension to the discussions. And from there, we'll move ahead."

Dennis on violence in America: Washington, Apr 18 - WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 18) — In the aftermath of Monday’s deadly shooting in Blacksburg, Virginia, Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) is proposing a comprehensive, three-point plan to deal with the violence plaguing America, including a ban on handguns.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), the most liberal of the Democratic presidential candidates in the primary field, declared in a letter sent to his Democratic House colleagues this morning that he plans to file articles of impeachment against Vice President Dick Cheney.

----Limited inquiries will bring a new dimension to discussions? Dennis, you should be head of the Ministry of Truth. And I gotta ask, why leave Bush out of the impeachment? Hmmm? His daddy is bigger than your daddy?

I'll give you the #1 root cause of violence. Money. Too much or not enough, and the amount needed to satisfy an individual is subjective. The VA Tech shooter, Cho, ranted about Mercedes driven classmates, debauchery, and trust fund brats.

I don't believe this recent massacre will be used to attempt a handgun confiscation (yet), other than by Dennis and a few others. The tragedy will be used with more subtlety; to insinuate that those who would rant against the rich folks must be crazy potential killers. And anyone with information of such ranters should contact the proper authorities. Of course, you're not mentally ill, but don't bitch too loudly or specifically about the wealth distribution in America – you might be seen as having a class envy Cho moment.

How Convenient

Around the world, some decry U.S. ‘gun culture’.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard said the shooting underscored the problems of a U.S. “gun culture,” but the gun control debate echoed loudest across Europe, which has some of the toughest gun laws in the world.

“I would like to express on behalf of Britain and the British people our profound sadness at what has happened and to send the American people and most especially, of course, the families of the victims, our sympathy and our prayers,” Blair said.

“The Queen was shocked and saddened to hear of the news of the shooting in Virginia,” Buckingham Palace said.

“Why, we ask, do Americans continue to tolerate gun laws and a culture that seems to condemn thousands of innocents to death every year, when presumably, tougher restrictions, such as those in force in European countries, could at least reduce the number?”

Gun crime is extremely rare in Britain, and handguns are completely illegal. The ban is so strictly enforced that Britain’s Olympic pistol shooting team is barred from practicing in its own country.

----We knew this response was coming. Now enter the democrats, stage left. The same party which supports your birthright to wallow 24/7 in sex and violence, violent sex and sexual violence, brains and autopsies, blood and gore - and that's just the shampoo commercials - will again renew the push for gun control.

Besides – US gun culture saddens Blair and the Queen and shocks the world. Yessiree, let's just disarm and make new world fascism easy for the global elite.

As someone close to me says, when they come for our guns, we unfortunately lost all ours when the catamaran sank on that last trip out ...

Back And To The Left

REUTERS: Paris - French secret services produced nine reports between September 2000 and August 2001 looking at the al-Qaida threat to the United States, and knew it planned to hijack an aircraft, the French newspaper Le Monde said on Monday.

That means al-Qaida is real, al-Qaida is a threat, al-Qaida is a real threat, al-Qaida is a real threat to the United States (and the Anglo-Christo world).

REUTERS: The newspaper said it had obtained 328 pages of classified documents that showed foreign agents had infiltrated Osama bin Laden’s network and were carefully tracking its moves.

Lots of documents. Foreign agents had infiltrated OBL's network. OBL network is real; carefully tracked. Initially the US floated the excuse that al-Qaida cells were impossible to infiltrate for a variety of reasons, exceptin' for Johnny Walker Lindh. But the French infiltrated the network or the CIA or Mossad or everyone?

REUTERS: One document prepared in January 2001 was entitled, “Plan to hijack an aircraft by Islamic radicals,” and said the operation had been discussed in Kabul at the start of 2000 by al-Qaida, Taliban and Chechen militants.

Islamic radicals,Talibanman, Chechenistas, pinkos and commies - no, wait, those last two were the last generation's evildoers. There's a lot of Kabul in those documents.

REUTERS: The hijack was meant to happen between March and September 2000 but the planners put it back “because of differences of opinion, particularly over the date, objective and participants,” Le Monde said, citing the report.

Tells us "they" are not addicted to instant gratification. They took time to determine the particulars of the 9/11 plot. "They" have patience, how evil. And their next attack could be the really really big one with all that patience.

REUTERS: Le Monde said the French report of January 2001 had been handed over to a CIA operative in Paris, but that no mention of it had ever been made in the official U.S. September 11 Commission, which produced its findings in July 2004.

Ah ha! The CIA had knowledge of the report because the French gave it to them. Hasn't this "news" been news more than a few times?

REUTERS: “You have to remember that a plane hijack (in January 2001) did not have the same significance as it did after Sept. 11. At the time, it implied forcing a plane to land at an airport and undertaking negotiations,” said Pierre-Antoine Lorenzi.

Oh. The word hijack meant something totally different pre-911, but still, did the 9/11 Commission know about the French report? And if not, why not, hmmm? Remember Condi and the PDB? Let's investigate that shall we? Again.

REUTERS: Le Monde said the documents showed the French believed bin Laden was still receiving help from family members and senior officials in Saudi Arabia ahead of Sept. 11, 2001, despite attempts to clamp down on the network after al-Qaida’s attacks on U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Kenya in 1998.

Ya see?! The Saudi were helping OBL and everyone knows Bush holds hands with the Saudi. Somehow, killing Black Africans in 1998 was supposed to further the radical Islamic cause of Death to America. See how big the threat grew because the US didn't hunt down OBL and his crew under Clinton? Makes me wonder if a faction of the global elite preferred Africa as a springboard to the ME.

---I thought this Reuters piece a typical example of hypnotic news. Subliminal, repetitive, with common talking points. Points for both sides of the aisle. News that bolsters the rightwing sheeple's fear of Islam and al-Qaida is real and al-Qaida did it and al-Qaida is our worst enemy – while giving the leftwing the talking points that the French government is a friend of the American sheople, that the bUSh government had information, hid information, cannot be trusted - elect democrats.

A mile wide and an inch deep - "shallow news" - to promote the idea that folks need government protection from a world of evil; so pay up.

Wendi Ding Nicole?

Rupert Murdoch and Wendi Deng Murdoch.

Housing boom. Despite government measures to cool growth, the Beijing housing sector has never been hotter. According to the local media, average prices in the city increased by almost 10% in February. Estate agents claim many luxury homes have doubled in value in three years.

While many Beijing 'hoods are still occupied by working class families, others have been snapped up by wealthy foreigners, senior officials, contemporary artists and the new rich. Two years ago, Rupert Murdoch was reportedly pressed into buying one for wife, Wendi Deng.

I was unaware Murdoch had arm candy until reading the above story which sparked my curiosity.

In 1987, as an 18 y/o college student in Beijing, Wendy met Jake Cherry, (a UNICEF executive) and his wife, who started teaching Deng English. In 1988 the Cherry pair sponsored a student visa for Deng and she moved to America to live with the Cherrys and to study at California State University, Northridge.

"In 1990 Jake Cherry left his wife to marry Deng after his wife found photos her husband had taken of Deng in a hotel room. Five months through their marriage, Deng started seeing another man, Cherry and Deng then divorced after two years and seven months of marriage." Wendi went on to Yale and a position at one of Murdoch's holdings. At the old age of 29, Wendi again finds another woman's husband to marry, Rupert.

Wendy and Rup married in 1999 and have 2 young children. Soooo to make a short story longer, Rupert the faux news tabloid mogul, divorced his last wife of 31 years to marry Ms. Yale Hoochie, who is approximately 40 years younger. Past wives and Murdoch children are in discussion of how to eventually divide Murdoch's 6 billion when Rup dies, but Wendi has an "heir and a spare".

Short version: Eeww, gag, daddy. Ka-ching!
Scariest version: These are our future power moguls.
Worst version: Murdoch shysters threaten to sue me as Nadman Auchi did.
Worst yet version: You think these people are cool.

High Flying in a Hummer

PORT HURON, Mich. — A Northwest Airlines pilot made a U-turn at a U.S.-Canada border crossing, then led deputies on a chase in his Hummer before being subdued and found to be holding cocaine, a sheriff's officer said Sunday.

The 50-year-old pilot posted $10,000 bond Sunday but was being held until his blood alcohol level fell to a level considered sober, said St. Clair County sheriff's Lt. A.J. Foster.

Walter L. Dinalko of St. Paul, Minn., apparently had a change of heart after driving onto the Blue Water Bridge toward Sarnia, Ontario, Saturday night, Foster said.

Dinalko turned around three times, then drove the wrong way off the bridge and headed west onto the eastbound lanes of Interstate 94, Foster said.

U.S. Customs agents followed the pilot and alerted sheriff's deputies, who closed down the expressway and gave chase, Foster said.

Deputies laid down stop sticks, which flattened the Hummer's tires. Dinalko stopped but refused to surrender to deputies, Foster said.

"He started giving them a hard time, and a tussle ensued," Foster said. Deputies subdued him and found suspected cocaine on the floor of the vehicle and in Dinalko's pocket, the lieutenant said.

Left Tongue Flapping

Liberals/progressives chatter of Paul "The Despicable" Wolfowitz' getting his girly friend a job. Cronyism, favoritism, etc. As if everyone and anyone with any connection doesn't do the same when possible.

The higher traffic "progressive" sites all mention the salary of Paul's friend as "making more than Condi Rice."

I must have been tilling the garden when progressives flipped from dogging Con Rice to concern about her welfare and income in comparison to other employees.

Hillary C. also slams the "culture of cronyism."

Guess she forgot Bubba Bill or someone transferred Monica to the Pentagon with the job title - Confidential Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs. Or that Bubba's buddy Vernon Jordan was sent to get Monica into a private sector job when Ken Starr listed her as a witness, but that didn't work out. Monica just had to blow all her opportunities. Or was she role playing in that vast rightwing conspiracy?

Anyone remember John F. Kennedy hiring brother Bobby as AG? Oh, I know, I know - when the "left" cronies-up, their folks are qualified, justified, deserve the jobs, winky wink.

Liberals/conservatives, neocons/progressives, 1 mouth with 2 tongues. But, on the bright side, I sometimes laugh at the "left" tongue flapping - they're such hams at dramatic theatrics.

Who's That Rocker

Ernie Isley


Electric Purgatory

Sauerkraut

German trainer told soldier to picture shooting blacks in Bronx.

BERLIN (AP) — A German army instructor ordered a soldier to envision himself in New York City facing hostile blacks while firing his machine gun, a video that aired Saturday on national television showed.

The president of the Bronx, the New York City borough that the army instructor referred to in his directions to the soldier, demanded an apology from the German military and said the clip "indicates that bias and assumptions and racism is alive and well around the world."

The Defense Ministry said the video was shot in July 2006 at barracks in the northern town of Rendsburg and that the army has been aware of it since January.

"We are currently investigating the incident," said Florian Naggies, a spokesman for the army and Defense Ministry.

The clip shows an instructor and a soldier in camouflage uniforms in a forest. The instructor tells the soldier, "You are in the Bronx. A black van is stopping in front of you. Three African-Americans are getting out and they are insulting your mother in the worst ways. ... Act."

The soldier fires his machine gun several times and yells an obscenity several times in English. The instructor then tells the soldier to curse even louder.

The Red Worm Candidate

Daniel Imperato, 48 y/o West Palm Beach, FL businessman, 30 years of global business experience – but just an average guy desiring to make America a better place for all. Calls himself the "Poster child for the American dream." The founder of Imperiali Organization, Honors from the Vatican, a Knight of Malta, a Knight of the Orden Bonaria.

Imperato is also a screenwriter, and executive producer of The Red Worm.

Better World To Appoint Global Ambassadors. The Better World Global Ambassadors will be responsible for identifying potential Better World projects. In addition, Better World Global Ambassadors will champion their own individual Better World causes throughout the globe … "I am truly honored," stated Imperato. "I want to give my sincere gratitude to Mr. Beryl Wolk who has given me this tremendous opportunity to help him make a better world. I believe that with a little hard work, vision, and support we can rally people around the world to help advance our society." (Beryl Wolk, may or may not be a marketing and MLM genius.)

Better World Campaign : "The Better World Campaign (BWC) works to strengthen the relationship between the United States and the United Nations through outreach, communications, and advocacy. We encourage U.S. leadership to enhance the UN’s ability to carry out its invaluable international work on behalf of peace, progress, freedom, and justice. In these efforts, we engage policy makers, the media, and the American public to increase awareness of and support for the United Nations."

--Hmmm. The old global rally in disguise. A sort of Corleone outreach to the Barzini and Tattaglia families.

Imus

By Bob Herbert.

You knew something was up early in the day. As soon as I told executives at MSNBC that I was going to write about the “60 Minutes” piece, which was already in pretty wide circulation, they began acting very weird. We'll get back to you, they said.

In a “60 Minutes” interview with Don Imus broadcast in July 1998, Mike Wallace said of the “Imus in the Morning” program, “It's dirty and sometimes racist.”

Imus then said: “Give me an example. Give me one example of one racist incident.” To which Wallace replied, “You told Tom Anderson, the producer, in your car, coming home, that Bernard McGuirk is there to do nigger jokes.”

Imus said, “Well, I've nev — I never use that word.”

Wallace then turned to Anderson, his producer. “Tom,” he said.

“I'm right here,” said Anderson.

Imus then said to Anderson, “Did I use that word?”

Anderson said, “I recall you using that word.”

“Oh, OK,” said Imus. “Well, then I used that word. But I mean — of course, that was an off-the-record conversation. But —— ”

“The hell it was,” said Wallace.

The transcript was pure poison. A source very close to Imus told me Wednesday night, “They did not want to wait for your piece to come out.”

Happy To Be Nappy

Latest talking anus host, Don Imus, apologizes for his "nappy-headed hos" comment. Will rehab and counseling come next? Are ratings down for the I man? Yes, I know, degrading has been in and trendy for a long time but - "nappy-headed hos?"

As though there's not enough self-destructive Black artists referring to Black women as hos - Imus has to join the chorus. Imus should take his 10 gallon cowboy hat and ride into the sunset with the remains of his poor leathered skin and vodka soaked brain cell.

Imus, and others, trying to be serious and/or funny, Limbaugh, Savage Weenie, Rosie, Maher, Springer, Dennis Miller, O'Reilly, Howard Stern, etc. are "Personalities." Ha! No they're not.

They're narcissistic sociopaths. Public raunch addicts presented to a socially dysfunctional and illiterate audience by MSM, Inc. Big mouths without talent, glorifying the rude, the obnoxious, the vulgar. Addicts, addicted to egos, to alcohol, drugs, food, their own voice. Corporate controlled, overpaid inflated ids. Now, who's a ho?

Barbara Lynn

What'd I Say


You'll Lose a Good Thing

Positiveus Perversus

(AP) In an Easter litany of the world's suffering, Pope Benedict XVI lamented that "nothing positive" is happening in Iraq and decried the unrest in Afghanistan and bloodshed in Africa and Asia.

"How many wounds, how much suffering there is in the world," the pontiff told tens of thousands of pilgrims, tourists and Romans gathered Sunday at St. Peter's Square where he had just finished celebrating Mass.

Benedict, delivering his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" Easter address from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, denounced terrorism and kidnappings, and "the thousand faces of violence which some people attempt to justify in the name of religion," as well as human rights violations.

"Afghanistan is marked by growing unrest and instability," Benedict said. "In the Middle East, besides some signs of hope in the dialogue between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, unfortunately, nothing positive comes from Iraq, torn apart by continual slaughter as the civil population flees."

He also had harsh words about the "underestimated humanitarian situation" in Darfur as well as other African places of suffering. These included violence and looting in Congo, fighting in Somalia and the "grievous crisis" in Zimbabwe, marked by crackdowns on dissidents, a disastrous economy and severe corruption.

Benedict said political "paralysis" threatened Lebanon's future.

--------Denouncing violence and violations on several continents, and looking as cadaverish as ever, Pope Benedict, former nazi and now head honcho of the largest and oldest global pedophile ring, made no mention of protecting altar boys around the world.

Rip Van Whistle

Shills and babblers still yelling the US to attack Iran – this month, April, spring, soon.

From correspondents in Middle East. (I wouldn't want a byline on this crap either.)

"The US is planning to attack Iran's nuclear reactors and other nuclear facilities by the end of this month, the Kuwait-based Arab Times newspaper reported Wednesday. Citing anonymous sources in Washington, it said that various White House departments had started preparing the political speech to be delivered by the US president later this month, announcing the military attack on Iran."

---The powers that be will need better justification than "… Iran's alleged role in the killing of American soldiers in Iraq by supporting various militias with money and arms." Think the "supporting terra-ists" b.s. will work a second time? TPTB need an "inciting" event. A "Tonkin" – google it.

But current propaganda claims "… sources were quoted as saying that US will not resort to a ground attack in order to avoid human losses." Puleeze, the global fascists readily throw their puppets Bush and Blair under the oncoming train of the NWO – ya think human loss is a concern for these people?

Hmmm okay, well, even without an inciting event, with an air war the US body count will be low and the American public will not rise up in protest. Off hand, I can't think of anything that will get Americans to rise up from the couch.

An attack on Iran, would give the democrats more to promise the peasantry – i.e. they will stop the madness once they, the party of "peace and prosperity" are installed. The dems will guarantee to clean up the neo- "new-con" messes quicker than you can say Bosniakosovo and UN blue hat specials, clean up in aisle wag-a-dog. Austerity at sacrifice prices. Just keep voting.

Really wanna scare the powers that be? Turn your back on the ballot until there is real choice.

Recall the first 3 years after 9/11 somewhere around 85 percent of the American public (if you believe in polls) supported BushCo Wars. Yep, after the WTC "attack" 85 percent of Americans were traumatized, riled up, "awake" and ready to fight. The remaining reluctant 15 percent must have included nearly the entire Black populace, 13%, and 2% other aware citizens.

Anti-war folks are such gullible hope'sters - praising Rosies and Charlies and any crackpot who will preach from the prison planet and/or ivory tower. If I weren't such an orthodox heathen, today's "progressive heroes" would drive me to take my piss and vinegar and join the Republican party.

Think Boy Bush will be known as the godfather of the NAU (North American Union)? The economic marriage of necessity where Joe Blow's environment will be half as friendly as Canada and one step up from a Tijuana shanty. Smell the third world? I caught a whiff of it when I was based out of Denver in the '80s, so it's been coming a long time, should be here by now. The perfume of raw sewage, fried beans, and "free trade." You want open borders? – open wide - you're gonna get them, good and hard.

But keep trying to "wake up" those sleepy heads who apparently slept through Bubba Clinton's shafta programs and balanced budget cookbooks. Slept through election coup 2000 and 2004. Snoozed during the war on Afghanistan to get Yomama bin Ladened. Wake up a few green folks who napped until Al "Utilities" Gore and Prince Charlie Tampon conveniently and profitably told them the world is warming, the world is warming. Truth is Joe, TPTB have other uses for the anglo "way of life" which no longer includes po' white folk getting a share of the resources. Yessirree, your free po' white privilege ride has ended.

Just wait until TPTB force you to live like a refugee – in the War on Global Warming - while they maintain their level of luxury. Must be descendents of the same folks who snored and farted through centuries of corporate and political corruption, from the Vanderbilts and Duponts to Kenny Boy and Dead Eye Dick (Cheney). Slept through Prescott and Adolf and Iran in the Reagan basement, through Poppy Bush and Saxy Bill doing drugs and Jennifers in Mena.

Keep your eye on the new century's versions of Dealey plaza, the Ambassador kitchen, the Lorraine balcony. It's going to be a never-ending ground zero investigation, just pucker and blow. And while you're whistling ….

Oye. Left and right, muff divers and trannie annies, page boys and kiddie men, skull and bone coffin divers, spin the loofah O'Reilly jerks off with, trump cards and obamaramas, watch white girl Hillary fake a drawl, watch leading Blacks bleach up. Let them entertain you. TPTB have a catalogue of heroes and feudsters to "speak truth" … - waking people up. Check local schedules for programming.

iRack

Katy Does Goliath

I've come to love this time of year. It is the time of year when little self-employed peasant Kate takes on the I-R-S. Yes! Armed with a bucket of chutzpah and the belief that I don't owe the government diddlysquat, no matter how much money I made last year. I call it the privileged affluent outlook on tax. One need not be privileged or affluent, just have the attitude.

The government can have only as much as I deem government deserves – which varies according to how well government has worked for me during the taxable year. Needless to say – the government, year after year, fails to perform in a manner worthy of much compensation.

It's my matching wits against the Goliath who would take every dime not tied up or tied down - if not for my creative bookkeeping, cabinets of paperwork, and the inspiration to stre-e-e-e-e-tch the limits of deductible imagination, which might lift eyebrows higher than Pelosi's – but the deductions are legal. Yessiree – legal, by the rule. Maybe within a hair's breadth of being disallowed but oh what mighty mighty hairs are those breadths which the IRS cannot argue with or deny.

Truth is, it's a natural high asswhipping once a year on the IRS. I have made the IRS wait, sometimes filing for extension. One year recently I did not file, did not request extension, and waited. They sent a "reminder" 10 months after that April deadline that I needed to file. And amazingly – that year I qualified for a small refund – sufficient to cover the penalty for filing late. When necessary, I can really "go figure."

My tax game began a decade ago when we returned to the US from Central America. I was audited more times than I can remember, actually it was 7 years in a row. Then – 3 or 4 years ago the IRS stopped. Ceased and desisted, most certainly due to the sheer genius and speed with which I responded to their audits, and with painstaking PROOF that each and every item and statement on those forms, with my signature - is within the law. For every "must pay" there is ambiguity, a loophole to squeeze and wiggle through, and I will find those holes.

The mighty Federal Tax Goliath becomes a mouse. I, a sleek shining panther with stealth, grace, without fear - moving through a jungle of tax forms; the IRS rat scurries, scurvy-toothed government, beady eyes looking for my cheese, until he sees me – I'm on guard. I keep receipts, I make copies, I have a filing system, I read - my long paw slaps the rat; buries it beneath a slingshot full of loophole b.s., within the law of course.