Dirty Old Liars

Greetings, friends,
This will be a long, strolling screed, as I clean out the IN BOX before my trip to the Alps. I've sent along some A-1 pictures this time, thanks to my mother and Mrs. Beth Chance...I especially like the "Happier Times" picture, which cracked up my favorite adolescent children from a window on the Venice Beach Boardwalk last weekend.

Okay, here's a creepy little Internet tool which tell you who your neighbors are giving money to...and who your neighbors are. So much for privacy in this culture (thanks, Mrs. Chance and Geri):
http://www.fundrace.org/

And here's a nice long collection of statements by members of the Bush Administration, which are not merely misstatements, but DIRTY OLD LIES:
Fish. Barrel. Boom.
By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t Perspective
"I'm a firm believer in feeding people their own words back to them, when it's appropriate." – Trent Lott
As we hurtle headlong into the silly season, a high colonic for the mind is in order. There is going to be a lot of back-and-forth between the candidates regarding who said what and when. Feast, in that context, upon this small collection:
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/031104A.shtml

On a completely different note, I've received this apocryphal message in a few different contexts, so it might be an "Internet legend" in the making, but I like it anyway (thanks, Dr. Hillary and Ms. Jenn):
Subject: Fw: a letter to dr. laura concerning gay marriage
As Heard On Friday, January, 31, 2003: Letter to Dr. Laura from a Bob and Sheri listener!
Dear Dr. Laura:
Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. For
example, when someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate.

However, I do need some advice from you regarding some of the other specific laws and how to follow them.
1. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev.1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them.
Should I smite them?
2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15:19-24. The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most
women take offense.
4. Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?
5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?
6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination (Lev. 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?
7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there
some wiggle room here?
8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev.19:27. How should they die?
9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them (Lev.24:10-16)? Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14) I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

Yes, religion is a wonderful way to celebrate life:
Pastor Dies Watching 'Passion of Christ'
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040323/od_nm/passion_dc

PS. No, I haven't, and I won't see it. I like my Jesus just like the one I grew up with (Ted Neeley whining or my namesake Jeffrey Hunter, blond-haired and blue-eyed), standing on the Mount of Olives and talking about love, not getting whipped to death with a cat o' nine tails. There will be plenty of time for misery and torture later (like at the Central Library, ha ha.)

Yeah, that nice old-timey religion:
Crowd Storms Restaurant Over Alcohol
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040319/od_nm/bahrain_attack_dc

Meanwhile, the Apocalypticons in Washington are pushing their own kind of religion, a nice "wake up time to die" religion, but like rats leaving a sinking ship, more and more of the less-strident minions are coming forward and sounding the alarm.

Dirty Old Liar, LIE TO ME!
The new Pentagon papers
By Karen Kwiatkowski
http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2004/03/10/osp_moveon/index.html
The New Pentagon Papers
By Karen Kwiatkowski
Salon
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/031204A.shtml

Dirty Old Liar, get ready for WORLD WAR III, and then START IT FOR ME.
The Armageddon Plan
By James Mann
The Atlantic Monthly
During the Reagan era Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld were key players in a clandestine program designed to set aside the legal lines of succession and immediately install a new "President" in the event that a nuclear attack killed the country's leaders. The program helps explain the behavior of the Bush Administration on and after 9/11.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/032104J.shtml

Dirty Old Liar, you didn't know anything, so why blame you? LIKE A GOOD CHRISTIAN GIBSON ME, BLAME ME.
Clinton: Bush Had Urgent Warnings on Al-Qaeda
By Philip Shenon
The New York Times
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/032104A.shtml
Former Aide Decries Bush Over Terror War
The Associated Press
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/032204A.shtml
Debate Grows Over Bush's Handling of Terror Threat
By Carl Hulse
The New York Times
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/032404B.shtml
Paul Krugman: Why Bush hasn't captured bin Laden
By Paul Krugman
http://www.iht.com/articles/510524.htm

Dirty Old Liar, tear the Earth in two so your country can ascend to heaven.
A Year of War That Made the World a More Dangerous Place
Independent UK
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/032104D.shtml

But don't forget to "get a little" for yourself:
Bush’s Insider Connections Preceded Huge Profit On Stock Deal
By Knut Royce
The Center for Public Integrity
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/030904A.shtml
and
CNN.com - Soldiers put Iraq 'war trophies' on eBay - Mar 18, 2004*

Grab onto the good life:
USATODAY.com - Adults cut loose*

Do what it takes:
At $6 an Hour, Who Needs a Tax Cut?
By Paul Vitello
Newsday
It was upbeat, precise, as organized as a meeting of the board of directors, framed at beginning and end with rousing music -- a near-perfect campaign stop: President George W. Bush arrived on schedule. He gave his speech. He moderated a panel of five people on a makeshift stage in front of a sign that said "Strengthening America's Economy." He wove their stories seamlessly into the fabric of his re-election campaign. He engaged in self-deprecating humor that even a detractor might find charming.
And then he left -- to a standing ovation -- shaking hands all the way to the exit door of U.S.A. Industries in Bay Shore, where his campaign made this first of three stops on Long Island yesterday.
Security people kept reporters from interviewing the workers at U.S.A. until the president was on the way to his next stop.
But when workers were finally interviewed -- these people who made up the bulk of the president's cheering audience in New York -- Bush's performance turned out to be, if anything, even more impressive.
"No speak English," said the first worker, smiling apologetically.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/031504I.shtml
U.S. Videos, for TV News, Come Under Scrutiny
By Robert Pear
The New York Times
WASHINGTON, March 14 ­ Federal investigators are scrutinizing television segments in which the Bush administration paid people to pose as journalists praising the benefits of the new Medicare law, which would be offered to help elderly Americans with the costs of their prescription medicines.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/031604J.shtml
Bush Campaign Gear Made in Burma
By Lauren Weber
News Day
His campaign store sells a pullover from nation whose products he has banned from being sold in the U.S.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/032004A.shtml

Dirty Old Liar, you can't even trust your friends, can you?
McCain Backs Kerry on National Security
By The Associated Press
Republican Comes to Democratic Colleague's Defense
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/032004E.shtml

Damn foreigners telling you what to do:
Saving America
By Jacques Julliard
Nouvel Observateur Hebdo N° 2049 FR
Bush's United States implicate us in the disastrous example they provide to the world. And John Kerry carries our hopes at the same time as those of his own people.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/032304H.shtml
Gorbachev Calls US-led War in Iraq a 'Great Mistake'
Agence France Presse
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/032204I.shtml

Watch out, Dirty Old Liar, because nobody is perfect (thanks, Jacques):
World Champion 'Snake Man' Killed by Cobra
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040322/od_nm/life_thailand_snake_dc

Your lies are going to become transparent:
U.S. Wants Military Control in Iraq, Even After Sovereignty Handed Over
By Jim Krane
The Associated Press
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/031404J.shtml

You won't be able to kill all of us:
'Special Skills Draft' on Drawing Board
By Eric Rosenberg
The San Francisco Chronicle
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/031504D.shtml

DIRTY OLD LIAR:
Bush Administration's 237 Misleading Statements on Iraq
Presented by Congressman Henry Waxman
t r u t h o u t Report
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/031804A.shtml
Bush's War is a Financial Disaster
By Eric Margolis
The Toronto Star CA
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/031704J.shtml

Finally, two cries for help (always humorous) from people with even more to lose than I, people whose benefits are on the line (thanks, Aunt Nona and Dana):
Subject: Investment Advice
> > If you had purchased $1000.00 of Nortel stock one year ago, it would now be worth $49.00.
> >
> > With Enron, you would have $16.50 left of the original $1000.00.
> >
> > With Worldcom, you would have less than $5.00 left.
> >
> > But if you had purchased $1000.00 of Coors (the beer, not the stock) one year ago, drank all the beer, then turned in the cans for the aluminum recycling price, you would have $214.00.
> >
> > Based on the above, current investment advice is to drink heavily and recycle.
> >
> > It's called the 401-Keg Plan

Subject: Social Security

GET A BILL STARTED TO PLACE ALL POLITICIANS ON SOCIAL SECURITY

2004 Election Issue!!

This must be an issue in "2004." Please! Keep it going.
----------------------------------
SOCIAL SECURITY:
(This is worth reading. It is short and to the point.)
Perhaps we are asking the wrong questions during election years.

Our Senators and Congressmen/women do not pay into Social Security and, of course, they do not collect from it.

You see, Social Security benefits were not suitable for persons of their rare elevation in society. They felt they should have a special plan for themselves. So, many years ago they voted in their own benefit plan. In more recent years, no congress person has felt the need to change it. After all, it is a great plan.

For all practical purposes their plan works like this:

When they retire, they continue to draw the same pay until they die. Except it may increase from time to time for cost of living adjustments.

For example, former Senator Byrd and Congressman White and their wives may expect to draw $7,800,000.00 (that's Seven Million, Eight-Hundred Thousand Dollars), with their wives drawing $275,000.00 during the last years of their lives. This is calculated on an average life span for each of those two Dignitaries.

Younger Dignitaries who retire at an early age, will receive much more during the rest of their lives. Their cost for this excellent plan is $0.00. NADA....ZILCH....

This little perk they voted for themselves is free to them. You and I pick up the tab for this plan. The funds for this fine retirement plan come directly from the General Fund...

"OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK"!

From our own Social Security Plan, which you and I pay (or have paid) into, every payday until we retire (which amount is matched by our employer)- we can expect to get an average of $1,000 per month after retirement.

Or, in other words, we would have to collect our average of $1,000 monthly benefits for 68 years and one (1) month to equal Senator Bill Bradley's benefits!

Social Security could be very good if only one small change were made.

That change would be to jerk the Golden Fleece Retirement Plan from under the Senators and Congressmen. Put them into the Social Security plan with the rest of us ... then sit back and watch how fast they would fix it.

If enough people receive this, maybe a seed of awareness will be planted and maybe good changes will evolve.

How many people can YOU send this to?

Keep this going clear up thru the 2004 election!! We need to be heard!

Vive le Screed!