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| RadioRote Highlighting News Events Ad Hoc In Medias Res
Doris Haddock Urges Nation to Wrest Government Back From Corporate "Fascism ." In a speech given in front of thousands on 3/23/02 in Austin Texas, Doris Haddock (AKA "Granny D"), told the crowd of listeners that the government has turned towards fascism, with little concern regarding the destruction of its own people or the world, in order to defeat the principles on which this country was founded. She urged the audience of up to 7,000 people to demand the return of democratic standards by doing away with the special interests and corporations which find it to their advantage to cast democracy out from America. "Granny D" is best known for her 3,200 mile trek from Pasadena, California to DC -- in her attempt to collect signatures along the way in support of National Campaign Finance Reform. Walking 10 miles a day through desert, mountain passes, and Interstate highway shoulders, the arthritic activist who suffers from emphysema reached DC fourteen months after she began her trek, on her 90th birthday. Many media organizations ignored her and most politicians along the route 'fled town', rather than debate her. Rote Notes: Ms. Haddock once again returned to DC in the Spring of 2000, three months after her long trek had ended. The soft spoken and long-time New Hampshire native read the Declaration of Independence in the rotunda of the Capital, and was henceforth arrested and detained by the authorities. Her book: Granny D: Walking Across America in My 90th Year is now available at bookstores. The book, whose forward was written by Bill Moyers, is a reflection of her life as an activist, the speeches she gave, and of the Internet Journal she kept throughout her recent sojourn across America. Return to Contents 3/26/02
Florida Recalls "Atheist" Vanity Plate Steven Miles, the vice president of "Atheists of Florida" was told by Florida State officials that the 'Atheist" car vanity plate he had for 16 years was now considered "obscene or objectionable." Mr. Miles was told that his car license plate was henceforth invalid. In what is increasingly becoming, what RadioRote observes as, standard "Floridian Faux Law", Mr. Miles was assured by the Department of Motor Vehicles that if he wanted to retain his "freedom of expression" in such formats, there was no law against him putting an "Atheist" bumper sticker on his car. Mr. Mile plans to fight the Florida decision that ruled his plate was not an appropriate form of self expression. (Orlando Sentinel. 3/14/02). Rote Notes: In a
similar decision, Florida judge Nikki Ann Clark ruled that Pro-Life Vanity
plates did not violate those same type of standards and dismissed arguments
against the Pro-Life vanity plate case "with prejudice," meaning the plaintiffs
could not ask her to reconsider her opinion. Proceeds of the sale of those
plates are used in a campaign to promote adoption over abortion. The plaintiffs
charged that the plates gave the message that the State was anti-choice.
In typical Bush Faux-Law fashion, Elizabeth Hirst, the press secretary to
pro-life Gov. Jeb Bush, defended the States' arbitrary ruling on keeping the
Pro-Life plates: ``People make a personal choice to display the Choose Life
license plate. It is their right as an individual"
(choose-life.org
).
Apparently, as we have seen as of late.........one is afforded inalienable
individual rights in Florida, until one is born.
Florida Mayor Bans Satan From Community. The Mayor of Inglis,
Fla. ruled that "Satan" is no longer allowed within the town
limits. In order to make her point clear, Mayor Carolyn Risher ordered
four poles to be placed outside each sector of the town limits with the warning
for Satan to stay out. The poles soon were stolen. The 61 year old Risher
believed it was done by "non-Christians," and had the poles
replaced with steel re-enforced concrete added to them. Richter also made up
city stationary that read: "Be it known from this day forward that Satan,
ruler of darkness, giver of evil, destroyer of what is good and just, is not
now, nor ever again will be, a part of this town of Inglis. Satan is hereby
declared powerless, no longer ruling over, nor influencing, our citizens. Rote
Notes: With the spread of urban blight closing in on the small town, located 90
miles north of Tampa, it will be interesting to discover whether the town will
find the population which will grow in neighboring communities as their small town's
chance to save more souls, or if the newer residents will be viewed as the
minion of the devil, sent to test their mettle.
Michael Powell Replaces Angels for Profits. Michael Powell, the chairman of the FCC and son of Secretary of State Colin Powell, confessed that the night after he was sworn in as the Chief Regulator of the Federal Communication Commission, he " waited for a visit from the angel of public interest. I waited all night, but she did not come." He later added, "I still have had no divine awakening and no one has issued me my public interest crystal ball." Unwilling to wait for any Divine Intercession, Powell decided that the Corporate 'Profits' would direct him just as well. While Powell was an active FCC commissioner, prior to his chairmanship, he advocated the AOL-Time merger to take place without scrutiny and thereby allowed his father to reap $4 million in the deal as a stock owner. (Open Secrets. org). In order to stave off criticism of his impotence in protecting the airwaves from being congested by media mergers, Powell takes the last refuge of the scoundrel by declaring that "(T)he Market Place is my Religion." Powell plans on lifting bans that places caps on cross media mergers between cable, TV and print media. Media groups converged on the FCC building last week to hand Mr. Powell a crystal ball, saying they are the angels sent forth to stop the media mergers. However, the media watch-groups were met by police who barred their entrance into the building. Rote Notes: When Michael Powell evangelizes about his new found religion, he is merely "preaching to the already perverted" and their 'adperptising' sycophants. It would be interesting to note how much money corporations donate to his plate as it is passed around after Powell finishes his pro-media merger sermons. One imagines if any news agency investigates Powell's inside trading scheme and anti-democratic means of closing off media choice, how soon their parent corporation would be banned from future merger deals by the FCC. Return to Contents 3/26/02
Bush Advised to Keep Eye Out for Other Employment In the latest March Ipsos-Reid/Cook Political Report Poll, Dubbya's popularity fell to 51%, a drop of 5% in less than 2 months. When asked: "If the election were held today, would you definitely vote to reelect George W. Bush as president, consider voting for someone else, or definitely vote for someone else as president?" 51% said they would definitely vote for Dubbya, 24% replied they would consider someone else and 23% answered they would vote for someone else. The remaining 2% were undecided. The strongest gain over the last 3 months was a 7% upswing in the "vote for someone else" category. Rote Notes: In following the example of his father and his father's cabinet, declaring war against former business partners made both popular, whereas a bad economic policy may reverse his favorable standing as well. On the other hand, why should losing the vote-count stand in the way of his re-gaining the White House? This is especially true when running against spineless Democrats. Return to Contents
WHEREAS ASHCROFT ADVISED NOT TO QUIT DAY JOB Attorney General John Ashcroft requests that his DOJ employees join him in a patriotic song each morning. The song was written by Ashcroft. Employees feel that Ashcroft's behavior, regarded as atypical, has gone a step too far. When one lawyer was asked why she refused to take part in the Ashcroft fest, she replied: "Have you heard the song? It really sucks." (Guardian) Rote Notes: Little has been written about Attorney General Ashcroft's foibles. Perhaps he is better known for calling places in advance in order to find out if any calico cats are on their premises , since he reportedly believes that calico cats are demonic. He is also known for having a penchant for anointing himself with Oil when appointed or elected for office -- as was done in the days of King David (in Ashcroft's case, it's Crisco). The last one to anoint Ashcroft with oil was Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. At least his new eccentric behavior allows others to partake in it. King David? Perhaps the Emperor Nero is more akin to him. If one cares to sing along with (whom RadioRote coined as) the "Crisco Kid," do so at: http://www.cnn.com/video/us/2002/02/25/ashcroft.sings.wbtv.med.html Return to Contents
BUSH PUNCTURES HOLE IN SOCIAL SECURITY SURPLUS George W. Bush has his sites set on taking another $1.8 trillion out of the social security surplus to pay for further defense and security programs next year, while also planning on cutting taxes. (AP) Rote Notes: This is on top of the money he lifted from Social Security last year in order to try and buy the voters into becoming his friend, through his sleight-of-hand tax rebate. The CATO Institute, corporations and the Right Wing's idea of scuttling and then privatizing social security is the brain-child of the CATO Institute's José Piñera, who served as Labor and Social Security chief under Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. Pinochet, as you may recall, was involved in crimes against humanity towards his own countrymen. Social Security, in that country, was privatized as well. Workers and retirees became poor and many who opposed him disappeared. Those who received greater social security were the Chilean military and politicians. All this, Pinochet claimed, was for the security and good of Chile. R Return to Contents
HELEN THOMAS GIVES ARI FLEISCHER A CIVICS LESSON During the 02/25/02 White House Press Briefing, Helen Thomas, Senior White House news correspondent who has been involved in White House briefings since Kennedy, brought White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer up to date on relevant historical and current events: Q Ari, why would this administration choose a man for couterterrorism (sic) who is so associated with the dark side of the Iran Contra scandal, Admiral Poindexter? MR. FLEISCHER: When you say, choose him for counterterrorism, can you be more specific? Q He's in the Pentagon, he's been appointed head of DARPA, which is a counterterrorist (sic) office, developing plans, demonstrations with information. MR. FLEISCHER: I'm not aware of any appointment. Q Yet. MR. FLEISCHER: Let me just say about Admiral Poindexter, Admiral Poindexter is somebody who this administration thinks is an outstanding American and an outstanding citizen who has done a very good job in what he has done for our country, serving in the military. Q How can you say that, when he told Colonel North to lie? MR. FLEISCHER: Helen, I think your views on Iran Contra are well-known, but the President does believe that Admiral Poindexter served -- Q It isn't my view, this is the prosecutor for the United States. MR. FLEISCHER: I understand. The President thinks that Admiral Poindexter has served our nation very well. Q Really? MR. FLEISCHER: That's the President's thoughts. Q Do you know his record? MR. FLEISCHER: I'm sure you will inform me. Q I don't have to, all you have to do is look it up. Rote Notes: Mr. Fleischer did not have time to look up the facts. The conversation suddenly shifted from the White House appointment of yet another Moslem Extremist Gun Runner to, what else (?), energy. These two subjects are, after all, the plot and sub-plot in the all-too-common genre known as the "Bush dynasty cover-up." Return to Contents
CHENEY'S BODYGUARDS ENGAGED IN BAR FIGHT Authorities were investigating an incident which involved 2 Secret Service agents who were engaged in a brawl with 7 or 8 men as the agents left a bar in San Diego County. The agents were assigned to protect Cheney during his visit to a marine camp. It was reported that investigators found one man lying on the ground bleeding from the mouth and another whose right tip of his ear was bitten off. (AP) Rote Notes: It is not clear whether the men were targeted because they were Secret Service agents. Return to Contents
Montana Mass Assassination Plot Foiled A small militia group calling itself Group 7 planned to kill off as many local Montana officials and Law Enforcement personnel as possible, and then proceed to kill a large number of National Guard troops in order to draw attention from the Federal Government. The group had 30,000 rounds of ammunition confiscated, but it is not known how many people belong to the militia. Authorities called the leader of the plot a "blowhard, who bit off more then he could chew." (NYT) Rote Notes: During the time of national emergency called by Dubbya, it is not surprising that militia groups would try and take advantage of the already thinned out law enforcement agencies, since both the Right Wing and the Moslem extremists would both like to see the federal government remain in a defensive and susceptible position. Return to Contents
UK LEADERS SENT UNWANTED MAIL A possible caustic substance was mailed to British Prime Minister Tony Blair and other UK leaders. Tony Blair was in Australia at the time and no other leader was known to have been harmed by it. Scotland Yard gave no other details. (Associated Press). Rote Notes: RadioRote often wondered that if these mailings were sent by Islamic sociopaths, then why were the letters all sent to the more perceived liberal media outlets, institutions and leaders? Return to Contents
HIGHJACKERS FREED BEFORE ATTACK Of the 19 highjackers involved in the 9/11 incident, 9 were detained at the airports and released on the day of the attacks. Of those, eight were held due to identification problems, whereas the ninth was held because he was a fellow traveler with the other 8 terrorists. (Washington Post) Rote Notes: A new government report appears detailing how security is still lax in some areas of airports. The last thing the Bush administration should have done was to have rewarded his airline pals with bailouts or increased profit shares based on their historical unwillingness to better protect the lives of the workers and passengers. But it appears there is a difference between a calculated risk of human lives and the bottom line of corporate perks. Return to Contents
Graham/Nixon Shared Conspiracy Notions In newly released Nixon tapes, Rev. Billy Graham is heard complaining to Nixon that Jews are ruining this country due to their "stranglehold" on the media and that if Nixon does not do anything about it, this country will go "down the drain". Graham further suggested that if Nixon was elected a 2nd time, then "we might be able to something about it." When Graham said he kept his conspiratorial notions secret from his 'Jewish friends,' Nixon said he agreed with Billy's viewpoints and advised Graham not let them know. (Associated Press). Rote Notes: To paraphrase John Lennon, Graham and Nixon suffer from a crisis of faith in believing that the 'Neilson ratings are more popular than Jesus'. It was Mr. Truman who once correctly observed that the Watergate President was the only "son of a bitch" he knew of who could "lie out of both sides of his mouth at the same time," and that Graham was "a counterfeit" who has "gone off the beam." Truman also characterized Graham as a man whose only interest was to have his name in the paper. In this case, Graham certainly met all three criteria. Return to Contents
Leather-Maker Carves Dubbya's Legend Will Ghormley, former Colorado cattle herder turned leather-maker, has made a leather piece that he plans on giving to Dubbya. The leather work depicts Bush on a horse positioned between a grizzly bear and Dubbya's own cows. This is Will's artistic expression of how he views America. Will proclaimed that it's a gift from one cowboy to another. (Iowa Channel) Rote Notes: As to how a Yale graduate whose only exposure to a skull or cross bone was in a fraternity house that was nearly 1,000 miles away from any cattle trail, is left for those better endowed in the areas of imaginative craft making. Return to Contents
15 year-old Anarchist Suspended from High School Katie Sierra, a sophomore at Sissonville High School in North Carolina, was suspended for 3 days in November after she approached the High School principal in her attempt to open a non-violent Anarchist club at her school. Principal Mann said he suspended the student after she wore an anti-war T-shirt to school and handed out anarchy pamphlets to students. According to Mann, her activities disrupted learning activities and he equated anarchism with terrorism. Sierra said she handed her by-laws of the group and pamphlets to Mann who, she claimed, dismissed the idea and the student without going over the material. (Source: Charleston Gazette Online. 01/28/02). Rote Notes:There have been many excuses for productivity slack based solely on the events of 9/11. For Mann to add 'disruption of high school learning' to the list is quite a stretch -- even for an education administrator. Return to Contents
Oversight Chairman "Perplexed" over Enron Suicide. According to an 01/26/02 MSNBC report, investigators remain "perplexed" as to why Enron Vice Chairman J. Clifford Baxter may have taken his own life. Rep. Jim Greenwood (R-Pa). who heads the oversight and investigations subcommittee on Enron, told MSNBC that the committee found nothing that Mr. Baxter "should feel ashamed of" that would have led him to suicide. Mr. Baxter was described by Rep. Greenwood as a "good guy.....who may have shed light on the investigation." http://www.msnbc.com/news/694040.asp?pne=msn&cp1=1#BODY Rote Notes: Allegations were made that Mr. Baxter was unhappy with the way Enron cooked its books and made it known to other high rankling Enron officials, some of whom have an intimate relationship with the White House. Return to Contents
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