ÿþ<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <title>Unknown&nbsp;News | Helen & Harry's cranky weblog of news and opinion | unknownnews@inbox.com &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</title> <META content="abuse of authority, alternative news, anarchist news, anti-bush news, anti-cheney news, anti-republican news, bad cops, bush news, cheney news, civil rights, corrupt cops news, crooked cops, freedom news, liberal news, libertarian news, maniac cops, minarchist news, police blotter, police brutality, police corruption news, police misconduct, progressive news, rumsfeld news"name=KEYWORDS> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; 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// End --> </script></A> </TD></TR></TABLE></td></tr></table> <table width="980" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="830" align="center" valign="top" bgcolor=white class="font14"> <TABLE CELLPADDING="4" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="32%" BGcolor="#dddddd" class="fonty"> <b>unknownnews@inbox.com</b></TD> <TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="68%" BGcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonty">&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/"><B>Home</B></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/about.html">About us</A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/contact.html">Contact us</A> &nbsp;&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/!workfiles.html"><FONT COLOR=black>|</FONT></A>&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/faq.html">FAQ</A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/mysterylinks.html">Mystery links</A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/stickers.html">Stickers</A> &amp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/forsale.html">stuff</A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|<BR> </TD></TR></TABLE></td><td width="150" align=center valign="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="font15"><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/stickers.html"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/buyabumpersticker.jpg" border="0" width="138" height="23"></A> </td></tr></table><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="980" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="830" BGcolor="#dddddd" class="fonty"> <iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/frames-new.html" height="32" width="830" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="center" WIDTH="150" BGcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonty"><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/donations.html"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/makeadonation.jpg" border="0" width="138" height="23"></A> </TD></TR></TABLE><!-- end uniform header--> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="980" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="10" BGcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonttnr">&nbsp;</TD> <TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="10" BGcolor=white class="fonttnr">&nbsp;</TD> <TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="630" BGcolor=white class="fonty"> <!-- =quote= --> <TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="center" WIDTH="100%" BGcolor="white" class="fonttnr"><I> "Mrs. Palin needs to be reminded that Jesus Christ was a community organizer and Pontius Pilate was a governor." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0908/Democrat_reader_email_of_the_day_so_far.html?showall"><B>Jonathan Martin</B></A> </I></TD></TR></TABLE> <!-- =news= --> <TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="625" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="625" background="http://www.unknownnews.org/flag-wallpaper.jpg" class="fonty"><SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: darkred"><BIG>&nbsp;<FONT COLOR="#FFCC66"><B> NEWS for FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2008</B></FONT>&nbsp;</BIG></SPAN></TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <A HREF="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/51668.html"><B>Feds spend millions advertising enhanced frustrations at US border crossings</B></A><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" class="fonty"><BR> <I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> US travelers going to Mexico, the Caribbean, Bermuda or Canada by land or sea will have to carry one of six government-approved IDs as of June 1, and government officials want to make sure they know about it.&nbsp;...<BR><BR>"It's a new way of doing business on the borders," said Thomas Winkowski, an assistant commissioner of Customs and Border Protection. "We've already seen a willingness of the public to go along with the new requirements."</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="46%" class="fonty"> <A NAME=tp0140p></A><A HREF="http://www.minnesotaindependent.com/7439/palins-convention-speech-pretty-woman-for-christians"><B>Palin's prime-time debut<BR>was annoyingly good</B></A><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" class="fonty"><BR> <I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> The Democrats would also do well to remember, and stress, that the real issue in the matter of Sarah Palin is the judgment of John McCain. The "process" that delivered her to us was utterly haphazard in the time-honored McCain fashion, and it provides an opening to go after the impulsive and erratic way Johnny Mac has always made decisions. "Goes with his gut" is often just a nicer way of saying "capricious nut," and here is a great case in point.<BR><BR><A HREF="http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/attytood/Sad.html"><B>Palin delivers "speech to nowhere"</B></A><BR><BR><I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> It was a Speech to Nowhere when Palin said that "I told the Congress 'Thanks but no thanks' on that Bridge to Nowhere, because that was a lie, and the worst kind of lie in American politics, a blatant falsehood that showed utter contempt for the American people that Palin pledged to serve, assuming we are too stupid to look up or know that truth, that she pushed for those funds in Congress and while she got great political mileage out of announcing that she was killing the project, she still has not returned the funds to American people.<BR><BR>It was a Speech to Nowhere because Palin also boasted seconds before that other lie of fighting against wasteful earmarks in Congress, even though she pushed for and accepted $27 million of such grants when she was mayor of Wasilla.<BR><BR>It was a Speech to Nowhere because Palin said that "we've got lots" of oil and gas this country, and while one supposes that all depends upon what you definition of the words "lots" is, the production of oil in the United States has been irrevocably on the decline since 1970, and with her words she showed this nation that she and John McCain will perpetrate the dangerous myths that began with Ronald Reagan at his acceptance speech in 1980, that sunny optimism is the solution to all our energy woes, and not a posture that put energy research on a war footing, or requires moral leadership on conservation, mass transit, or any other common sense answers whatsoever.<BR><BR><i>Comment:&nbsp;</i> Attytood nails it. Palin is just a pretty face with a bad attitude. A perfect Republican in the same mold as Dr. Laura and Ann Coulter.<BR><BR>She does a disservice to women seeking public office by trying to come off as a macho male. This may be Ok in Alaska, but is a major turn-off in the Lower 48. Her extreme views are only embraced by the Bush, Cheney, Rove wing of the Republican Party. More than a few centrists are appalled by her. And for good reason. There is a fine line between "maverick" and psychosis, and she and McCain are on the wrong side. &nbsp; <nobr><i>Chris M.</i> &nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#tp0140p"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;</SPAN></nobr> </TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <A HREF="http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2008_09/014555.php"><B>Republicans lie that teleprompter<BR>failed but Palin "winged it"</B></A><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" class="fonty"><BR> <I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> I was sitting in the press section next to the stage, within easy eyeshot of the teleprompter. I frequently looked up at the machine, and there was no serious malfunction. A top convention-planner confirms this morning that there were no major problems.</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <A HREF="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/51665.html"><B>Palin has never issued an order<BR>to Alaska National Guard</B></A><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" class="fonty"><BR> <I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> Last year, during Palin's first year as governor, there wasn't much action, [spokesman Jeremy] Zidek said. "Thankfully, we didn't have any major disasters."</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <A HREF="http://www.democracynow.org/2008/9/2/report_secretive_right_wing_group_vetted"><B>Secretive right-wing group vetted<BR>McCain's VP candidate Sarah Palin</B></A><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" class="fonty"><BR> <I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> Max Blumenthal of The Nation reports last week, while the media focused almost obsessively on the DNC's spectacle in Denver, the country's most influential conservatives met quietly at a hotel in downtown Minneapolis to get to know Sarah Palin. The assembled were members of the Council for National Policy, an ultra-secretive cabal that networks wealthy right-wing donors together with top conservative operatives to plan long-term movement strategy.</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <A NAME=t0718a></A><A HREF="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/03/AR2008090303210.html?hpid=topnews"><B>Palin e-mails show intense<BR>interest in trooper's penalty</B></A><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" class="fonty"><BR> <I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> The second e-mail Monegan produced came from Palin's Yahoo address on July 17, 2007, after the local newspaper publicized a legislative proposal that would keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill.<BR><BR>Her first thought about the bill, the e-mail said, "went to my ex-brother-in-law, the trooper, who threatened to kill my dad yet was not even reprimanded by his bosses and still to this day carries a gun, of course."<BR><BR><i>Comment:&nbsp;</i> And this may be our next vice-president. Now <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Lady"><B>isn't that special</B></A>. &nbsp; <nobr><i>SirJ</i> &nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#t0718a"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;</SPAN></nobr><BR><BR> <i>Comment:&nbsp;</i> I can't reconcile Palin's claim that trooper Wooten "was not even reprimanded" with the article's statement that "When Palin entered the governor's office in late 2006, Wooten already had been reprimanded, reassigned and</TD></TR></TABLE> </TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%" class="fonty"> </TD><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="center" WIDTH="53%" class="fonty"> <TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=1><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" class="fonty"> <BR><center><I><B>Protests at Republican&nbsp;Convention</B></I><BR><BR> <img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/Cops-StPaul2008.jpg" border="1" width="300" height="152"></center><BR> <A NAME=t0129p></A><A HREF="http://www.minnesotaindependent.com/7363/alcohol-tobacco-and-firecracker-explosion-in-st-paul-leads-to-rounding-up-anyone-with-a-backpack"><B>'Explosion' in St. Paul leads to<BR>rounding up anyone with a backpack</B></A><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" class="fonty"><BR> <I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> At about 7 p.m. tonight a loud bang set everyone milling about at Washington and Sixth on edge. There were immediate "uh-ohs" and panic-stricken faces. A few people ran. The loud boom sounded like, well, a firecracker. Over the radio of the police officer next to me came the frantic announcement: "Explosion at Washington and Sixth!" Except that it wasn't. Because that was the corner where the officer and I were standing.<BR><BR>The explosion came from 7th Street Place, when something that witnesses say resembled a firecracker came from the roof of the Palace Theater. Immediately, the Minnesota State Patrol in riot regalia were on the scene. "Form a line!" one yelled. "Block the street here!" The line they formed only separated the onlookers from the other onlookers. They had to regroup more than once.<BR><BR><i>Comment:&nbsp;</i> So Minnesota reveals itself as a center of totalitarian evil. The state has formally declared in actions against legal demonstrations that it rejects the concept of civil rights. Dissent in Minnesota is illegal. Hence this anti-constitutional position places Minnesota government in opposition to Constitutional rule. Law enforcement in Minnesota has demonstrated that it recognizes no limitation to its authority to arbitrarily arrest and physically abuse and charge anyone they wish. This qualifies Minnesota as the first unambiguously totalitarian regime in the United States. If we the people had a spine we would organize ourselves to rescue Minnesotans from its criminal political regime. In the mean time, anyone who can avoid traveling to or doing business in Minnesota should do so. &nbsp; <nobr><i>Herb Ruhs, MD</i> &nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#t0129p"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;</SPAN></nobr><BR><BR><i>Comment:&nbsp;</i> We were tentatively planning a few days' trip to the Spam Museum and other parts of rural Minnesota later in the autumn, but in light of current events we'll probably visit Iowa instead. &nbsp; <nobr><i>Helen & Harry</i> &nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#t0129p"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;</SPAN></nobr><A NAME=aa0811></A> <BR><BR><i>Comment:&nbsp;</i> Spam Museum?!! That is one of those corn fed mid-western nuttynesses I guess. Like the Monster Ball of String and such. Iowa sounds like a better bet.<BR><BR>You aren't that far from Chicago, a place I would like better if my mother's family didn't live there, where I always make time to go to the Art Institute. I love their courtyard restaurant. I like the Museum of Science and Industry as well. I just read (actually listened on CD) to The White City which is a strange amalgam of true crime and Chicago history, following the story of H. H. Holmes who was a very prolific serial killer as well as the 1893 World's Fair. The Museum of Science and Industry is a recreation of one of the Fair's original grand buildings which were all painted dazzling white. The originals were made of temporary materials and were all burned one night by angry unemployed folks (due to the great recession of the mid nineties). Good book, and one I would reread prior to visiting Chicago again for the guide book aspects. &nbsp; <nobr><i>Herb Ruhs, MD</i> &nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#aa0811"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;</SPAN></nobr> <BLOCKQUOTE><i> We did Chicago for a day a couple of summers ago. Visited the overpriced Shedd Aquarium, the original Uno Pizzeria, and rode the fabulous L-trains. I'm a sucker for well-run public transit. </i></BLOCKQUOTE><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i> (<A HREF="mailto:unknownnews@inbox.com"><B>unknownnews at inbox.com</B></A>)</DIV></TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <A NAME=ANCHOR></A><A HREF="http://a1135.g.akamai.net/f/1135/18227/1h/cchannel.download.akamai.com/18227/podcast/SANFRANCISCO-CA/KKGN-AM/hartmann%209-2%20hr%201.mp3"><B>Hartmann interviews reporter<BR>Goodman on arrests in St Paul</B> [audio]</A><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" class="fonty"><BR> <I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> "I was continuing to say, 'This is absolutely unacceptable, I am a journalist, you know it clearly, you see my credentials...' The Saint Paul police officer ... just kept shouting, "You shut up, you shut up, you shut up!" ... The corrections officers then processed me, [and] I was there for a couple of hours. I was charged with a misdemeanor, I was told that my colleagues were charged with a felony, which is why they were going to jail. They were held longer than I was, and ultimately released, and they face felony riot charges."</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <A NAME=ANCHOR></A><A HREF="http://www.opednews.com/articles/Arresting-The-Messengers--by-Steve-Elliott-080903-505.html"><B>Assault on journalism at Convention</B></A><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" class="fonty"><BR> <I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> You'd think the mainstream media would be all over a story like this. But so far, the biggest media outlets have been eerily silent. Dozens of journalists, photographers, bloggers and videomakers have been arrested in an orchestrated round up of independents covering the Republican National Convention. Journalists covering protests have been pointed out by authorities, blasted with tear gas and pepper spray, and brutalized while in custody.</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <A HREF="http://the-uptake.groups.theuptake.org/en/videogalleryView/id/689/"><B>More reporters swept up<BR>in massive arrests</B> [video]</A><BR><BR> </TD></TR></TABLE></TD></TR></TABLE> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" class="fonty">suspended for five days for incidents reported by Palin's family." It sorta makes her look vindictive and unhinged. &nbsp; <nobr><i>Helen & Harry</i> &nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#t0718a"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;</SPAN></nobr><BR><BR> <i>Comment:&nbsp;</i> If Palin believes Wooten was the rouge cop threatening to kill his ex father-in-law as she claims, pushing to have him fired would only inflame the situation and set off another round of tit-for-tat between the Palins and Wooten. She exhibits a lack of wisdom and restraint. The fundies will love her! &nbsp; <nobr><i>SirJ</i> &nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#t0718a"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;</SPAN></nobr></TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <A NAME=t0730a></A><A HREF="http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/09/03/politics/fromtheroad/entry4413030.shtml"><B>McCain camp threatens legal action over Enquirer's Palin rumor</B></A><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" class="fonty"><BR> <I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> John McCain's campaign threatened legal action against the National Enquirer today for running a story about McCain's running mate, Sarah Palin, allegedly having an affair with her husband's business partner.<BR><BR>"The smearing of the Palin family must end. The allegations contained on the cover of the National Enquirer insinuating that Gov. Palin had an extramarital affair are categorically false. It is a vicious lie," said McCain senior adviser Steve Schmidt.<BR><BR><i>Comment:&nbsp;</i> As lies go it's not terribly vicious, if indeed it's a lie. The Enquirer is famous for making stuff up, but they nailed John Edwards. &nbsp; <nobr><i>Paula A.</i> &nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#t0730a"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;</SPAN></nobr> </TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <A NAME=ANCHOR></A><A HREF="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080904/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_measure_of_a_nation_palin_family_politics;_ylt=AiKA76t24YN38kl5m0kHdXkDW7oF"><B>Republicans want it both ways with Palin and family</B></A><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" class="fonty"><BR> <I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> For two days, the chorus from Republicans on TV news and in the halls of the convention has been resounding: Back off and let the Palin family be. "That's out of bounds," said Minnesota's Republican governor, Tim Pawlenty. "There's no need to be intrusive and pry into that."<BR><BR>Yet Wednesday found the following scenes unfolding: Sarah Palin's pregnant, unmarried 17-year-old daughter and probable future son-in-law stood in a nationally televised, politically packaged airport receiving line to meet and greet the Republican candidate for president. The extremely cute and bubbly Piper Palin, 7, made her debut on her mother's behalf, appearing in a video on John McCain's daughter's blog. "Vote for my mommy and John McCain," she said, giggling as Meghan McCain grinned. Bristol Palin and her 18-year-old boyfriend, Levi Johnston, sat and held hands as they watched the Alaska governor deliver an acceptance speech that, in its opening minutes, focused heavily on her family and children. Later, the family -- including Johnston -- ascended the stage, basked in an extended ovation and waved.<BR><BR>Huh? The Republican message about the Palin offspring comes across as contradictory: Hey, media, leave those kids alone -- so we can use them as we see fit.</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <A NAME=thp0154></A><A HREF="http://www.military.com/news/article/September-2008/friendly-fire-incident-kills-six-iraqis.html?wh=news"><B>Friendly fire incident kills six Iraqis</B></A><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" class="fonty"><BR><i>Comment:&nbsp;</i> This is what GOPers call victory? &nbsp; <nobr><i>Wig</i> &nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#thp0154"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;</SPAN></nobr> </TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <A NAME=thp0205></A><A HREF="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080903-what-exaflood-net-backbone-shows-no-signs-of-osteoporosis.html"><B>What exaflood? 'Net backbone shows no signs of osteoporosis</B></A><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" class="fonty"><BR> <i>Comment:&nbsp;</i> One argument against net neutrality (and for stricter user bandwidth restrictions from ISPs) is that internet capacity is getting scarcer. According to this article, the truth is the opposite. &nbsp; <nobr><i><A HREF="http://www.jrmooneyham.com/">JR Mooneyham</A></i> &nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#thp0205"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;</SPAN></nobr> </TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <A NAME=thp0433></A><A HREF="http://money.cnn.com/2008/09/04/markets/markets_newyork/index.htm?postversion=2008090416"><B>Brutal sell-off on Wall Street</B></A><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" class="fonty"><BR> <I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> Stocks plummeted Thursday, with the Dow plunging around 345 points as mixed retail sales, lower oil prices and dour labor market readings amplified worries about a global economic slowdown.<BR><BR><i>Comment:&nbsp;</i> Hmmm... Palin speaks... McCain is about to speak, and the market takes a major "Steve Brody". Do you think there might be a message here somewhere? &nbsp; <nobr><i>Chris M.</i> &nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#thp0433"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;</SPAN></nobr> </TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <!-- =nuggets= --> <A HREF="http://www.vanityfair.com/online/politics/2008/09/cindy-mccains-300000-outfit.html"><B>Cindy McCain wears $300,000 outfit to Republican Convention</B></A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/303348"><B>Bush compares Democrats to North Vietnamese guards who tortured prisoners of war</B></A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://thinkprogress.org/2008/09/04/romney-gore-jet/"><B>Romney mocks Gore for non-existent private jet</B></A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.npr.org/blogs/newsandviews/2008/09/rnc_has_fewest_black_delegates.html"><B>RNC has fewest Black delegates in 40 years</B></A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26529937/"><B>Huge ice shelf breaks loose in Canadian arctic</B></A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.electronista.com/articles/08/09/04/comcast.sues.fcc/"><B>Comcast sues FCC to evade net neutrality</B></A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.csdp.org/news/news/teenmedmar6_20_08.htm"><B>Allowing use of medical marijuana does not increase teen marijuana use</B></A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/sep/04/jackson-sherfiff-pleads-guilty-in-assault-case/"><B>Sheriff pleads guilty in assault case</B></A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/sep/04/memphis-police-department-drops-suit-against-anony/?feedback=1"><B>Memphis Police Department drops suit against anonymous blogger</B></A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.military.com/news/article/us-sues-boeing-for-inflating-b1-costs.html?ESRC=dod-bz.nl"><B>Boeing is sued for what used to be called war profiteering</B></A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2008/09/03/6688_local-news.html"><B>Australian is arrested for burping</B></A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080904/ap_on_bi_ge/pricier_health_care;_ylt=AvppdnnrAkBNDDZOcBZhvgB34T0D"><B>Workers to pay more for health care</B></A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/cftc_dc;_ylt=AteedEmSA8Uxb1UiiIVjAmcDW7oF"><B>Regulators probe whether energy market players are<BR>injecting false crude oil supply data into the marketplace</B></A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://thinkprogress.org/2008/09/04/jon-stewart-mocks-how-oreillys-opinion-on-teen-pregnancy-gestated-over-a-period-of-months/"><B>O'Reilly's stand on teen pregnancy has gestated<BR>since Jamie Lynn Spears' announcement</B></A><BR><BR> <!-- =dialogue= --> <TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="625" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="625" background="http://www.unknownnews.org/flag-wallpaper.jpg" class="fonty"><SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: darkred"><BIG>&nbsp;<FONT COLOR="#FFCC66"><B> COMMENTS for FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2008</B></FONT>&nbsp;</BIG></SPAN></TD></TR></TABLE> <A NAME=HR5></A><BR><BIG><B>Society of swindles</B></BIG><BR><BR>by <B>Herb Ruhs, MD</B><BR><BR> Gangsterism seems to have a compulsive tendency. It was hilarious/scary on the Mendocino Coast which has become a kind of gangster retirement community. You remember the story about Kenny Rogers from Westport, CA that I wrote about (<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/060425a-DrRuhs.html"><B>LINK</B></A> and <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/071006a-DrRuhs.html"><B>LINK</B></A>). He is back home with the only consequence of soliciting attempted murder of his neighbor is a court order not to run for office. The shooter he paid got thirty years.<BR><BR>Our class structure changed while we were sleeping. Gangsters now represent the most privileged class, a kind of new nobility. The pioneer retirement family were the Affinitos. They were also Sacramento gangsters. When they first moved to town local real estate looked cheap. Dominic Affinito bought up a lot of buildings that burned mysteriously with the Library thrown in just for fun. Some young idiots took smack on consignment which disappeared. So did they. For entertainment the family has taken up running swindles on the city government. These are people who actually belong, unlike the current majority incarcerated, in prison or worse. Dominic Affinito and Mendocino is <A HREF="http://www.google.com/search?num=50&hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hs=tpY&q=%22Dominic+Affinito%22+Mendocino&btnG=Search"><B>an interesting Google</B></A>.<BR><BR> Now that we have let them take control we can't expect much until after they succeed in burning down the country. Law grows out of ashes. When there is little left to defend we will be able to defend it. <DIV align="right"><BR><i>Herb Ruhs, MD</i> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#HR5"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <BLOCKQUOTE><i> When I Google Dominic Affinito and Mendocino, I get a little bit of Bruce Anderson and the <A HREF="http://www.theava.com/"><B>Anderson Valley Advertiser</B></A>, which brings back lots of good memories. Did you ever know Bruce when you were coastal? </i></BLOCKQUOTE><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i> (<A HREF="mailto:unknownnews@inbox.com"><B>unknownnews at inbox.com</B></A>)</DIV> <BR>Yes I knew Bruce. Affable enough but not a popular person with my friends there so I tended to keep my distance. Booneville, where The Advertiser is published (under different management now) is a postage stamp, one gas station, one grocery, one post office sort of place. Generally speaking, if you lived there for at least a couple of years as I did, you pretty much know everyone. People there think that Herb is my struggle name.<DIV align="right"><BR><i>Herb Ruhs, MD</i> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#HR5"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <BLOCKQUOTE><i> I was in Booneville once, just for an afternoon, and had a beer with Bruce Anderson. He is an utter nutball in all the best meanings of the word, one of the few people I've admired without later regretting it. </i></BLOCKQUOTE><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i> (<A HREF="mailto:unknownnews@inbox.com"><B>unknownnews at inbox.com</B></A>)</DIV> <A NAME=BruceAnderson></A> <BR><TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonty"> <I>Comments:</I><BR> <A NAME=fp0400></A><BR><B>Herb Ruhs, MDreplies &nbsp; 9/6/2008:</B><BR> If we didn't need to follow employment opportunities we would probably live in Booneville. The Advertiser was bought by a friend named David Severin, a very unassuming guy who you would like as well, if not better, than Bruce. There is a plague of Bruces in Booneville. We used to categorize Thursday Toker Poker nights by how many Bruces showed up to play. Five Bruce nights were not uncommon.<BR><BR>The difficulty with Bruce Anderson was that under his supervision The Advertiser tended to take colorful liberties with the facts about Anderson Valley and its inhabitants and he pissed off a number of people that way. I always took it as an annoying sense of humor but there were several friends that could not tolerate any positive regard for The Advertiser then. They <A HREF="http://www.theava.com/"><B>publish on line</B></A> as well now. I try to read it regularly to keep up with my friends and their strange antics. <DIV align="right"><BR><i>Herb Ruhs, MD</i> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#fp0400"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <BLOCKQUOTE><i> It's been years since I've seen the AVA, and I used to mean to subscribe by mail, but I let that notion go when Bruce A. sold the paper. The website only spotlights one article a week so I don't check in very often. And yeah, now that you mention it I do vaguely remember what I'd call occasional colorful hyperbole in the paper's description of local characters, but I took it with a smile ... which might be more difficult, I reckon, if the exaggerations were about me. </i></BLOCKQUOTE><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i> (<A HREF="mailto:unknownnews@inbox.com"><B>unknownnews at inbox.com</B></A>)</DIV><BR> <!-- REPLY --> I just noticed that Bruce Anderson is back in charge of the Advertiser. Below is a link to an entertaining interview with Bruce.<BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.theava.com/07/0704-return.html"><B>The Return of Bruce Anderson</B></A> <DIV align="right"><BR><i>Herb Ruhs, MD</i> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#aa0750"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <BLOCKQUOTE><i> Ooh, picture me doing a little dance. I had seen Bruce Anderson's byline on recent material at <A HREF="http://www.theava.com/"><B>the AVA website</B></A>, but I thought he was just writing occasional pieces. Didn't know he was running the joint again, and to my mind that's really good news. I never saw the paper while it was under David Severin's control and I'm sure it was a fine effort every week, but I just plain loved it during Bruce Anderson's era.<BR><BR>And for anyone reading this who doesn't know what the heck I'm going on about, a brief plug: Yes, Bruce Anderson is a flaming assh*le but he's an assh*le after my own heart, a blunt guy with cynical left-tilted perspectives and a sense of humor and that rarest of rare qualities in a newsman -- a willingness to actually report the news.<BR><BR>For years I subscribed to the ANDERSON VALLEY ADVERTISER, even though it's mostly local news and Anderson Valley has never been my locale. I subscribed because it's invigorating as hell to hold a real newspaper in your hands and read news instead of fluff and donkey dung, and let me tell you I read our local paper and occasionally buy the NEW YORK TIMES and sometimes read the WASHINGTON POST at the library and I just plain haven't had that AVA feeling -- the feel of holding a real newspaper in my hands -- since finances forced me to let my AVA subscription lapse in the early 00s.<BR><BR>I shall now pledge 50¢ a day -- the price of our local crap newspaper -- until I have enough coin saved up to convert it to a money order and again subscribe to the AVA. </i></BLOCKQUOTE><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i> (<A HREF="mailto:unknownnews@inbox.com"><B>unknownnews at inbox.com</B></A>)</DIV> <BR><A NAME=sp0837></A><B>Herb Ruhs, MD replies &nbsp; 9/7/2008:</B><BR> Bruce should give me a cut. <DIV align="right"><BR><i>Herb Ruhs, MD</i> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#sp0837"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> </TD></TR></TABLE> <!-- REPLY --><BR><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/grayline.jpg" border="0" width="630" height="3"><BR> <A NAME=SirJ5></A><BR><BIG><B>Be very, very afraid of Obama (say the fearmongers)</B></BIG><BR><BR>by <B>SirJ</B><BR><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="45%" class="fonty"> A Republican friend sent me the link to this, which has a video where Obama makes a presumably scandalous statement on how "He plans to universally disarm our nation."<BR><BR>I've listened to the tape a couple of times and I'm coming up blank on where the scandal is. Even drawing a blank on where I would disagree with any of it. <DIV align="right"><BR><i>SirJ</i> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#SirJ5"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> </TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%" class="fonty"> </TD><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="54%" class="fonty"> <TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=1><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonty"> <A HREF="http://macsmind.com/wordpress/2008/06/08/obama-wants-to-protect-america/"><B>Obama wants to "Protect" America</B></A><BR><BR><I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> As you might now [sic], I have posted the Obama Wants to Disarm America Thread which has thankfully received nearly 250,000 page views. That's good, and it's getting the word out. However some lefties are complaining that the video is a hack job and it's out of context. Therefore I present to you context. </TD></TR></TABLE></TD></TR></TABLE> <BLOCKQUOTE><i> A sane person watching that video would hear nothing frightful when Obama says he would "cut investments in unproven missile defense systems" and "negotiate with Russia to take our ICBMs off hair-trigger alert", etc. I'm not a big fan of Barack Obama's middle of the road politics, but here he's just offering common sensical proposals that would make America more safe. Only a frightened fool or a stockholder in a defense contractor could hear what Obama's saying and worry that he wants to disarm America, as that site's publisher implies.<BR><BR>I always want to take a shower after even tip-toeing into the Republicans' land of lunacy, and that's where this is from. Could you excuse me for about ten minutes? Thanks&nbsp;...<BR><BR>Most of the Republican electorate, I believe, can be efficiently broken into two groups: a very few smart Republicans who concoct fearmongering fiction, and the vast majority of Republicans, who are yellow-bellied cowards eager to be frightened by whatever tall tales are spun their way -- be afraid of the gays, be afraid of the gun-takers, be afraid of black people or Hispanics, be afraid of the terrorists, be afraid of the candidate with the funny name, be afraid, afraid, always afraid. After years of trying, I don't think there's any way to calm these lily-livered quiver-kneed goose-bumped scaredy-cat Republicans, and make them think about actually <i>defending</i> American freedoms instead of eagerly surrendering the Bill of Rights to whatever wanna-be tyrant promises to keep them safe from the this year's Boogeyman.<BR><BR>Bottom line: There's about 20-25% of Americans whose minds are so drenched in fear that they'll vote for anyone who preaches "be afraid", and it's sad but we have to just write them off. Let's work instead on getting the facts out to the other 75-80%, the people with courage and brains enough to stop and think. </i></BLOCKQUOTE><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i> (<A HREF="mailto:unknownnews@inbox.com"><B>unknownnews at inbox.com</B></A>)</DIV> <A NAME=RepublicanReptiles></A> <BR><TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonty"> <I>Comments:</I><BR> <A NAME=fp0443></A><BR><B>SirJ replies &nbsp; 9/6/2008:</B><BR> At the risk of oversimplifying your excellent analysis of the current state of the Republican party, I will reduce it to one simple sentence: The Republican Party is now the War Party. <DIV align="right"><BR><i>SirJ</i> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#fp0443"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <BLOCKQUOTE><i> They're gung-ho for the war on everything. </i></BLOCKQUOTE><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i> (<A HREF="mailto:unknownnews@inbox.com"><B>unknownnews at inbox.com</B></A>)</DIV> <!-- REPLY --></TD></TR></TABLE> <!-- REPLY --><BR><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/grayline.jpg" border="0" width="630" height="3"><BR> <A NAME=ClM5></A><BR><BIG><B>Police pummel protesters</B></BIG><BR><BR>by <B>Claire M.</B><BR><BR> I think the Denver po-po told the St. Paul po-po to crack down without giving them the benefit of the doubt. <A HREF="http://the-uptake.groups.theuptake.org/en/videogalleryView/id/689/"><B>The video</B></A> is pretty stunning, and it reflects what I saw on that Monday when all the protesters got surrounded by the cops. <DIV align="right"><BR><i>Claire M.</i> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#ClM5"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <BLOCKQUOTE><i> I really felt nauseous <A HREF="http://a1135.g.akamai.net/f/1135/18227/1h/cchannel.download.akamai.com/18227/podcast/SANFRANCISCO-CA/KKGN-AM/hartmann%209-2%20hr%201.mp3"><B>listening to Thom Hartmann</B></A> describe onlookers cheering as cops chased, caught, and beat a protester senseless.<BR><BR> In any sizable protest you'll have a few morons, a handful of anarchists who don't know what anarchy's about, and probably some police plants trying to stir up trouble... and I waste no grief when such miscreants are arrested. But even the miscreants don't deserve a beat-down, and further, I know from experience that there aren't <i>hundreds</i> of such schmucks in any crowd of protesters, unless they've been driven to fury by neanderthal police. My impression is that in Minneapolis and St Paul, most of the true troublemakers who need to be arrested and charged are wearing badges. </i></BLOCKQUOTE><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i> (<A HREF="mailto:unknownnews@inbox.com"><B>unknownnews at inbox.com</B></A>)</DIV> <BR>I know. I think there'll be a revolution if McCain wins.<DIV align="right"><BR><i>Claire M.</i> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#ClM5"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- REPLY --><BR><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/grayline.jpg" border="0" width="630" height="3"><BR> <A NAME=CM5></A><BR><BIG><B>The <i>National Enquirer</i> effect</B></BIG><BR><BR>by <B>Chris M.</B><BR><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="50%" class="fonty"> No need to cite anything from this little bit as the story has been reported elsewhere. What is worth noting, however... is that this will be on every copy in every checkout line in every </TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%" class="fonty"> </TD><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="49%" class="fonty"> <TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=1><TR> <TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonty"> <A HREF="http://www.nationalenquirer.com/sarah_palin_at_war_with_her_daughter_over_pregnancy_wedding/celebrity/65370"><B><i>National Enquirer:</i></B><BR>PALIN WAR: TEEN PREGO CRISIS</A> </TD></TR></TABLE></TD></TR></TABLE>supermarket and gas station/store throughout the country. Not only that but the people who read this rag are the same ones who think Bush is still one of the greats. In other words those the Republicans seek out to vote for them.<BR><BR>Yes I know...a real rag. But there is a bit of truth to the quote from "Men in Black".<TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" class="fonty"><BR>"Jay: *These* are the hot sheets?<BR><BR> Kay: Best investigative reporting on the planet. But go ahead, read the New York Times if you want. They get lucky sometimes."</TD></TR></TABLE> <DIV align="right"><BR><i>Chris M.</i> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#CM5"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <BLOCKQUOTE><i> Good point. I'm not sure it had occurred to me to wonder why the Republicans responded so quick and loud to a story in the National Enquirer, but you're right... I suspect, demographically, there's plenty of overlap between the Republican vote and National Enquirer's readership. </i></BLOCKQUOTE><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i> (<A HREF="mailto:unknownnews@inbox.com"><B>unknownnews at inbox.com</B></A>)</DIV><!-- REPLY --><BR><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/grayline.jpg" border="0" width="630" height="3"><BR> <A NAME=JRM5></A><BR><BIG><B>Repairs, fun and joy, and Cindy McCain</B></BIG><BR><BR>by <B>JR Mooneyham</B><BR><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="53%" class="fonty"> One of the major pillars by which the poor can survive and even prosper is do-it-themselves repair, maintenance, and recycling/cannibalization/ reconfiguration of their cars and other gadgets. This pillar could be hugely strengthened with proper laws and regulations and guidelines for manufacturers to make their products more conducive to such owner mods and repairs.<BR><BR> </TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%" class="fonty"> </TD><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="46%" class="fonty"> <TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=1><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonty"> <A HREF="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/maker_movement;_ylt=AkNxfC2Mi9_n5qvBaffLbC0DW7oF"><B>Mr. Jalopy gets the Maker<BR>Movement up and running</B></A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.jmooneyham.com/junks.html"><B>Junkstorming:<BR>Aggressive exploratory recycling:<BR>Transforming trash to treasure</B></A> </TD></TR></TABLE></TD></TR></TABLE>Instead, what we've had the past several decades is corporations doing their best to make all our gadgets ever more difficult and costly to repair, update, recycle or cannibalize on our own. That's been an important factor in the decline of the middle-class, making it harder and more costly to maintain your present position, or do-it-yourself to a higher one. Issues like this is what makes this article relevant and important.<BR><BR>Note that these factors can literally become matters of life and death in cases of disaster, natural or man-made. And so national security itself is threatened by too much proprietary, hard-to-impossible-to-fix-on-your-own gear. <BR><BR><CENTER><BIG><B><FONT COLOR=gray>*** &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; *** &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ***</FONT></B></BIG></CENTER> The basic idea behind <A HREF="http://abstrusegoose.com/51"><B>936 little blobs</B></A> has haunted me personally for a long time now. So little time, so much to do... It's too bad there's so little fun and joy involved along the way, too! <BR><BR><CENTER><BIG><B><FONT COLOR=gray>*** &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; *** &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ***</FONT></B></BIG></CENTER> Somewhere there's a record of plenty of government subsidies or other aid going into Cindy McCain's business dealings, even if it's only via hefty tax deductions; because almost all US corporations of much size are feeding at the trough today; and Cindy's biz is no lightweight. Having a Republican Senator for a hubby increases the probabilities substantially, too. Recall she's refused to release much info about her tax returns.<BR><BR>Tons of companies happily leaped behind the Patriot Act and similar law changes after 9-11-01 in order to hide as much as they could (I have references on existing pages). So it is unlikely we can ever learn about much such stuff except by accident or whistle-blowers. <DIV align="right"><BR><i>JR Mooneyham &nbsp;(<A HREF="http://www.jrmooneyham.com/"><B>www.jrmooneyham.com/</B></A>)</i> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#JRM5"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <BLOCKQUOTE><i> Your theory seems eminently sound. Cindy McCain hasn't released her tax returns, and I don't think it's because she's a big fan of personal privacy. I'd wager that her income includes big buck payouts from federal programs that nobody would expect to benefit anyone like Cindy McCain... except John & Cindy McCain. </i></BLOCKQUOTE><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i> (<A HREF="mailto:unknownnews@inbox.com"><B>unknownnews at inbox.com</B></A>)</DIV><!-- REPLY --><BR><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/grayline.jpg" border="0" width="630" height="3"><BR> <A NAME=JP5></A><BR><BIG><B>Wager on health</B></BIG><BR><BR>by <B>Juan P.</B><BR><BR> I decided to make a wager on having health insurance. I applied to Kaiser but was rejected because I used to smoke tobacco. So I applied at <A HREF="http://www.mrmib.ca.gov/"><B>http://www.mrmib.ca.gov/</B></A> and was accepted for the waiting list <NOBR>:-)</NOBR><BR><BR>For all of California they have 7000 slots, and the waiting list has about 600 people -- moving at around 100 people per month, so in about 6 -> 9 months I'll have Kaiser through the MRMIB...for about $450 per month... which is why it is a wager, betting that this is cheaper... which for a geezer is probably a good bet.<BR><BR>Other states have similar plans, so...<BR><BR>I had looked into the local medical clinic but it is basically just for Mexicans <NOBR>:-)</NOBR> Haha. Seriously though, I wasn't broke enough to qualify and not having a regular job I couldn't prove I was poor enough unless I gave them copies of my f*cking tax returns, so I said, no gracias.<BR><BR>Well, that's the news. Oh yeah, Verizon offers 6 months free 768K broadband for $19.99 a month for months 7 through 12, and they give you a free modem. That's a good deal. Don't order by phone, it is a living hell trying to go through their voice system. Definitely use the internet to order internet, haha. <DIV align="right"><BR><i>Juan P.</i> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#JP5"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <BLOCKQUOTE><i> Appreciate the info, but $450 a month is not a viable solution for us. We don't have that many pesos. And with all the grief Charter Communications has given us, we're looking for a more reliable provider, but I'm always wary of those bait-and-switch offers where they give you a good deal for a limited time and then jack the price up and you're not allowed to walk away from the contract.<BR><BR>As you might guess, I'm a curmudgeonly shopper. We thought about getting cable or satellite when MSNBC announced they were putting Rachel Maddow on her own show, but the satellite options are far too expensive for us. Dish Network doesn't offer MSNBC on any of its low- or mid-price selections; that channel's not available unless you pay upwards of $90 a month, which, of course, we never could and never will. And our only cable choice is the same godawful Charter that provides our internet service when it wants and unplugs us on a whim, so I guess we're stuck with rabbit ears and Rachel on the radio. </i></BLOCKQUOTE><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i> (<A HREF="mailto:unknownnews@inbox.com"><B>unknownnews at inbox.com</B></A>)</DIV> <!-- REPLY --><BR><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/grayline.jpg" border="0" width="630" height="3"><BR> <A NAME=KL5></A><BR><BIG><B>Connect the dot dot dots</B></BIG><BR><BR>by <B>Kenneth L.</B><BR><BR> You know, I can not help but think... and I can not help but wonder why, Georgia invaded Russia.. then Russia retaliated.. and the story of Russia invading Georgia is in the news... and I can not but help think, that Georgia president was requested in invade Russia... to fabricate a new bad guy... for the sole purpose of having a talking point for McCain... just wondering... <DIV align="right"><BR><i>Kenneth L.</i> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#KL5"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <BLOCKQUOTE><i> Well, let's see: McCain's top guy is a lobbyist for Georgia. Cheney's "national security" aide was in Georgia just before the attack. And when Russia un-surprisingly struck back Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili made a very public plea... to McCain. </i></BLOCKQUOTE><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i> (<A HREF="mailto:unknownnews@inbox.com"><B>unknownnews at inbox.com</B></A>)</DIV> <A NAME=RussiaGeorgia></A> <BR><TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonty"> <I>Comments:</I><BR><A NAME=fp0425></A><BR><B>Kenneth L. replies &nbsp; 9/6/2008:</B><BR> Damn, I thought I was the only one who figured that out! <DIV align="right"><BR><i>Kenneth L.</i> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-05.html#fp0425"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <!-- REPLY --></TD></TR></TABLE> <!-- REPLY --><BR><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/grayline.jpg" border="0" width="630" height="3"><BR> <!-- =quote= --> <TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="center" WIDTH="100%" BGcolor="white" class="fonttnr"><I> "I make [decisions] quickly as I can, quicker than the other fellow, if I can. Often my haste is a mistake, but I live with the consequences without complaint." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.bradblog.com/?p=6351"><B>John McCain</B></A> </I></TD></TR></TABLE> <!-- =news= --> <TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="625" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="625" background="http://www.unknownnews.org/flag-wallpaper.jpg" class="fonty"><SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: darkred"><BIG>&nbsp;<FONT COLOR="#FFCC66"><B> NEWS for THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2008</B></FONT>&nbsp;</BIG></SPAN></TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <A NAME=w0837p></A><A HREF="http://twincities.indymedia.org/2008/sep/over-300-protesters-bystanders-medics-and-media-arrested-update-coldsnap-legal-collective"><B>Over 300 arrests at Republican Party convention</B></A><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" class="fonty"><BR> <I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> Two days into the Republican National Convention (RNC), more than 300 people have been arrested, including at least 120 people for felonies -- mostly the notoriously vague charge, 'conspiracy to riot.' With no provocation, police have indiscriminately used rubber bullets, concussion grenades, and chemical irritants to disperse crowds and incapacitate protestors. Police appear to be specifically targeting videographers documenting these police abuses. In response, lawyers have filed a federal restraining order against such conduct.</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <A NAME=ANCHOR></A><A HREF="http://www.twincities.com/rnc/ci_10364066"><B>Goodman, out on bail, asks Police Chief:<BR>"How is the press to operate in this kind of environment?"</B></A><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" class="fonty"><BR> <i>Comment:&nbsp;</i> The questions are proper and exasperating, and the Police Chief's answers, of course, add up to not much more than 'I don't know anything about that'." &nbsp; <nobr><i>Helen & Harry</i> &nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-04.html#w0837p"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;</SPAN></nobr> </TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <A NAME=w0425p></A><A HREF="http://thinkprogress.org/2008/09/02/mccain-cancel-cnn/"><B>Infuriated about semi-tough CNN interview, McCain cancels Larry King appearance</B></A><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" class="fonty"><BR> <I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> [On Monday], Sen. John McCain's (R-Arizona) campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds appeared on CNN for an interview with Campbell Brown. <A HREF="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYYiw_y2qDI"><B>Brown was tough on Bounds</B> [by CNN standards]</A>, refusing to let him spout typical campaign talking points. She repeatedly pressed him on Palin's foreign policy experience and qualifications, asking him to name one decision that she made as commander-in-chief of the Alaskan National Guard. Bounds was unable to do so. [On Tuesday], CNN's Wolf Blitzer revealed that because of that tough interview, the McCain campaign has canceled the senator's appearance on Larry King Live [Tuesday night].<BR><BR><i>Comment:&nbsp;</i> Jog your memory and let me know if I've forgotten something, but I don't remember any previous Presidential candidate who played such a petty tit-for-tat game with the media. &nbsp; <nobr><i>Helen & Harry</i> &nbsp; <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0809-04.html#w0425p"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT&nbsp;LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;</SPAN></nobr><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/09/angry_amateurs.html"><B>McCain campaign furious at press</B></A><BR><BR><I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> The story of the day out here in Minneapolis is the McCain campaign's war against the press. This has been building for some time. Those of us who have criticized the candidate -- and especially those of us who enjoyed good relations with McCain in the past -- have been subject to off-the-record browbeating and attempted bullying all year. But things have gotten much worse in recent days: there was McCain's rude, bizarre interview with Time Magazine last week. Yesterday, McCain refused to an interview with Larry King, for God's sake, because Campbell Brown had been caught in the commission of journalism on CNN the night before, asking McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds what decisions Sarah Palin had made as commander-in-chief of the Alaska national guard. (There was an answer that the unprepared Bounds didn't have: she had deployed them to fight fires.)<BR><BR> So what's going on here? Two things. McCain is just plain angry at us. By the evidence presented in the utterly revealing Time interview, he's ballistic. This is a politician who needs to see himself as the man on the white horse, boldly traversing a muddy field...any intimations that he's gotten muddied in the process, or has decided to throw mud, are intolerable.</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <A NAME=ANCHOR></A><A HREF="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26527513/"><B>McCain campaign demands end to questions about Palin</B></A><TA