I am FURIOUS

I was and am so furious I want to hit something (or someone.....and I do not consider myself a violent person)

I spent most of the day reading and relaxing......BUT for about a total of 40 minutes I listened to NPR....

The Diane Rhem Show

--guests David Corn and 2 others: 1 from Washington Times and 1 from UPI (WHY doesn't she ever mention that these are BOTH MOONIE organizations????)

--one of the guests says that now aid is pouring in and recovery and rebuilding starting, the attention will over the next few days turn to other things

----NO mention that federal aid has not yet arrived some places
----No mention of FEMA blocking and hindering aid and rescue

All Things Considered

--TJakes! gives the sermon in DC (1 of the black Pentecostal? ministers bushco has co-opted)......AARGH!

--the only Gulf minister interviewed is a SoBapt minister from LA who gives a somewhat covert 'come to Jesus' message......I do not totally object to this, but there ARE OTHER Christian churches in the Gulf that are not conservative/fundamentalist and are doing relief work and have helpful messages...WHERE is their voice on ATC?????

--part of a speech is played in which W says there will be NO tax increase, b/c people who have lost everything and people who are helping do not need an additional burden

----NO one has called for a tax increase.......many have called for a WITHDRAWAL of the massive tax cuts on the upper 1-10% of the wealthy.......and NPR does NOT make this point

--W in his speech at the DC church is heard saying that 'we' have learned that 'we' are never far from God's love.......and I want to SCREAM: 'but we're sure far from YOUR help and concern, aren't we W?'

--Medicare monthly premiums will go up $10 a month starting in January; the deductible will also go up; and payment to get part of prescription costs deducted will be about $35 a month........way to hit the elderly hurting in the aftermath of Katrina

----one GOOD thing here: NPR states that like last year, the announcement of the cost increase was made on a Friday

--there are plans to cut EPA regulations across the board everywhere; the proposed new rules allow one person in the department to determine if there is an 'emergency' making this necessary

----one GOOD thing here: NPR says it got the memos and documents from people in the department who are deeply concerned about the destruction of environmental controls that this means; NPR also points out that the informants wish to remain annonymous for fear of retaliation

A FEW RAYS OF LIGHT

--the part of Fresh Air that I heard remembering the victims

----the essay by Alice Sebold? that ran in the NYTimes Sunday

----the musician from New Orleans and the end of the program when 'I'll Fly Away' was played

--ATC: the statements of the professor from Duke about the Posse Comitatus Act and why its repeal or modification IS NOT NECESSARY

indeed, in reference to another DU thread, the more I learn about what's going on the angrier and the sicker at heart I get

and reminded myself that now NPR has a RW as their big head!!!

She started out in our DC area, broadcasting from American University's station - WAMU-FM.

She wasn't bad when she started, all those years ago. She had on timely guests with lots to say, and she had guests from all points on the political spectrum, if they were in the news.

It wasn't a bad show, although her droning voice was a real soporific sometimes.

Then she went national - long before NPR and PBS went right - and she became so blatantly and wastefully politically correct, it was no longer worth anyone's time to listen to her. She honestly believed it was valid to have Holocaust deniers on her show, to "give the other side a chance to respond."

Sometimes, Diane, I wrote to her, there is no valid "other side." Especially when you're dealing with matters of historical reality.

She's a real jerk, and you're far better off not listening to her. She's a real shill.

right wing talking point about "why didn't the mayor use the
school buses?".