Anonymous Comrade writes:

"The Doomsday Machine"

John Chuckman, November 27, 2003

It occurred to me to write a satire about Osama and the boys sitting around in the mountains somewhere holding a conference about the worst possible damage they could inflict on the United States and deciding that it would be whatever act got Bush re-elected.

But retired American General Tommy Franks came along and spoiled the fun. General Franks has followed the advice of the fictional Doctor Strangelove by announcing to the world what he believes will happen if the United States is attacked by terrorists using strategic weapons: he says Americans will scrap the Constitution and set up a military government.

Anonymous Comrade writes:

"Forty Years of Lies"

John Chuckman, November 12, 2003

"If, as we are told, Oswald was the lone assassin, where is the issue of national security?" -- Bertrand Russell

Bertrand Russell's penetrating question, one of sixteen he asked at the time of the Warren Commission Report, remains unanswered after forty years. That should trouble Americans, but then again there are many things around national secrecy today that should trouble Americans.

Karantina writes:

"Diebold Voting Systems"

Karantina

DIEBOLD! If “Perception is Reality” what is Diebold afraid of?

Recently a string of leaked e-mails has come to light that are creating
panic amongst the  executives of Diebold
Election Systems. Diebold is the second largest, and fastest
growing electronic voting corporation in the world, and produces touch
screen voting stations used in 37 states in the country. Touch screen
voting booths will sound familiar to many Californian voters because
these were the same machines that were used throughout the state during
the Oct. 7th Recall Election.

Anonymous Comrade writes:

"Cloud-Cuckoo-Land"

John Chuckman, October 10, 2003

California has just elected an adolescent fantasy as governor. One imagines fans, used to paying for Schwarzenegger's image projected on a screen, leaving rallies feeling blessed at having glimpsed him in the flesh -- dyed hair, induced tan, eyebrow-waxing, capped teeth, and all -- much as winners from a church bingo go home feeling blessed.

"Is It Just About Schwarzenegger?"

Mike Davis

LOS ANGELES — Voters in California are set to go to the polls on October 7. The two-part ballot will ask whether state governor Gray Davis should be removed. It will then ask voters to choose from among 135 candidates, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, to replace Davis. Every candidate in California's dark recall election comedy should be obliged to answer the question, “Whither Duroville?”. Duroville is the California visitors never see and that pundits ignore when they debate the future of the world's sixth-largest economy.

"California Reaming"

Mike Davis

Voters in California were set to go to the polls on 7 October, until the election was postponed this week. When it does take place, the two-part ballot will ask whether state governor Gray Davis should be removed. It will then ask voters to choose from among 135 candidates, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, to replace Davis. Mike Davis, whose books include City of Quartz and Late Victorian Holocausts, writes on the issues which the media's election coverage has ignored.

EVERY CANDIDATE in California's dark recall election comedy should be obliged to answer the question, "Whither Duroville?" Duroville is the California visitors never see and that pundits ignore when they debate the future of the world's sixth largest economy.

Anonymous Comrade submits:

"The Perfumed Prince and Other Political Tales"

John Chuckman, September 5, 2003

The Perfumed Prince declared himself a Democrat. Many Americans may not recognize the nickname bestowed upon Wesley Clarke by British colleagues as he strutted around Serbia with his set of platinum-plated general's stars carefully repositioned each day to a freshly-starched and ironed camouflage cap, wafting a thick vapor trail of cologne. His lack of judgment demonstrated in Serbia -- including an order to clear out Russian forces that British general, Sir Michael Jackson, had to ignore for fear of starting World War III -- should be enough to utterly disqualify him as a candidate for President. But this is America, land of opportunity.

Anonymous Kumquat submits:

"Schwarzenegger's Sex Talk"

The Smoking Gun

AUGUST 27--Arnold Schwarzenegger once told a magazine interviewer about participating in an orgy with other bodybuilders, noting that "everybody jumped on" the woman involved and "took her upstairs where we all got together." The California Republican added that not every muscleman participated in the gang bang, "just the guys who can fuck in front of other guys. Not everybody can do that. Some think that they don't have a big-enough cock, so they can't get a hard-on."

California trend goes national:

Bush Recall

Anonymous Comrade submits:

"Camejo, Huffington Form Unorthodox Alliance"

By Lee Romney, Los Angeles Times , August 13, 2003

SAN FRANCISCO - Green Party gubernatorial candidate Peter Camejo
announced Tuesday that he and nonpartisan Arianna Huffington will
jointly campaign for issues in the coming months, then decide
together near the end of the race which candidate is better prepared
to sprint to the finish line.