| |
 |
Saturday, March 29, 2003 |
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"A couple of men near a microphone started some loud yelling. Then a group
in the upper balcony joined in. What was so confusing to me, as I continued
my
remarks, was that I could hear this noise but, looking out on the main floor,
I didn't see a single person booing. But then the majority in the balcony -
who were in support of my remarks - started booing the booers. It all turned
into one humongous cacophony of yells. And all I'm thinking is: Hey, I put
on a tux for this?"
- - Michael Moore
RUMOR OF THE WEEK:
Wednesday at 4 am PST, CNN said that Vice President Cheney was denying rumors
that his daughter Elizabeth was en route to Baghdad to be a human shield.
RACIAL SLUR OF THE WEEK
On Monday, 3/24/03, Christian Broadcasting Network's news program
CBN reporter Paul Strand, traveling with the Army's Third Infantry Division
in
Iraq, stated in a dialog with Pat Robertson:
"
Everywhere we've gone we have seen artillery ahead of us and then artillery
behind and were getting reports that there's fighting in all of the cities
that we've already been through. So I guess if this were the Old West I'd say
there
are Injuns ahead of us, Injuns behind us, and Injuns on both sides too, so
we really don't want to give the enemy any hints about where we are."
DOWNLOAD OF THE WEEK
Rock the Vote & Lenny Kravitz announced a new song by Kravitz called "We
Want Peace," available exclusively at Rock the Vote's website.
The song, which says, "There won't be peace if we don't try" is an urgent
call from Lenny Kravitz for America to be a peaceful leader in the world. Kravitz
wrote the song and performed it with Kazem Al Sahir, Iraq's #1 pop music artist,
who is better known as the Iraqi Diplomatic Ambassador of the world and a true
legend of Arabic Music. In addition, the song features Palestinian musician
Simon Shaheen on strings & Lebanese artist Jamey Hadded on percussion.
"We Want Peace" can be downloaded at:
http://www.rockthevote.org/
POLITICAL ACTION OF THE WEEKEND:
Right leaning music fans, radio stations, media personalities, & even multinational
corporations put the Dixie Chicks on their hit list. Megacorporation
Clear Channel (they own 1,233 radio stations & have been sponsoring pro-war
rallies around the country) pulled the Chicks' music off its playlists.
To counter the criticism of the Chicks & other socially conscious musicians,
let's take 5 minutes & buy the Dixie Chicks' album "Home."
For
details and a list of other anti-war musicians, go to:
http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=15476
RHINO HERE:
I want to begin this weekend by offering condolences to the families & friends
of all the people who have died thus far in shrub's war. I am saddened by the
needless ongoing carnage and I fear it's just begun.
When I hear idiots like Rush Limbaugh say that anyone who's ever voted for
a democrat doesn't "support our troops" because dems vote
against increasing the budgets of the military & the C.I.A., I wonder if he isn't
smirking a shrub like smirk behind his mic knowing that the bushies are pushing
to decrease the already lacking Veterans Administration budget by millions
of dollars while pushing for billions in tax cuts for the rich. You'd think
these so called patriots would know how many U.S. vets are currently wandering
the streets homeless & how many more are struggling with Gulf War Syndrome
that the government won't even admit was the army's fault. But then what
can we expect from a chicken hawk who got out of serving in the military cause
he had a boil on his butt. Don't believe that?
Check him out in the Chickenhawk Database:
Chickenhawk Database
Those familiar with the U.S. Government's Bureau Of Indian Affairs know
that it
represents the only government agency in the U.S. set up to deal with a particular
race of people. Only Nazi Germany & apartheid South Africa had such agencies. It
seems shrub & company may be setting up a new B.I.A.:
BUREAU OF IRAQI AFFAIRS, Formed March 20, 2003
Dear People of Iraq,
Now that you have been liberated from your tyrannical oppressors, we at the
BIA look forward to our relationship with you. Below you will find a list of
what to expect from the services of our good offices.
1. Henceforth, English will be the spoken language of all government and associated
offices. If you do not speak English, a translator fluent in German will be
provided.
2. All Iraqi people will apply for a spot on a citizen roll. Citizenship will
be open to those people who can prove that they are Iraqi back four generations
with documents issued by the United States. Christian church records may also
be given in support.
3. All hospitals will be issued with a standard emergency aid kit. The kit
contains gauze, band aids, burn cream, iodine, tweezers, and duct tape.
4. Your oil is to be held in trust for you. We will appoint your new American
approved government a lawyer with a background in the oil industry. Never mind
that he works for the company that he will eventually cut a deal with. This
close relationship will guarantee you more money for your oil.
5. Each Citizen will be allotted one hundred acres of prime Iraqi desert. They
will be issued plows, hoes, seed corn and the King James Bible. All leftover
land will be open to settlement by Israelis.
6. Each Citizen is entitled to draw a ration of milk, sugar, flour and lard.
If you can not use the rations for health or religious reasons you may file
a complaint with your BIA appointed liaisons, Crisco. Those Iraqis showing
signs of diabetes, heart disease, or glaucoma will be issued with double rations
in place of adequate health care.
7. We will mismanage your trust monies, allowing any five year old with minimal
computer skills to hack into the system and set up their own account. Records
of your accounts will be kept, but you must receive express written permission
from the head of the BIA to examine them.
8. In keeping with the separation of Church and State supported by the US constitution,
Christian missionaries will be sponsored through government funding. Only Iraqis
who convert to Christianity will be allowed to hold jobs within the government.
9. For the purposes of treaty making, any single Iraqi will be found competent
to sign on behalf of all other Iraqis.
10. Welcome to the Free World and have a nice day!
Michael
Moore Continues On A Roll
1) His book, "Stupid
White Men" topped the best sellers list for
months,
2) His documentary, "Bowling
For Columbine" set records for documentary
theatrical opening weekends & for total box office receipts ($40 million
worldwide gross),
3) He just won the Oscar for Best feature Documentary
AND NOW
He's just signed a deal with Mel Gibson's Icon Productions worth 8 figures
in upfront cash plus potential backend profits to produce a documentary on
the relationship between the Bush family and the bin Laden family. It will
detail their oil interest connections, be entitled "Fahrenheit 911" and
be ready for distribution by 9/11/04, just before the next presidential election.
I hope he uses some of that money to hire a team of body guards. An article
Michael wrote for the L.A. Times recounting his first hand experience winning
the Oscar and facing cheers & boos is posted at:
Starting a Ruckus Was The Right Thing to Do
http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0328-05.htm
THE BOTTOM
LINE is an article from Variety detailing Michael's deal & what's
known about the project. I've posted the entire article since no link was available
so far. Have a good weekend.
7:52:59 AM 
|
|
THE BOTTOM LINE
Moore Tools Up For Another Furor
Reuters/Variety, 3/28/03
NEW YORK (Variety) - Michael Moore, who didn't endear himself to the Oscar audience last Sunday, will doubtless arouse further ire with his next documentary. The project will depict the allegedly murky relationship between President Bush's father and the family of Osama bin Laden. And it will suggest that the bin Laden family was greatly enriched by that association.
Moore is making a deal with Mel Gibson's Icon Prods. to finance "Fahrenheit 911," a documentary that will trace why the U.S. has become a target for hatred and terrorism. It will also depict alleged dealings between two generations of the Bush and bin Laden clans that led to George W. Bush and Osama bin Laden becoming mortal enemies. While the words "fevered auction" and "documentary" should never be used in the same sentence, they fit the post-Oscar bidding battle orchestrated by the Endeavor talent agency. Gibson and Bruce Davey's Icon won with a bid worth eight figures in upfront cash and potential backend profits.
The deal comes as Moore's Oscar-winning "Bowling for Columbine" moves toward the $40 million worldwide gross mark. The $3 million film is one of the most successful documentaries ever. "The primary thrust of the new film is what has happened to the country since Sept. 11, and how the Bush administration used this tragic event to push its agenda," Moore said. "It certainly does deal with the Bush and bin Laden ties. It asks a number of questions that I don't have the answers to yet, but which I intend to find out." Moore has put a year's worth of research into the film. He'll finish it in time to be submitted for Cannes, 2004, and released in time for the presidential election that fall.
The Bush-bin Laden tie, if only circumstantial, begins with a business relationship between the former president and Mohammed bin Laden, the Yemeni-born father of Osama who was a Saudi construction magnate. He died and left his future terrorist son about $300 million that has been used to finance global violence. The young bin Laden was among the freedom fighters propped up by the CIA as they battled the Soviets in Afghanistan when the elder Bush headed that agency. And bin Laden's Al Qaeda campaign began after Bush put U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War. A decade later, bin Laden's Twin Tower attacks made the battle against terrorism the prime focus of George W.'s presidency.
"The senior Bush kept his ties with the bin Laden family up until two months after Sept. 11," Moore said. "The bin Ladens invested heavily in the Carlyle Group, which has its hands in a number of pies and is the 11th largest defense contractor even though it mostly buys failing defense companies and sells them for profits." The mood in Hollywood was mixed over whether Moore would be ridden out of town after his anti-war speech. He admitted his passion was partly fueled from the research he's done on the new movie and said public and industry reaction was overwhelmingly positive.
" I'd always watched and felt a little odd seeing actors win an Oscar and go off on some tangent cause. I'd just been given a standing ovation and an Oscar for a movie that deals not only with American gun violence, but how Bush manipulates the public with fear and how we are violent to people around the world. I expressed exactly what was in the film and instead of being blacklisted, I've not only gotten a deal to fund 'Fahrenheit 911' but offers on the film after. Presales on ("Columbine's") video release ran ahead of 'Chicago' this week, and my book is returning to the top spot on the New York Times bestseller list. It's because the majority of Americans agree with me see the economy in the toilet and didn't vote for George W. People are now realizing you can question your government while still caring about the soldiers. We are all still filled with rage over Sept. 11 and have every right to seek vengeance on the bad guy. But not any old bad guy."
Moore said he was mildly surprised by the speech reaction, since it was a carbon copy of what he said at the Spirit Awards the previous day: "I didn't write an Oscar speech because I never thought we'd win. The last documentary that was a box office success and won the Oscar was 'Woodstock,"' Moore said.
"RHINO'S BLOG" is the responsibility of Gary Rhine. (rhino@kifaru.com)
Feedback, and requests to be added or deleted from the list are encouraged.
SEARCH BLOG ARCHIVES / SURF RHINO'S LINKS, AT:
http://www.rhinosblog.info
RHINO'S OTHER WEB SITES:
http://www.dreamcatchers.org (INDIGENOUS ASSISTANCE & INTERCULTURAL DIALOG)
http://www.kifaru.com (NATIVE AMERICAN RELATIONS VIDEO DOCUMENTARIES)
Articles are reprinted under Fair Use Doctrine of international copyright law.
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html
All copyrights belong to original publisher.
7:12:26 AM
|
|
© Copyright 2005 Gary Rhine.
|
|
