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Archive for November, 2010|Monthly archive page

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My TSA Encounter-Repost for NO BLASTERS!

In citrus county florida, contributors needed, EYEONCITRUS.COM, TSA screening on kp47 at 301030
Delta Airlines Boeing 757-232 at Los Angeles I...

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“You don’t need to see his identification.”

On November 21, 2010, I was allowed to enter the U.S. through an airport security checkpoint without being x-rayed or touched by a TSA officer. This post explains how.

Edit: For the sake of brevity, most of the quotes below are paraphrases. I have uploaded the actual audio and it is available here.

This past Sunday, I was returning from a trip to Europe.I flew from Paris to Cincinnati, landing in Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

As I got off my flight, I did all of the things that are normally requested from U.S. citizens returning from abroad.I filled out the customs declarations, confirmed that I hadn’t set foot on any farmland, and answered questions about the chocolates that I had purchased in Switzerland.While I don’t believe that these questions are necessary, I don’t mind answering them if it means some added security.They aren’t particularly intrusive.My passport was stamped, and I moved through customs a happy citizen returning home.

But wait – here was a second line to wait in.

This new line led to a TSA security checkpoint.You see, it is official TSA policy that people (both citizens and non-citizens alike) from international flights are screened as they enter the airport, despite the fact that they have already flown.Even before the new controversial security measures were put in place, I found this practice annoying.But now, as I looked past the 25 people waiting to get into their own country, I saw it:the dreaded Backscatter imaging machine.

Now, I’ve read a fair amount about the controversy surrounding the new TSA policies.I certainly don’t enjoy being treated like a terrorist in my own country, but I’m also not a die-hard constitutional rights advocate.However, for some reason, I was irked.Maybe it was the video of the 3-year old getting molested, maybe it was the sexual assault victim having to cry her way through getting groped, maybe it was the father watching teenage TSA officers joke about his attractive daughter.Whatever it was, this issue didn’t sit right with me.We shouldn’t be required to do this simply to get into our own country.

So, since I had nobody waiting for me at home and no connecting flight to catch, I had some free time.I decided to test my rights.

After putting all my stuff through the x-ray, I was asked to go through the Backscatter.I politely said that I didn’t want to.The technician quipped to his colleague, “We’ve got an opt-out.”They laughed.He turned back and started to explain.

After he finished, I said, “I understand what the pat-down entails, but I wanted to let you know that I do not give you permission to touch my genitals or the surrounding area.If you do, I will consider it assault.”

He called his manager over, who again informed me of the policy.Throughout this event, this happened quite a few times.After raising my concerns regarding the policy to an officer, they often simply quoted back the policy.For the sake of brevity, I will simply say “Policy restatement.”

I said, “I am aware that it is policy, but I disagree with the policy, and I think that it is unconstitutional.As a U.S. citizen, I have the right to move freely within my country as long as I can demonstrate proof of citizenship and have demonstrated no reasonable cause to be detained.”

Policy restatement.“You have two options – the Backscatter or the pat down.It is your choice, but those are the only ways you can go through security.”

I asked if I could speak to his manager.

“I’m the supervisor here.”

“Do you have a manager?”

“Yes, but he’s very far away at the moment.And he’ll say the same thing I am.”Policy restatement.

At this point, I took out my iPhone, activated the voice recorder, and asked The Supervisor, “Per my constitutional rights, I am not allowed to be detained without reasonable cause for arrest.Now, am I free to go?”

He answered, “If you leave, we will call the APD.”

I asked, “Who is the APD?”

“The Airport Police Department.”

I said, “Actually, that’s probably a good idea.Let’s call them and your manager.”

The Supervisor turned and walked away without saying anything.I stood and waited, chatting to The Technician about how they aren’t allowed to wear radiation badges, even though they work with radiation equipment.He said, “I think I’m a couple steps ahead of you regarding looking out for my own health.”

I stood and waited for 20 minutes.Two cops showed up.Big ones.I admit, I did not want to be handcuffed by these guys.

One cop was older than the other, but they were still clearly partners.Neither of them took the lead on answering my questions, and neither of them told the other what to do.They came over to me and asked me to explain the issue.I first showed them the iPhone.After I explained my position, they restated the policy to me.

I said, “Yes sir.I understand the policy, but I still disagree and I still don’t think that I can be made to do these searches in order to go home.Now am I free to go?”

They didn’t answer.

I repeated the question. “Since you are actual police officers and not simply TSA, I am sure you have had much more training on my rights as a U.S. citizen, so you understand what is at stake here.So, am I free to go?Or am I being detained?”

Young Cop answers, “You aren’t being detained, but you can’t go through there.”

“Isn’t that what detaining is?Preventing me from leaving?”

“You can leave if you want, but it has to be that direction.”He points back towards customs. Young Cop asks, “Why are you doing this?”

I explain that I’m worried that the Backscatter has unproven health risks.And that for all he knows, I might be a sexual assault victim and don’t feel like being touched.I say that the policy is needlessly invasive and it doesn’t provide any added security.

He asks, “But didn’t you go through this when you left on your flight?”

“Yes,” I say, grinning, “But I didn’t want to miss my flight then.”

The cops leave, and I stand around and wait some more.It should be noted that throughout this time, no fewer than 10 TSA officers and technicians are standing around, watching me.I was literally the only one still waiting to go through security.

The cops, The TSA Supervisor, and another guy were standing behind the checkpoint deliberating about something.I explained this to my iPhone and The Supervisor shouted, “Does that thing have video?”

“No sir.Just audio.”I was telling the truth – I’m still on an iPhone 3G.

After a while, Young Cop comes and asks me for my papers.My passport, my boarding pass, my driver’s license, and even a business card.I give him everything except the business card.He told me that he was just gathering information for the police report, which is standard procedure.I complied – I knew that this was indeed standard.

He left, and a Delta Airlines manager comes over and starts talking to me.He is clearly acting as a mediator.He asks what I would consent to, if given my options.I explain that I want the least intrusive possible solution that is required.I say, “I will not do anything that is not explicitly stated on recording as mandatory.”He leaves.

Let me pause and clarify the actors’ moods here, because they will soon start to change:

  • The Supervisor: Very standoffish.Sticking to policy, no exceptions.
  • The TSA Officials:Mainly amused.Not very concerned otherwise.
  • The Cops: Impartial observers and consultants.Possibly a bit frustrated that I’m creating the troubles, but being very professional and respectful regardless.
  • The Delta Supervisor:Trying to help me see the light.He doesn’t mind the work – he’s here all day anyway, so he’d rather spend it ensuring that his customer is happy.

After another wait, Old Cop returns, and asks me what I want.I tell him, “I want to go home without going through the Backscatter and without having my genitals touched.Those are my only two conditions. I will strip naked here if that is what it takes, but I don’t want to be touched.”

He offers as an alternative, “What if we were to escort you out with us?It would involve a pat-down, but it would be us doing it instead.”

“Would you touch my balls?”

“I don’t want to touch your – genital region, but my hand might brush against it.”

I clarify, “Well, like I said, I’ll do whatever you say is mandatory.If you tell me that you have to touch my balls—“

“—I said no such thing.You’re putting words in my mouth.”

“OK. I apologize.If you say that a pat-down is mandatory, and that as a condition of that pat-down, I may have my genitals brushed against by your hand, even though you don’t want to, I will do that.But only if you say it is mandatory.”

“I’m not going to say that.”

“OK.So am I free to go?”

“You are free to go in that direction.”He points back towards customs.Then he walks away to commune with the others.

My iPhone is running out of battery, so I take out my laptop, sit in a corner, and plug it in.I have some work to do anyway, so I pull up Excel and start chugging away for about 20 minutes.

This is where the turning point happens.

The cops come back and start talking with me.Again, they are asking why I’m doing it, don’t I have a connection to make, etc.They are acting more curious at this point – no longer trying to find a contradiction in my logic.

I eventually ask what would happen if I got up and left, and just walked through security.They shrugged.“We wouldn’t do anything on our own.We are only acting on behalf of the TSA.They are in charge of this area.”

“So if he told you to arrest me, you would?And if he didn’t, you wouldn’t?”

“That’s right,” Young Cop says.

“OK well then I think it is best if we all talk together as a group now.Can you call them over?”

The Supervisor returns, along with the Delta Manager.The Supervisor is quite visibly frustrated.

I explain, “The police have explained to me that it is your call on whether or not I am being detained.If I walked through that metal detector right now, you would have to ask them to arrest me in order for them to do anything.”

He starts to defer responsibility to the officers.They emphasize that no – they have no issue with me and they are only acting on his behalf.It is his jurisdiction.It is policy.They won’t detain me unless he tells them to.

So I emphasize the iPhone again, and ask,” So, if I were to get up, walk through the metal detector, and not have it go off, would you still have them arrest me?”

The Supervisor answers, “I can’t answer that question.That is no longer an option because you were selected for the Backscatter.”

“Well you can answer the question because it is a yes or no question.If I got up and left, would you have them arrest me?”

“I can’t answer that question.”

The moods have changed.The cops are now frustrated with him because he’s pawning off his decision-making responsibility to them.He’s stopping what is clearly a logical solution to the problem.Meanwhile, the Supervisor is just growing more and more furious with me.

In another deferment of responsibility (which he probably thought was an intimidation factor), “Well then I guess I’m just going to have to call the FSD.”

Unfazed, I ask, “What’s the FSD?”

“The Federal Security Director.”And he walks away.

I can see him talking on the phone to the FSD – a man apparently named Paul – and I can only catch parts of the conversation:

  • “No, he’s been perfectly polite…”
  • “We tried that…”
  • “All he said was … Constitutional rights”

He walks over to Old Cop and hands him the phone.I can hear similar sound bites.They hang up, deliberate some more, and then wait some more.

Meanwhile, I’m typing away on my computer.Answering emails, working on my Excel model – things that I would have done at home regardless.

The Supervisor walks over and stands uncomfortably close to me.After typing for a bit more, I look up.His voice shakes, “I don’t know if I ever introduced myself.”He pulls out his badge.“My name is XXX XXX.Here is my badge.Now, I’ve shown you my credentials.”

Ah – he’s gotten the Miranda talk.I hide my smile.

“Here’s what we’re going to do.I’m going to escort you out of the terminal to the public area.You are to stay with me at all times.Do you understand?”

“Will I be touched?”

“I can’t guarantee that, but I am going to escort you out.”

“OK.I will do this. But I will restate that I still do not give you permission to touch my genitals or the surrounding area.If you do, I will still consider it assault.”

“I understand.”

And then came the most ridiculous scene of which I’ve ever been a part.I gather my things – jacket, scarf, hat, briefcase, chocolates.We walk over to the staff entrance and he scans his badge to let me through.We walk down the long hallway that led back to the baggage claim area.We skip the escalators and moving walkways.As we walk, there are TSA officials stationed at apparent checkpoints along the route.As we pass them, they form part of the circle that is around me.By the end of the walk, I count 13 TSA officials and 2 uniformed police officers forming a circle around me.We reach the baggage claim area, and everyone stops at the orange line.The Supervisor grunts, “Have a nice day,” and leaves.

In order to enter the USA, I was never touched, I was never “Backscatted,” and I was never metal detected.In the end, it took 2.5 hours, but I proved that it is possible.I’m looking forward to my next flight on Wednesday.

You can email Matt here.

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How Corporate America Is Pushing Us All Off a Cliff …a letter from Michael Moore

In EYEONCITRUS.COM on kp00 at 301021

How Corporate America Is Pushing Us All Off a Cliff …a letter from Michael Moore Learning how not to sway public opinion

Friday, November 19th, 2010

Friends,

When someone talks about pushing you off a cliff, it’s just human nature to be curious about them. Who are these people, you wonder, and why would they want to do such a thing?

That’s what I was thinking when corporate whistleblower Wendell Potter revealed that, when “Sicko” was being released in 2007, the health insurance industry’s PR firm, APCO Worldwide, discussed their Plan B: “Pushing Michael Moore off a cliff.”

But after looking into it, it turns out, it’s nothing personal! APCO wants to push everyone off a cliff.

APCO was hatched in 1984 as a subsidiary of the Washington, D.C. law firm Arnold & Porter — best known for its years of representing the giant tobacco conglomerate Philip Morris. APCO set up fake “grassroots” organizations around the country to do the bidding of Big Tobacco. All of a sudden, “normal, everyday, in-no-way-employed-by-Philip Morris Americans” were popping up everywhere. And it turned out they were outraged — outraged! — by exactly the things APCO’s clients hated (such as, the government telling tobacco companies what to do). In particular, they were “furious” that regular people had the right to sue big corporations…you know, like Philip Morris. (For details, see the 2000 report “The CALA Files” (PDF) by my friends and colleagues Carl Deal and Joanne Doroshow.)

Right about now you may be wondering: how many Americans get pushed off a cliff by Big Tobacco every year? The answer is 443,000 Americans die every year due to smoking. That’s a big cliff.

With this success under their belts, APCO created “The Advancement of Sound Science Coalition.” TASSC, funded partly by Exxon, had a leading role in a planned campaign by the fossil fuel industry to create doubt about global warming. The problem for Big Oil speaking out against global warming, according to the campaign’s own leaked documents, was that the public could see the “vested interest” that oil companies had in opposing environmental laws. APCO’s job was to help conceal those oil company interests.

And boy, have they ever succeeded. Polls now show that, as the world gets hotter, Americans are getting less and less worried about it.

How big is this particular cliff? According to the World Health Organization, climate change contributes — right now — to the deaths of 150,000 people every year. By 2030 it may be double that. And after that…well, the sky is literally the limit! I don’t think it’s crazy to say APCO may rack up even bigger numbers here than they have with tobacco.

With this track record, you can see why, when the health insurance industry wanted to come after “Sicko,” they went straight to APCO. The “worst case,” as their leaked documents say, was that “Sicko evolves into a sustained populist movement.” That simply could not be allowed to happen. Something obviously had to be done.

As Wendell Potter explains, APCO ran their standard playbook, setting up something called “Health Care America.” Health Care America, according to Potter, “was received by mainstream reporters, including the New York Times, as a legitimate organization when it was nothing but a front group set up by APCO Worldwide. It was not anything approaching what it was reporting to be: a ‘grassroots organization.’ It was a sham group.”

Health Care America showed up online in 2007 (the year “Sicko” was released) and disappeared quickly by early 2008. You can still find their website archived here. As you’ll see, their “moderated forum” allowed normal, everyday, in-no-way-employed-by-the-insurance-industry Americans to speak out. For instance, here’s something Nicole felt very strongly about:

“Moore shouldn’t be allowed to call his film a ‘documentary.’ It should be called a political commercial. We need to fix our health care system, but we shouldn’t accept a Hollywood moviemaker’s political views as the starting point.”

Here’s what Wendell Potter revealed about the insurance industry’s media strategy:

“As we would do the media training, we would always have someone refer to him as ‘Hollywood entertainer’ or ‘Hollywood moviemaker Michael Moore.’ They don’t want you to think that it was a documentary that had some truth.”

Thanks for your perspective, “Nicole”!

Now, how big was THAT cliff? A pretty good size — according to a recent study, 45,000 Americans die every year because they don’t have health insurance.

And here we are in 2010. A lesser PR firm might be resting on its laurels at this point, content to sit back and watch hundreds of thousands of people continue to be pushed off the various cliffs they’ve built. But not APCO! Right now they’ve taken on their biggest challenge yet: leading a giant, multi-million dollar effort to help Wall Street “earn back the trust of the American people.”

We may never know the size of this particular cliff. But we can be sure it’s gigantic. According to the New York Times, one of the things Wall Street’s recession gave us is “the crippling of the government program that provides life-sustaining antiretroviral drugs to Americans with H.I.V. or AIDS who cannot afford them.” Internationally, organizations fighting AIDS and other diseases are “hugely afraid” of cutbacks in funding.

Of course, there are the 101 ways recessions kill quietly. For instance, children’s hospitals are seeing a sharp 55% rise in the abuse of babies by parents.

And that’s just the previous cliff. If APCO and its Wall Street co-conspirators lull us into turning our backs on them again, we can be sure the next cliff — the next crash — will be much bigger.

Anyway, this is all just a way for me to say to APCO: No hard feelings! My getting mad at you would be like a chicken who’s still happily pecking away getting mad at McDonald’s. Compared to the millions you’ve already turned into McNuggets, you’ve actually treated me much, much BETTER! Spying on my family, planting smears and lies about me, privately badgering movie critics to give the film a poor review, scaring Americans into believing they’d be committing a near-act of treason were they to go to the theater and see my movie — hey, ya done good, health insurance companies of America. And, most important, you stopped the nation from getting true universal health care. Good job!

There’s only one problem — I’m not one of those “liberals” you fund in Congress, the ones who fear your power.

I’m me. And that, sadly, is not good for you.

Yours in good health,
Michael Moore
MMFlint
MichaelMoore.com

P.S. It seems to me that APCO’s discussion of pushing me off a cliff should legitimately be part of their Wikipedia page. And why not something about their role in Wall Street’s new PR offensive? So I’m asking everyone interested to write something up that meets Wikipedia’s guidelines and help bring the APCO Worldwide entry up to date. Post it somewhere online and send a tweet about it to @mmflint. I’ll award a signed copy of “Sicko” by noon Sunday to the best entry…and then deputize you to post it on Wikipedia for real and make sure APCO’s minions don’t take it down. Just be sure afterward not to walk near any cliffs!

P.P.S. The late, great comedian Bill Hicks had some thoughts about marketing and the .

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Fascism

In FASCISM, globalist controllers, Nationalism, pawns of military-industrial complex,dupes on kp50 at 301015

Posted by Ted McLaughlin

Over at Rense.com they have printed a list of the defining characteristics of a fascist state.   The list was compiled by Dr. Lawrence Britt, who studied the fascist states of Hitler’s Germany, Mussolini‘s Italy, Franco’s Spain, Suharto‘s Indonesia and several Latin American fascist regimes.   He found that all of them had the same 14 characteristics, which are listed below.

Every freedom-loving American should read and study this list carefully because we are currently treading the same path.   Frankly, this list scares the hell out of me and it should scare you.   There is still time to head off our march toward a true fascist state, but not a lot of time.   We must choose now and act, and that action must not to be to further limit the freedom of any American — even those we disagree with.   Freedom does not reside in eliminating our differences, but in celebrating them.

Each time we demonize our opponents or engage in intolerant actions we lose some freedom and grow closer to fascism.   There are those who believe we must give up some of our differences and some of our freedoms to live in safety.   They are wrong.   That is the path to totalitarianism and a fascist state — which as has been said will come wrapped in the flag and preaching patriotism.   Here are the 14 characteristics of fascism:

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism – Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.


2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights – Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of “need.” The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.


3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause – The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial , ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.

4. Supremacy of the Military – Even when there are widespread
domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.
5. Rampant Sexism – The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the family institution.
6. Controlled Mass Media – Sometimes to media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.
7. Obsession with National Security – Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.
8. Religion and Government are Intertwined – Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government’s policies or actions.
9. Corporate Power is Protected – The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.
10. Labor Power is Suppressed – Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed.
11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts – Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts and letters is openly attacked.
12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment – Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.
13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption – Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.
14. Fraudulent Elections – Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.

 

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Will Rogers Bits of Wisdom

In EYEONCITRUS.COM, Will Rogers Bits of Wisdom on kp23 at 301015

Sculpture of Will Rogers on a horse on the gro...

Will Rogers, who died in a 1935 plane crash with his best friend, Wylie Post, was probably the greatest political sage this country ever has known.

1. Never slap a man who’s chewing tobacco.

2. Never kick a cow chip on a hot day.

3.. There are two theories to arguing with a woman . . . Neither works.

4.Never miss a good chance to shut up.

5. Always drink upstream from the herd.

6. If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.

7. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it and put it back into your pocket

8. There are three kinds of men: The ones that learn by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence and find out for themselves.

9. Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.

10. If you’re riding’ ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it’s still there.

11. Lettin’ the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier’n puttin’ it back.

12. After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you’re full of bull, keep your mouth shut.

ABOUT GROWING OLDER…

First ~ Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it.

Second ~ The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.

Third ~ Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me; I want people to know ‘why’ I look this way. I’ve traveled a long way, and some of the roads weren’t paved.

Fourth ~ When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to youth, think of Algebra.

Fifth ~ You know you are getting old when everything either dries up or leaks.

Sixth ~ I don’t know how I got over the hill without getting to the top

Seventh ~ One of the many things no one tells you about aging is that it is such a nice change from being young.

Eighth ~ One must wait until evening to see how splendid the day has been.

Ninth ~ Being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable.

Tenth ~ Long ago, when men cursed and beat the ground with sticks, it was called witchcraft. Today it’s called golf.

And, finally ~ If you don’t learn to laugh at trouble, you won’t have anything to laugh at when you are old.

 

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VETERAN DAY PARADE Inverness Florida 2010

In bush, cheney, citrus citizens, citrus county news, EYEONCITRUS.COM, Veteran's Parade in Inverness on kp09 at 301014

It’s was a beautiful day for the Veteran’s Parade in Inverness on Thursday, November 11, 2010. The sun was shining and the people were smiling as they honor all the brave men and women who now serve our country and for all those who have so valiantly served in the past! Although only a portion of the parade was successfully recorded, we hope you enjoy what we have and will have any video problems corrected for any future postings.

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Decision Made!-Letter to Editor

In District 1, EYEONCITRUS.COM on kp41 at 301012
Seal of the Florida county

Image via Wikipedia

Dear Editor,

A while back, I asked the citizens to pray for me regarding whether or not I should be a candidate for Citrus County Commission District 1, since I have been asked many, many times if I will be running.

This is to thank everyone for your prayers and interest for a campaign run and to inform you that on September 21st, I was qualified by the Office of the Supervisor of Elections, to run for the office of Citrus County Commission District 1. I realize the the election is not until 2012, but considering the horiffic situation that we find ourselves in – as citiizens, that the current Citrus County Board of County Commissioners has been exercising over us, what appears to be very similar to dictatorial rule, with no meaningful regard for the citizens and their hard earned tax money, namely the 2.9 million dollars plus – spent unnecessarily for N. Ottawa Ave.. The citizens are not stupid and as one great leader of civil (citizen’s) rights said “We shall Overcome”. The election results of this year in the Republican Primary proved that the citizens did not forget the disregard of two of the current commissioners as the commissioners lost the election and will not be county commissioners after the general election in November 2010. These two commissioners surely did some things right, but not enough to count significantly for the people – or they would be returning to office!

We have plenty of time to prepare for the 2012 election, I have already received many signatures on my petition drive to run, I am excited that I have a great opportunity to be victorious for the people, as they saw fit in voting for me in the 2008 Republican Primary granting me 46.09% of the votes! I am asking that prior to the 2012 election, that anyone who is not a registered Republican, who would like to vote for me please register as a Republican to make that possible. In closing, remember the words of our Savior: “All things are possible to those that believe!!

Renee Christopher-McPheeters
Candidate for Citrus County Commission, District 1

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Innovative Garage Doors coming to Citrus? Probably Not!

In EYEONCITRUS.COM, innovative garage doors on kp44 at 301009
 
Are you fed-up with looking at your boring garage door?
Just stick a new decal on your door!
You should see the looks on the faces of your neighbors …!
Be the first in your neighborhood to have this! 

  

Make an impression on your neighbors !

The German company ” Style your Garage ” makes posters for your garage door.

Prices vary from $199 to $399 for a double door! Everything included!


  


  


  


  


  


  

  

  

  

  

And finally…

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Today Is the Day …from Michael Moore LETTER

In EYEONCITRUS.COM, get out Democratic Voters, Michael Moore, prediction is the Republicans will win because Dem voters are going to stay home, Stop the return of the bigger criminal class, TODAY Is the Day on kp03 at 301002

Today Is the Day …from Michael Moore

Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010

Friends,

This letter contains (almost) no criticisms of how the Democrats have brought this day of reckoning upon themselves. That — and where to go from here — will be the subject of tomorrow’s letter.

Today, we have one job and one job only: Stop the return of the bigger criminal class, the Party of War, the people who (with a few Democratic enablers) manufactured the very mess we are in.

There is good news this morning: The final ABC/Washington Post poll shows that, among registered voters, people still say they prefer the Democrats over the Republicans by 5 percentage points. It’s only when the pollsters ask “likely voters” who they want that the Republicans come out ahead by a few points.

So it’s clear the majority of voters want the Dems, but the prediction is the Republicans will win because Dem voters are going to stay home.

So, our mission is simple: MAKE SURE NO ONE WE KNOW STAYS HOME TODAY. Here’s what I am going to do right now and what I’m asking the millions of you reading this to join me in doing:

1. Email, call and/or text every non-Republican in your personal address book and remind them to vote Democratic today. If they (rightfully) complain that the Dems have been disappointing, tell them they’re right, then ask them to watch this editorial

by Rachel Maddow last night where she correctly lists the dozen or so things this Democratic congress did right — the types of things we’ll never see from the Republicans if they take over (equal pay for women act, taking student loans out of the greedy hands of the banks, funding for our first bullet trains, boosting veterans benefits after Bush refused to for 8 years, etc.).

2. Post a general reminder to vote (and who to vote for) on your facebook page and tweet it to your Twitter followers.

3. If you have the time, go down to a local candidate’s HQ or the local Democratic Party office and offer to make calls or give people rides to the polls.

4. Think local. No matter where you are in America, there’s someone on the ballot today in your town who deserves your vote. Guaranteed. If you’re in Wisconsin and you’re pissed at Harry Reid for letting Joe Lieberman derail the public option on health care, don’t let that stop you from getting everyone you know to go vote for Russ Feingold. In Florida and furious at the way the Obama administration coddled Wall Street? All the more reason to call every single person you know in the Orlando area to go vote for Alan Grayson. In California and mad about the total Democratic failure on global warming? You can still change the world for the better by showing up with all your friends to vote for Prop 19 to legalize personal use of marijuana (and stop the record numbers of people we put in prison who don’t belong there).

5. Explain to anyone who’s given up and doesn’t want to vote today that Obama was handed a terrible mess that he didn’t create. He may now understand he’s moved too slow and compromised too much on the big stuff that needed to get done (after all, Goldman Sachs was his #1 private contributor in the 2008 election). But in the last couple months he’s made some good moves — booting some generals, dumping economic advisor/wrecker Larry Summers, and hiring new people like consumer advocate Elizabeth Warren. Things are very bad right now. But they can get MUCH worse. War with Iran? A genuine worldwide Second Great Depression? A Republican Congress will spend every second trying to make it happen.

6. Finally, we must let the Democratic politicians know that our vote comes with one big condition: If they do not straighten up, get a spine and do what we expect of them, we will find alternate candidates to run against them in 2012. And we mean it. Go vote today

, but also sign this petition that I’ll deliver to every elected Democrat — the “I’m Voting Democratic But I Will Work to Defeat You Next Time if You Don’t Do Your Job” petition, aka “The Democrats on Probation” petition. Let’s publicly put them on notice that we’ll give them just two more years to start doing the things we elected them to do. If they move one more inch to the “center” or to the right, they will never get our vote again. And we mean business.

Bill Maher said, “We have a center-right party and a crazy party. Over the last 30 years, the Democrats have moved to the right, and the Republicans have moved into a mental hospital.” That about sums it up. But he also said, “Sure, I’m mad at the Democrats. I’m also mad at my cell phone company. But I don’t throw away my cell phone cause I’m mad and then rub dog shit on my teeth.” We all know this isn’t the best situation to be in. So consider this one last reason to get out and vote:

There are good people the country has never heard of who are running today all across America, most of them for the first time. Somewhere in this great land right now, the woman who will cast the deciding vote in the Senate for single payer in 2016 is running for mayor of your city in her first big race. Somewhere else, the person who will become the first female president of the United States in 2020 is running for the state house for the first time. Their careers will be over and that future will never be if you don’t show up today. Go to theballot.org

, find out who’s great and running where you live, and then show up to vote for them. You may help light the spark that will save our sorry ass somewhere down the road. Don’t just hold your nose today as you go in the booth — go ignite a future revolution. The only thing that makes the corporate honchos happier than paying no taxes is making sure as few people vote as possible. They think they’ve bought this election.

Go prove them wrong.

Yours,
Michael Moore

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EARLY VOTING ENDED SATURDAY

In citrus, citrus citizens, citrus county news, EARLY VOTING ENDED FLORIDA, google voting map on kp07 at 301002

 

Voting box clipart

Image via Wikipedia

 

Early Voting ended Saturday, Oct. 30, 2010, in Citrus County, TODAY, NOV. 2, 2010, you have to go to your regular voting precinct, which should be noted on your voting ID card. For further assistance call the ELECTION OFFICE, 352-341-6740. CLICK HERE FOR GOOGLE VOTING MAP, just type in your address and it will tell you where your voting precinct is located!

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Noam Chomsky Has ‘Never Seen Anything Like This’

In Chris Hedges, Noam Chomsky, Weimar Germany on kp52 at 301002

 By Chris Hedges

Noam Chomsky is America’s greatest intellectual. His massive body of work, which includes nearly 100 books, has for decades deflated and exposed the lies of the power elite and the myths they perpetrate. Chomsky has done this despite being blacklisted by the commercial media, turned into a pariah by the academy and, by his own admission, being a pedantic and at times slightly boring speaker. He combines moral autonomy with rigorous scholarship, a remarkable grasp of detail and a searing intellect. He curtly dismisses our two-party system as a mirage orchestrated by the corporate state, excoriates the liberal intelligentsia for being fops and courtiers and describes the drivel of the commercial media as a form of “brainwashing.” And as our nation’s most prescient critic of unregulated capitalism, globalization and the poison of empire, he enters his 81st year warning us that we have little time left to save our anemic democracy.

“It is very similar to late Weimar Germany,” Chomsky told me when I called him at his office in Cambridge, Mass. “The parallels are striking. There was also tremendous disillusionment with the parliamentary system. The most striking fact about Weimar was not that the Nazis managed to destroy the Social Democrats and the Communists but that the traditional parties, the Conservative and Liberal parties, were hated and disappeared. It left a vacuum which the Nazis very cleverly and intelligently managed to take over.” Read more here

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