gone to visit my Sweetie for the weekend. Funny Farm blogs will continue soon. In the meantime, go see Bowling for Columbine if it is playing in your zone this weekend!

Yeah, yeah, I know... I should stop doing this...

But I just read an article by Woody Harrelson (Independent-Rasta) about his problems with BabyDoc and the junta:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,813189,00.html

Some highlights:

The fact is that Saddam Hussein was our boy. The CIA helped him to power, as they did the Shah of Iran and Noriega and Marcos and the Taliban and countless other brutal tyrants. The fact is that George Bush Sr continued to supply nerve gas and technology to Saddam even after he used it on Iran and then the Kurds in Iraq. While the Amnesty International report listing countless Saddam atrocities, including gassing and torturing Kurds, was sitting on his desk, Bush Sr pushed through a $2bn "agricultural" loan and Thatcher gave hundreds of millions in export credit to Saddam. The elder Bush then had the audacity to quote the Amnesty reports to garner support for his oil war.

A decade later, Shrub follows the same line: "We have no quarrel with the Iraqi people." I'm sure half a million Iraqi parents are scratching their heads over that. I'm an American tired of lies. And with our government, it's mostly lies.

This is a racist and imperialist war. The warmongers who stole the White House (you call them "hawks", but I would never disparage such a fine bird) have hijacked a nation's grief and turned it into a perpetual war on any non-white country they choose to describe as terrorist.

He asks me what I'd do in Bush's shoes. Easy: I'd honour Kyoto. Join the world court. I'd stop subsidising earth rapers like Monsanto, Dupont and Exxon. I'd shut down the nuclear power plants. So I already have $200bn saved from corporate welfare. I'd save another $100bn by stopping the war on non-corporate drugs. And I'd cut the defence budget in half so they'd have to get by on a measly $200bn a year. I've already saved half a trillion bucks by saying no to polluters and warmongers.

Then I'd give $300bn back to the taxpayers. I'd take the rest and pay the people teaching our children what they deserve. I'd put $100bn into alternative fuels and renewable energy. I'd revive the Chemurgy movement, which made the farmer the root of the economy, and make paper and fuel from wheat straw, rice straw and hemp. Not only would I attend, I'd sponsor the next Earth Summit. And, of course, I'd give myself a fat raise.

I wonder why he's not in favor with the powers that be?

Fun with Words

Hey, gang! Don’t have much time right now… but for some reason PigBoy and his daily propaganda sessions seem to be stuck in my craw. Maybe because I found out that he is broadcasting his BS on the EIB. And that EIB stands for Excellence In Broadcasting. Since the Rush Limbaugh Lying Nazi Whore Show is anything but excellent (and it is debatable whether it actually qualifies as broadcasting), I thought I would take the liberty of coming up with a new old game. Take the letters in the acronym and put appropriate words in place of the lies:

for E might I suggest: Egotistical, Effete, Erroneous, Effeminate, Elephantine
for I might I suggest: Idiotic, Ignorant, Imbecilic, Invertebrate, Illogical
for B might I suggest: Blowhard, Braindead, BombaClot, Bigot, Bonehead (no offense to any Minbari)

Mix and match ‘em! Trade acronym bastardizations among your friends!

Praise Koresh I don’t have to work tomorrow…

New Question Mark by my friend Don at blah3.com: How many villians has BabyDoc caught since he took away or freedoms?

There is no Joy in Hockeytown; Mighty Dead Things Have Struck Out

It's gonna be a good day for this Happy Camper today. I got a chance to spank a live ditto monkey last night in BartChat whilst working to beat my deadline, but couldn't find time to watch the hockey game.

I did manage to catch a summary of the game: Habs 3, Dead Things 2. Habs rule! 'Nuff said.

Hey kids! You gotta hear this song:

http://www.intellectualoutcastscafe.com/kid69/bmovie.mp3

a new friend at bartchat hadn’t heard the song, and I think everyone needs to listen to how the BFEE was operating at its’ infancy when Ronnie RayGun could still remember where he was 4 days a week…

How to Win Friends and Influence People

I just got my phone bill today. On it, I received a bill for a one minute collect call. I asked the person who made it, and they called 1(800) CALLATT – just like you see in the cute commercials. Guess how much AT&T charges for one minute of collect call (if you don’t already belong to an AT&T long distance service and use their network – which would be pretty much anyone who would be using AT&T for collect calls, I would imagine)?

Phone charges for one minute of collect call: $8.14
Service fee (to use the AT&T network to place your collect call): $3.50
Federal Tax (the Chimp has to pay for all those tax cuts somehow!) $0.35
State Tax (Hitler, I mean, Engler, has to pay for his mansion) $0.70

Total $12.69

I called AT&T and found out their response: sorry about your luck. Maybe you want to use us as a long distance carrier now?

Maybe I will put up a blog entry about how a lot of the incidental costs have gone up during the junta’s illegal squatting in the White House instead! I used to pay my insurance every month – so I wouldn’t get that astronomical hit in my bills twice a year. Except, that service fee for doing that has doubled (to $2 a month). Not a big deal, you say? Well… there was also a service fee in the premium (another $10) that most people would not have noticed before writing out the check. And the rates went up – something about last year being not as profitable as they thought it would be. The check is from a new bank – because Bank One (who I was banking with for 10 years before this) raised: the minimum amount you have to keep in the account to avoid charges (to $1000 from $500) earning no interest for you, but available for the bank to loan to somebody else; the service charge for having an account balance under the minimum (from $2 a month to $10 a month); the charge for extra checks to be printed; and was talking about charging a service fee to talk to a teller (“…um, I’d like to withdraw $50, please.” “Sure, that will be $75 taken out of your account.” Huh?).

Please do me a favor, and drop AT&T if you have them (and there is a reasonable alternative. Do NOT do this if it doesn’t make sense for you financially). The arrogance of the corpo-weasels is astounding these days, isn’t it?

New and improved links to show you places to go. And time to not be late for a very important date - I have to be the Bagel Boy at work this morning. Take care today – I will talk to y’all after I have time to get my dren out of the way and absorb the events of the day…

let's try this again... working from home, and I got this letter from MoveOn. Maybe you can use some of the information here...

MoveOn Bulletin
Wednesday, October 16, 2002
Editor: Susan Thompson, susan.thompson@moveon.org
Editorial Assistant: Leah Appet, leah@moveon.org
Subscribe online at:
http://www.moveon.org/moveonbulletin/


CONTENTS:


Introduction: Saying No to War, Drafted or Otherwise
One Link: All About Conscientious Objection
Conscientious Objection and the Draft
Conscientious Objection and Taxes
Conscientious Objection, the "War on Terrorism", and Iraq
Conscientious Objection in the Past: Some Examples
Actions, Organizations, and Links
About the MoveOn bulletin and MoveOn.org

INTRODUCTION: SAYING NO TO WAR, DRAFTED OR OTHERWISE
Our readers may already be wondering why we've chosen to spend a bulletin on the topic of conscientious objection when US citizens aren't facing a draft.

It is important to remember that conscientious objection does not only affect draftees -- it affects anyone who is considering or is currently involved in military service. And it's more about determining one's personal beliefs and opinions that it is about legally qualifying as an objector.

But while we are not currently facing a draft, it is not outside of the realm of possibility. In every war since Vietnam, the US has managed to conduct military operations using the resources of the volunteer-based military alone. The campaign against Iraq may buck that trend. According to plans leaked to the New York Times, it's likely that after a war the US will occupy Iraq and put a military government in control for five years or more. And US military personnel remain engaged in operations around the globe, from the Philippines to Georgia. As the armed forces are stretched thinner, the likelihood of needing to find the personnel to supplement them increases.

Some leaders are calling for a draft for reasons other than personnel shortages. They believe that the change to an all-volunteer army has contributed to a generation of young Americans with no sense of duty or obligation to their country. A draft would supposedly correct this problem, while also helping to increase safety and security at home.

In fact, after years without any legislation on the subject, a new bill was introduced last year that would reinstitute the draft. It continues to languish in the House, but the possibility remains that the bill could be given more serious consideration if a need arises for replacement troops -- or if the idea of making young Americans more patriotic by enlisting them gathers more support. 18-year-old men are still required to register (in many states, they can't receive their driver's license unless they do so), meaning that it would take little time to begin calling people up for a draft once Congress approved it.

A new draft remains unlikely for the moment -- but is not nearly as far-fetched as we may wish. What does this all mean to the person who opposes war? Ultimately, it means that it is still important to understand what conscientious objection means, and how to legally qualify to become one of the two federally recognized types of conscientious objector. And it means giving some serious consideration to your own beliefs and principles as they relate to war and peace. Although the term "conscientious objection" can certainly be limited to the legal meaning of refusing to participate in some or all military service because of religious or moral objections to killing others, at heart conscientious objection is simply opposition to war. Asking "am I a conscientious objector?" means reviewing the moral, spiritual, political, and personal beliefs that help you determine the code of conduct for your own life and balancing a love of, or devotion to, the principles of your country versus other principles that guide you.

This is why we believe that learning about conscientious objection is important whether or not a new draft is instituted. Whether legally recorded or not, the root of the matter remains the same -- determining one's beliefs about war and peace. It is an essential part of any antiwar action.


ONE LINK: ALL ABOUT CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION
This excellent page answers important questions about why conscientious objection is important, what it is, what types of conscientious objection are recognized by law, what other types of conscientious objectors there are, and what obligations a person has to fulfill as a conscientious objector. It also includes a brief worksheet to help prepare for filling out the appropriate legal forms (relevant only in the event of a draft, but useful to have prepared beforehand).
http://www.nisbco.org/What_Do_I.htm


CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION AND THE DRAFT
This is a chronology of conscription in the United States. Currently, "the U.S. operates under an all-volunteer armed forces policy. All male citizens between the ages of eighteen and twenty-six, however, are required to register for the draft and are liable for training and service until the age of thirty-five."
http://www.teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson-5669.html

This is a brief page about what to do if you are facing draft registration (all men residing in the United States who were born on or after Jan. 1, 1963 are required to register for the draft within 30 days of their 18th birthday or face a possible penalty of $250,000 or five years in jail.)
http://peace.mennolink.org/articles/co_advice.html

It is unlikely that a draft will be instituted during the current phase of the war on terrorism. Still, if you have any questions about the draft, this quick page of questions and answers provides a good introduction.
http://www.csmonitor.com/explainers/Draft.html

This is a valuable explanation of what kinds of beliefs can qualify a person as a conscientious objector in the eyes of the government.
http://www.scn.org/ip/sdmcc/co.htm

People who are drafted for military service and successfully apply to become conscientious objectors will probably be reassigned to alternative service for the same amount of time as they would have served in the military. This service could include working in health care, education, conservation, or another job which is "deemed to make a meaningful contribution to the maintenance of the national health, safety, and interest." This is the official fact sheet on alternative service.
http://www.sss.gov/FSconsobj.htm


CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION AND TAXES
The Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund Bill was introduced into the House in 2001. It would ensure that conscientious objectors could pay taxes to a Peace Tax Fund, and thus still pay taxes without supporting the military.
http://www.umc-gbcs.org/advact97.htm

Rather than waiting until this or another bill is passed, some people still refuse to pay part or all of their taxes as a form of protest and civil disobedience. Different methods carry varying degrees of risk, but for a person of conscience, this risk may be a reasonable alternative to funding a war effort that is killing people.
http://www.nonviolence.org/issues/taxes.htm

You may also consider contributing to the War Tax Resisters Penalty Fund, which helps pay the taxes of American conscientious objectors who are being prosecuted for war tax resistance. This action carries much less personal risk and still expresses a financial objection to the war effort.
http://peace.moveon.org/r.php3?redir=7

A group of Quakers in New York and Connecticut has set up an escrow account where you can send the "military portion" of your federal taxes as a form of civil disobedience. The funds are returned if the IRS levies them from other assets. They are considered to be taxes paid on time and in good faith, even if this is not recognized by the US government.
http://w3.execnet.com/elkins/peace_tax_escrow_account.htm

Take a quick look at war tax resistance over the last 30 years as told through pictures:
http://peace.moveon.org/r.php3?redir=9


CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION, THE WAR ON TERRORISM, AND IRAQ
Who is opposing war on Iraq? This article provides an overview of recent polls that show how support for the war is plummeting, and also that the core supporters of war on Iraq are rural, white, male, southern Republicans without a college diploma.
http://www.prospect.org/print/V13/18/judis-j.html

For many of the 133 House members and 23 senators who voted against war powers for Bush last week, their vote was a vote of conscience.
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines02/1011-02.htm

Would those who support war on Iraq still do so if it meant enlisting, or a draft? Or do most of the people calling for a war on Iraq want "war on the cheap?" While this article sometimes reads more like a call to enlist to protect the country than an anti-war statement, it still offers a compelling argument that "[b]eing unwilling to offer our flesh and blood is tantamount to confessing that overtaking Iraq has nothing to do with democracy or freedom."
http://www.commondreams.org/views02/1008-01.htm

Whether or not there is a new draft, those people currently enlisted in the military also have the option to reconsider their service and become conscientious objectors. David Wiggins of Alternet calls on all US soldiers to resist and refuse to attack Iraq.
http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=14289

In 2001, the Pentagon denied that a new draft was being considered to help supply troops to the "war on terrorism." Senior officials noted that no draft has been needed to help fight any war since the volunteer system has been introduced, even the first Gulf War. However, some analysts noted that a draft could still be more likely now than in the past, especially as the war on terrorism increases in scope and length, since draftees would then be needed to "fill personnel gaps."
http://peace.moveon.org/r2.php3?r=172

Others have argued that a new type of draft needs to be instituted to train people to protect America from terrorist threats at home.
http://peace.moveon.org/r2.php3?r=173

"After September 11th, the only thing likely to happen is that which was previously inconceivable. Could war in Iraq bring terrorism back to our country? Could it lead to a regional conflagration in the Middle East? Could it lead to another draft?" According to the author of this article, the answer is very possibly yes to all of these questions. In fact, on Dec. 20 of 2001, a bill was introduced to the House which calls for the drafting of all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 22 for military service.
http://www.smirkingchimp.com/article.php?sid=8136

HR 3598 The Universal Training and Service Act has been introduced but is not currently moving through Congress. It is unlikely that it will be passed in its current form. However, the fact that it has been introduced leaves room for a less extreme version to possibly be passed, meaning that the end result of the bill could still be conscription. This page includes information on the key points of the bill and who to write in order to oppose it.
http://www.afsc.org/youthmil/200202/notdraft.htm

Meanwhile, in April of this year, Rep. Ron Paul introduced a bill in the House to eliminate the Selective Service System and the Selective Service Act.
http://peace.moveon.org/r2.php3?r=174


EXAMPLES OF CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION
In Israel, a number of soldiers have refused to serve in the occupied territories. Israel does not recognize conscientious objection and many of the men must serve time in prison for their refusal. This is a brief overview of the history of this group of "refuseniks."
http://www.flonnet.com/fl1914/19140570.htm

This is another article about the Israeli refuseniks which gives a more visceral sense of the emotional strain which prompted them to become conscientious objectors.
http://peace.moveon.org/r2.php3?r=175

Alternative service has, in the past, been very dangerous. During WW II, American COs participated in road building and reforestation projects -- and scientific experiments that "gave COs the opportunity to prove themselves ready to serve in dangerous situations that would not require taking human life."
http://www.afsc.org/hist/2002/cpsguin.htm

This review of the PBS movie "The Good War and Those Who Refused to Fight It" describes the lives and roles of conscientious objectors during the extremely popular second World War.
http://www.afsc.org/youthmil/200112/resource.htm

PBS has a lot of information online related to "The Good War and Those Who Refused to Fight It." Perhaps the most interesting point of the film is that conscientious objectors contributed significantly to many aspects of life within the US both during and after the war, including powerful social movements and the arts. Includes pictures, a timeline, biographies and quotes related to individual conscientious objectors, video clips, and more.
http://www.pbs.org/itvs/thegoodwar/

The singer/songwriter Joan Baez has long been involved in anti-war activism, and has often refused to pay portions of her taxes as a method of conscientious objection.
http://baez.woz.org/jbchron.html


ACTIONS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND LINKS
The Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors.
http://www.objector.org/

Center on Conscience and War.
http://www.nisbco.org/


Peace Taxpayers is a site meant to provide information, resources, support, and actions geared towards conscientious objection through not paying taxes.
http://www.peacetax.org/welcome.htm

The National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund is an organization devoted to supporting and instituting legislation that allows people to withhold part of their taxes as a form of conscientious objection.
http://www.peacetaxfund.org/

Links for Military Conscientious Objectors. List of organizations that offer counseling to military personnel seeking a discharge.
http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/3899/links.html

This is a list of links to programs around the world that aid conscientious objectors. It also includes a brief list of articles related to conscientious objection.
http://www.afsc.org/pindx/cos.htm


ABOUT THE MOVEON BULLETIN AND MOVEON.ORG
The MoveOn Bulletin is a free, biweekly email bulletin providing information, resources, news, and action ideas on important political issues. The full text of the MoveOn Bulletin is online at http://www.moveon.org/moveonbulletin/; you can subscribe to it at that address. The MoveOn Bulletin is a project of MoveOn.org.

MoveOn.org does not necessarily endorse the views espoused on the pages that we link to, nor do we vouch for their accuracy. Read them at your own risk.

The MoveOn Bulletin is made possible by a dedicated team of volunteer researchers and editors.

The Research Team is Susan Bunyan, Lita Epstein, Sharon Hametz, Matthew Jones, Harry Scott Knyrim, Linda Langness, Cameron McLaughlin, Janelle Miau, Vicki Nikolaidis, Dania Palanker, Kim Plofker, Jesse Rhodes, Christina Schofield, Ora Szekely, Bland Whitley, and Mary Williams.

The Editing and Proofreading Team is Susan Baird, Robert Comninos, Kate Daly, Eileen Gillan, Mary Anne Henry, Kendra Lanning, Virginia L. Martin, Mercedes Newman, Marilyn Parks, Dawn Phelps, Rebecca M. Sulock and Rita Weinstein.

MoveOn.org is an issue-oriented, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that gives people a voice in shaping the laws that affect our lives. MoveOn.org engages people in the civic process, using the Internet to democratically determine a non-partisan agenda, raising public awareness of pressing issues, and coordinating grassroots advocacy campaigns to encourage sound public policies.

You can help decide the direction of MoveOn.org by participating in the discussion forum at:
http://www.actionforum.com/forum/index.html?forum_id=223

Happy hunting everyone! And make sure you vote in the election!

hey hey hey working from home today. I haven't had time to do much here (because I am trying to meet a deadline...) so many apologies, effendi. Talk to y'all later!

Around 8:30 – midnight 20021015:
Chatting in BartChat tonight. Try it, you’ll like it! Especially if you’re a ditto monkey who thinks he knows what’s going on in today’s world… they feed them to the lions in here… This is taking things to another level. Can’t write much now – too much going on. Listening to an eyewitness describe the Bali car bombing. Too kewl for words!
And there is so much going on that the Media Whores of Amerika won’t tell you. Go and hunt it out on the Net! Go! Now!

(..somewhat later)
Just finished an amazing BartChat session. Talked to some friends from BartFest tonight, and listened to Suarna tell the assembled throng about the car bombing in Bali over the weekend. Yes, it is important enough to mention twice. I haven’t had that much fun in a while. Good night, Amerika!

Much later:
Sent this quick one off to Don at blah3:

recent unfavorable rumors...
...have reached my ears via BartChat. A poser freep idjit came in and crowed about the RIAA looking into your use of music in an unlicensed manner and try to stop your animations from being shown. I will be happy to assist you in copying and subsidizing any sort of program you would approve of to burn the stuff on CDs and send it if need be. Or send source and important stuff to multiple locales if u need it. Or find others who will help if the need is that serious.
If this is anything more than a freeper scare intended to get us chasing our tails. It seems that the recent success of BartFest and its' subsequent ripple through the community is causing a reaction amoung the reactionary in the right wing-nut section. Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean there isn't somebody out to get me...
Anyways,... take care. Love the Dirty Dozen! Talk to you again soon...
(: Tom :)

And again...
Blogger was acting cranky last night so I couldn't post it then. We apologize for the inconvenience...

Blah3 was quick on the trigger with an excellent response:
Tom,

Thanks. I'm not worried about it. They have to send me a cease and desist order first - that's a matter of law. If that's the case, I'll pull them from the site and that will be that.

And since I haven't made a dime off the movies, they can't even claim that I'm doing them for profit. The worst they can do is make me take them down, but the damage is most definitely done already.

I've also got at least 2 copyright lawyers who have pledged support if anything should happen.

I'll keep an eye out for letters from the RIAA, but I seriously doubt they could even do anything to me. I'm not letting people download the music - it stays on my site, and I'm letting people view them is all.

But again, thanks for the heads up. Appreciate it.

-Don

Mucking around before Monday Night Football (which interestingly enough occurs on Thursday night in the Hobbit Calendar this year – right at the end of the Three Day Work Week TM) and looking over the question mark series at blah3.com. I have been a big fan for some time now and hope to make enough sense one day to register on the netwaves with as much class and wit as this individual. For now, let me sing praises and point you to some notable things:

http://www.dissidentvoice.org/Articles/Pettifer_Brainwashing.htm
http://members.shaw.ca/rbham/print%20thinks/currentprint.htm
http://www.thenation.com/docprint.mhtml?i=20020902&s=vest

As well as one silly one:
http://www.channeloklahoma.com/politics/1716679/detail.html

And one fun one:

	You are Kermit! Though you're technically the star, you're pretty mellow and don't mind letting others share the spotlight. You are also something of a dreamer.
Take the What Muppet Are You? Quiz!

Today’s featured Basic Forces For Good In Our Time (BFFGIOT!?!?! What kind of acronym is that? I always knew that’s why I hated them – because I could never think of a cool one to make up myself… if you rearrange it, it could be BIGFFOT – but I digress, and the game is coming on soon, so…) are BuzzFlash, blah3 and zsuzsu. Here’s to a good game and good margaritas and enjoy yourselves without hurting anything, ok?

And now.... a link to the resolutions giving Chimpy McDumbass the authority to kill anyone he wants to whenever he wants to in the interests of big oil money, er, 'national security':

http://www.cspan.org/iraq/hjres114.pdf

http://www.cspan.org/iraq/sjres45.pdf

"Bush boys, Bush boys...
Whacha gonna do?
Whacha gonna do when they come for you?"

Bonus Post: IN HIS OWN WORDS - a compilation of SOME of the more memorable quotes from (p)Resident Pinhead:

http://www.columbiacentral.com/dubya/

Well… in the Much Ado About Nothing department:

Got an email from Julie (in quite short order, I might add… thanks Julie!) pointing to a post she made at bartcopnation.com about this supposed ‘blackmail’. Owing to the power of the rumor mill, someone asking for some of the gory details, who apparently had some right to do so, was turned into someone who ‘needed to know X about Y’ when the story came to bartcop. This was detailed in a page I linked to for bartcop’s issue #905 – Blackmail. The name of one of my favorite Python bits, by the way. Which has since been retracted, and doesn’t reference the way it did when I posted it earlier. So I am thinking that Bart has been reassured and feels generally pissed off and focused on BabyDoc and the junta, instead of worried that some people he thought he could trust were not altogether on his side. And of course, as stated before by Your Humble Narrator, whenever people give freely, other people scheme to make it look like the generous souls are unscrupulous greedheads, and would seize upon whiffs of these rumors to make hay whilst the sun was shining, so to speak. So let’s all try and wonder what moves Boy Blunder and Pencil Dick will be making while spending our tax dollars to fly around the country shilling for the Repugnicant Party of AmeriKKKa instead of looking at the inevitable flaws we might perceive in those we respect and trust.

In case you are still interested in what I might have been talking about in my own roundabout fashion, here’s a link to the post:

http://www.bartcopnation.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=read_count&om=14004&forum=DCForumID1&viewmode=all

Good night, Mrs. Calabash – wherever you are! And thanks to Julie Hiatt Steele for being a fellow Force For Good in Our Time…

This is regarding the recent bs going down at BartCop.com. Apparently someone is making allegations that BartCop pocketed some of the coin from JulieFest. No doubt some more melons out there will say the same about BartFest soon. So, before things spin out any more (or perhaps, to spin things a little more towards reality in this case), some of the facts as I am aware of them from your humble narrator:

1. Julie Hiatt Steele had her life ripped away from her by the Starr commission for admitting she lied for a friend, and then not recanting her lie so that Starr could have something to try to get the Big Dog impeached;
2. Bart heard about it and thought it would be a good idea to help her out. He talked about it at bartcop.com. Other people agreed with him, and they made it happen.
3. The party was great, the whole thing went off okay, no animals were harmed in the filming of the event, and everybody made it there and back without being cannon fodder for the current junta, or conveniently disappeared.
4. Money was collected for Julie Hiatt Steele. Money was given to Julie Hiatt Steele. Julie Hiatt Steele got a chance to try and find a way to live a normal life again.

The fact that BartCop had to give anyone any more information to confirm or deny this story (or any variation thereof; a ditto monkey or Ldotard could twist any of the above statements around any which way they want to – after all, the ruling junta and the media whores are on their side and rewriting the history books to conform to their alternate version of so many events even as I pontificate here) is quite troubling to me. That there are those would waste their time and energy on this type of allegation disturbs me almost as much as it did when I first came to that realization oh so many moons ago. Now that I am not as impetuous as I was in my earlier days, but since I am still somewhat Pollyanish about mankind in general, I sent this email to Julie, and of course copied Bart and my Sweetie (who was mentioned in the email):

Hi Julie!

I am writing to you today to ask you to take a look at issue #905 at BartCop.com. In it, he feels compelled to detail out the financial transactions he made to give you the almost $25K raised at JulieFest on your behalf. First of all, let me say that it is none of anybody's business but you and bartcop's what was done, how things were taken care of, etc. The gory details should not be for public consumption. If bartcop says he gave you the coin, and you say you got the coin, that should be the end of it as far as everyone else is concerned IMHO.

That being said, apparently there are some mistaken individuals out there who are accusing bartcop of being a miscreant with regards to the money in question. Not that he particularly needs it after publishing this disclosure, but a strong statement from you confirming that no shenanigans took place would cause this issue to be solidly and forcibly laid to rest with no doubt whatsoever about the truth of the matter.

Allyson (my Significant Other), and I recently had the good fortune to meet BartCop and a large contingent of incredibly interesting people in Vegas at the end of September at BartFest. I have no doubts about his ability, integrity and courage in trying to organize these sort of events. We both agreed that he is deserving of some form of recompense for all of the effort he has put forth in helping you (even though we believe that financial gain was never any motivation for him with regards to JulieFest, we feel he is deserving of it), and had hoped that he would actually be enough in the black from BartFest to perhaps put some money towards supporting bartcop.com away (before the upcoming holidays!) and walk away eager to think about JulieFest 2003 (which of course should be held in Vegas, especially if Prop 9 passes there...). Instead I see that he is forced to refer to being blackmailed, then forced to offer public accounting - and can then logically extrapolate that he now has a few extra things to have to deal with. Like anxiety, guilt, anger and regret for even having to deal with this crap in the first place. While having to earn a living as one of the few, the proud - the Still Employed! Instead of feeling exhilarated by being able to pull off a wonderful soiree, delighted to meet so many good people (at the party), and glad to have helped you earlier that year - I find BartCop wasting web pages, and more importantly, his attention and effort, with needless details. If your fundraiser was a true nonprofit, and you were required to provide details of the finances' flow, I would have thought somebody would have put together some sort of separate URL with all of the details of the event there. My understanding is that JulieFest was not that kind of an event. But all I did was watch the tape on that one...

So I hope you can understand my own unease at the situation, and I ask that you please jot off an email to Bart for public consumption - so that at the very least he can have another ace in the hole should this kind of crap come up again. And also so that any other troublemakers who might come out of the woodwork in the future could be effectively cut off at the pass (boy, I do manage to mix my metaphors, don't I?). Thanks in advance for any of your consideration in this matter.

Regards,

(: Tom :)

Won’t you join me in squelching any sort of talk about BartCop being an opportunistic capitalist for organizing JulieFest and BartFest this year, and let BartCop know we appreciate his contributions and efforts on our behalf? Thank you for your support…