DIM

A few weeks ago in response to a situation I was frustrated with, a friend replied “DIY”. It took me a few days to figure out that acronym: Do It Yourself. Since then, it's stuck in my head and I've put it to good use in various situations. DIY comes to mind now as the alternative news playground offers up yet another series of recess scuffles; this time between alternative celebrities Jeff Rense and Henry Makow.

It all started when Rense informed Makow that he would no longer link to articles on Makow's site that were not written by Makow himself. Makow had printed a piece by Jim Stone which posited that Fukushima was not a natural earthquake. Rense contends that it was a natural occurrence and therefore had no interest in linking to Stone's analysis. Makow took offense to Jeff's editorial policy and geared up for battle. Rense accepted the challenge.

This foolishness devolved further into madness. A new blogger dubbed Anonymous stepped in to defend Rense, as did online metals dealer Paul Drockton. Name-calling ensued. Then the blindside punch: Rense's recent ex-wife contacted Makow with her tale of woe. She claimed to be down and out on her butt with no resources and proceeded to detail – in a three-part series on Makow's site – her perceived injuries at the hands of Rense. Next thing we read, medical diagnoses are being hurled. According to the ex-wife, Rense exhibits NPD (Narcissistic Personality Disorder). According to Drockton, and in an odd twist of communications, Makow, the ex-wife's behavior raises suspicions of DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder), MPD (Multiple Personality Disorder) and/or SRA (Satanic Ritual Abuse).

As far as can be determined from online research, of the four of them – Rense, Makow, Drockton and the former Mrs. Rense – not one holds a medical license or an advanced degree in psychology. This means that their respective insinuations, accusations and diagnoses are worthless.

What's an inquisitive, striving-to-be-informed, run-of-the-mill alternative news seeker to do when faced with these ugly, petty sensationalist arguments between personalities who purport to be defenders of "truth"?

DIY.

A calculated examination of alternative news sites reveals that most of them simply comb the major news services for their links. Each has a preferred list of independent bloggers and mainstream journalists (such as Pepe Escobar and John Pilger) to whom they link. Sometimes, as in the case of Prison Planet and Global Research, there are reporters on staff. After a while, one can anticipate which mainstream news services and bloggers specific alternative news sites prefer. As for independent bloggers such as Drockton and Makow, they write opinions on issues of their choosing and can be accessed without link from an alternative news site. Once one has established which subjects and philosophies are of interest and worthy of pursuit, a dependency on alternative providers is unnecessary.

I'd like to thank these feuding fellows for demonstrating once and for all that playground battles are a waste of precious time. Also, as I bid them a fond farewell, I'd like to thank many of the alternative news sites for introducing me to valuable sources of information and methods of news gathering.

From now on when it comes to news and reading material, DIM is the acronym. Choosing sides is a ticket to a rat's maze and remaining aloof while on location of a playground fight is impossible with all the shouting and background mumblings.

Open Blog To Congress

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The time has come to admit that each and almost every one of you have failed in your duties as public servants. The American people, and the republic of the United States of America, are no longer your priorities. You have instead adopted a global view with regard to foreign and domestic affairs. This present course of executive, legislative and judicial momentum will result in the destruction of our nation and its inclusion in a planetary system of governance in which we the people will have little – if any – representation. Are you so insulated and ensconced in your offices that you rest assured in the knowledge that future generations of your own progeny are insured against the damage you wrought?

Since our founding, the republic has been a warring nation with the carrot of peace dangling just out of reach. Since the hijackings in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, that carrot has been removed from public discourse. The question now is, where we shall next deploy our military might? To make matters worse, our wagon is hitched to a nation on the other side of the globe, as excruciatingly obvious from the 2012 presidential candidate debates and by the constant reminders from its lobbying influences. Recently a news editor affiliated with Israel suggested that the assassination of our president has been under consideration. What was our response? We let the man apologize and resign. (Of course, you may claim that due to National Security, you cannot discuss what the actual ramifications were. You must think us fools to believe that some terrorist threats are deserving of headline news, executive pronouncements, legislative action, and judicial restraint and others are not.)

As to September 11, 2001, what has been done to correct the system that permitted 19 box-cutter-armed, US flight-trained men to get away with hijacking FOUR commercial airliners over the course of an hour? Why have there been no indictments, courts martial, or public hearings of those responsible for this defense failure? Rather than examining internal problems, you voted to attack a foreign nation that was not involved; later citing poor intelligence as an excuse for that fiasco. A faulty defense system and an incompetent intelligence complex are exposed and still you vote to continue attacking terrorists across the globe at the expense of our national blood and treasury.. One mistake after the other, in the wake of which trillions are spent and millions are dead, maimed and homeless, including women and children and our own soldiers.

Also rather than examining the defense and intelligence shortcomings, you instituted legislation curtailing the liberty and freedom of US citizens. Oppressive, silencing and dehumanizing measures which you yourselves need not endure. (Fire up the jet and get the congressperson some champagne for the trip back to inform family which contracts are coming down the pike and which investments must be made!)

Speaking of voting, how can you possibly justify passing a resolution to NOT engage in diplomatic negotiations with Iran? Have we discarded all notions of being a civilized people? (One viewing of a American broadcast television show wherein two “bitches” exchange saliva might incline one to respond in the positive. Yet another example of government blindness to common decency.)

As you effect great national divides before the great global conquering, it might be worth considering this: Are you immune to the legislative ramifications inflicted upon the ones who dust your desk, clean your toilet, build your pool house, service your limo, prepare your martinis, coif your tresses and keep your own children out of them?