Conspiracy Nation -- Vol. 11 Num. 64
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("Quid coniuratio est?")
The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Eximbank) is funded
by U.S. taxpayers. Eximbank subsidizes deals between U.S.
corporations and foreign governments. Cost per year to taxpayers
is $600 million. (The New American, 1/5/98)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has something called the
"Market Access Program" (MAP) which has spent over $1.5 billion
in the past 10 years helping pay advertising costs for
multinational corporations like McDonald's, Sunkist, and Gallo.
(The New American, 1/5/98)
To date, the committment of U.S. troops to Bosnia has cost $8
billion. Yet nowhere do we hear, "We can't afford it." Like
bailouts of foreign economies, sending our military to foreign
lands as police for their internal problems is something
axiomatically affordable. But food stamps for women with babies,
here in the USA? =Then= we hear that "There is a national debt
crisis."
A past-life analysis shows 2 out of 3 corporate big shots were
pirates in a past life. The sample consisted of 63 high-level
executives, of which 42 had been pirates in a previous
incarnation. (Weekly World News, 1/6/98)
Garrison Keillor, of "Lake Wobegon Days," says that the National
Public Radio program, "All Things Considered," has gone down the
drain; that the "news" program has become overwhelmed by
"precious commentators, people reminiscing about their childhoods
and interviews with artists and writers who one sort of gathers
are friends of the reporters." Instead of important stories,
"All Things Considered" considers "maple syruping in Vermont" to
be preeminent. Keillor also says that the "left" made a wrong
turn long ago, steering away from labor issues and focusing
instead on "symbolic cultural issues that we should have left
alone." (The Nation, 1/5/98)
"Chastity belts" are being sold to men sentenced to prison. They
are designed to protect prisoners from being raped. But
corrections officials will not allow the devices to be worn.
(Weekly World News, 1/6/98)
Pharmaceutical giant Glaxo Wellcome makes inhalers for
asthmatics. But laws were planned to phase out inhalers that use
ozone-harming propellants. Luckily for Glaxo Wellcome, a
mysterious grassroots group, Committee to Protect MDIs, appeared
from nowhere and fought the planned phase-out. But then, it
turns out that the "grassroots group" is actually funded by Glaxo
Wellcome! ("'Citizen' Groups Often Fronts for Powerful
Interests," by Jim Drinkard, Associated Press)
Who is behind purveyors of anti-Semitism and racism on Internet?
We know that supposed "grassroots" organizations are sometimes
secretly funded by wealthy corporations, as for example the Glaxo
Wellcome situation. This phenomena of fake grassroots groups is
called "astroturfing" and "astroturf groups." But what about
infestation of newsgroups and mailing lists -- especially
conspiracy-related forums -- by peddlars of hate? Do not
automatically assume that groups like "National Socialist White
People's Party" are just plain grassroots organizations. The
hidden manipulators often use the dual tactic of first (secretly)
creating the problem, then offering their "solution." And the
purveyors of hate and racism also discredit serious researchers
by association. Browsers arriving at alt.conspiracy get turned
off by the spewers of hate and click-off to someplace else --
thereby missing the wheat of impartial investigation, overwhelmed
by the chaff of "grassroots" hate groups.
A reporter on the staff of Weekly World News is missing, after he
and a colleague had penetrated the top-secret Area 51 base in
Nevada. Missing is George Sanford who, with co-worker Vince
Sardi, wore special "night suits" to evade motion detectors and
heat sensors when they snuck into the restricted area late at
night. Sardi claims they made it to a giant building as big as
two miles long. When Sanford went closer, Sardi says shots were
fired and he panicked. Sardi escaped the situation, but Sanford
did not. Sanford is still missing. (Weekly World News, 1/6/98)
The USA has been sending electricity to Mexico for decades, but
Mexico hasn't been paying the bill. The amount owed at this
point is $182 billion. (Weekly World News, 1/6/98)
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For related stories, visit:
http://www.shout.net/~bigred/cn.html
http://www.netcom.com/~feustel
Views expressed do not necessarily reflect those
of Conspiracy Nation, nor of its Editor in Chief.
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