A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION
by Bill Burkett

I've been termed a "nutcase" by those wanting to discredit me without an ounce of substance. Rush Limbaugh has chosen to make me a standard by which he makes comparisons with the false belief that he has discredited me and defamed me substantially as to now make me a poster child for "radical behavior".

Who can forget the chutzpah of President George W. Bush as he bragged to Bob Woodward, "I'm commander in chief.... That's the interesting thing about being president...I don't feel like I owe anybody an explanation."

A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION
by Michael Winship

Twenty-one years ago this summer, Roseland, the amusement park alongside the lake in my upstate New York hometown, closed down. Like the day the music died, with it went a certain innocence. Its passing marked the loss of a lazy, laid-back source of entertainment and joy far more low-key than the high impact whizbang of plasma TV's, brutal video games, Internet surfing -- the overall carpet bombing of our senses in the mad pursuit of pleasure.

The top story on TV news lately has not been the Iraq war or tentative Lebanon peace, or major court rulings on tobacco and warrantless wiretapping, or oil prices or pension "reform" or any of a dozen stories that affect millions of citizens.

When Fidel Castro recently underwent intestinal surgery, suddenly there was a whirl of news stories in the U.S. media, the type of attention usually reserved for rock stars and champion athletes. What is this love-hate fascination with the ruler of a small island nation? Is it the tempestuous Cold War history, Cuba's close proximity to Florida, memories of the boy Elian, or the beautiful beaches and palm trees?

New York, New York August 16: When you play chess, you think ahead. What will your next move be, and how is it likely to be countered? Ultimately it is a game of strategy.

A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION

by Bob Sommer

One of the great things about books is sometimes there are some fantastic pictures. -- President George W. Bush (U.S. News and World Report, January 3, 2000)

So many books, so little time. Just over two years remain and the president still has a lot of reading to do before he's off the world stage and won't have to quote Albert Camus to impress foreign dignitaries any more.

A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION

by Amy Branham

It is sad that during a time of war, so many people do not know what a Gold Star Family is.  They have no idea what a Gold Star Mother, Father, Husband, Wife, Sister or Brother is.  So many times when I attend rallies, protests or other events, I have to explain what a Gold Star Mom is.

So, Osama Walks into This Bar, See? and Bush says, "Whad'l'ya have, pardner?" and Osama says...

But wait a minute. I'd better shut my mouth. The sign here in the airport says, "Security is no joking matter." But if security's no joking matter, why does this guy dressed in a high-school marching band outfit tell me to dump my Frappuccino and take off my shoes? All I can say is, Thank the Lord the "shoe bomber" didn't carry Semtex in his underpants.

A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION
by Norman Solomon

The leading pro-war Democrat in the Senate is hoping for a landslide in the New York primary next month. And unless progressives quickly mobilize to dent her vote total, she's likely to get it.