THEN THEY CAME for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.

THEN THEY CAME for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.

THEN THEY CAME for me
and by that time no one was left to speak up.

~ Pastor Martin Niemöller, Lutheran pastor, German anti-Nazi theologian 



More on Pastor Martin Niemöller can be found here.
   

About the image:

• Diese Briefmarke wurde von der Deutschen Bundespost bzw. Deutschen Bundespost Berlin herausgegeben. Als amtliches Werk ist sie nach § 5 Abs. 1 UrhG gemeinfrei. 
  
  This stamp is in the public domain in Germany because it was released by Deutsche Bundespost on behalf of the Federal Minister of Post and Telecommunication and thus is an official work according to German copyright law (§ 5 Abs. 1 UrhG).

Received the following message from an apparent admirer here on Buzznet on Tuesday, 8/11/2009. Have had a number of messages from spammers and scammers over the years, especially to my Yahoo account, but this is the first of its type that I've personally received here. Some of you may be quite familiar with messages of this type, but to those who aren't, this one may prove to be a bit enlightening. The name has been changed for security reasons, but the rest is as I received it. Read on...
  

From Ms. Chachi Ahantal,
  
It is my pleasure to write you after going through your profile i decided to contact you to help me out of my problem, however is not mandatory nor will i in any manner compel you to honour against your will, but first Iet me introduce myself to you.
  
My name is Ms. Chachi Ahantal, Am 24 years of age, I am a student of high school before I lost my parents in a car accident last year, so I have been out from school and been looking for a sincere person that I will trust and love.
  
I am the only child of my late parents and that has made me to run away from our family house because my uncles are after my life to take away my inheritance which my late father left for me in a Bank here in Cote D'Ivoire. My entire dream is to find somebody that I can trust with my future life and inheritance and also who will be able to invest it wisely in any lucrative business.
   
Nobody knows about the inheritance which worth $15.7 million dollars in Cash deposited in a Bank here with my name as the next of kin. And I want you to also keep it very confidential till we can be able to transfer this money from the Bank here to your country and I will fly to join you immediately for future plans of continue my education once a join you in your country.
  
I have to trust somebody to save my future and that is why I am trusting you now I want you to understand my critical situation and give me the love and assistance that I need, so that I will have a better life and also enjoy my inheritance with you. I will tell you more about myself as soon as I hear back from you, your interest to assist me and also build more trust to be able to have a better understanding. Please do reply me back through my private email address for my security reason 
  
chachi-ahantal at yahoo dot com
  
I look forward for your urgent response; thank you and God bless you.
  
Best regard
Ms. Chachi Ahantal
  

Well, that was certainly a fascinating proposal.
  
She says, "I have been out from school and been looking for a sincere person that I will trust and love." Well, isn't that what we all look for? Suddenly I'm reminded of the infamous me love you long time video clip from Stanley Kubrick's classic film Full Metal Jacket. But she goes on to explain about her evil uncles who are after her life to take away her inheritance, and now it's beginning to sound like an old black & white serial melodrama from The Perils of Pauline.
  
But then it gets interesting, as in this economy, "$15.7 million dollars in Cash" in any currency is nothing to sneeze at, as I'm sure that you'll agree.  And her plea for "the love and assistance" that she needs" along with her offer to enjoy her inheritance with me could be a tempting tidbit, even if it was only a portion of that money. Then again, one must realize that these scams are e-mailed by the thousands each day, so who know just how many others received this message yesterday.
 
This young lady does have a profile here on Buzznet, along with a photo posted, as you can see here, as long as it's left up. Maybe she's looking for this to be her new home on the 'Net. In any case, I'll obviously pass on her most generous offer and leave it open to others who may be more inclined to take her up on her proposition.  
 
Or maybe I'll just pass her message on to the fine folks at Ebola Monkey Man. They'll know exactly what to do.
 
 

jargontalk  lexidiem  scam

The legendary Frank Zappa (1940–1993) was a prolific American composer, musician, record producer, and film director. In a career spanning more than thirty years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, electronic, orchestral, and musique concrete works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed album covers. Zappa produced almost all of the more than sixty albums he released with the band Mothers of Invention and as a solo artist. 
  
But he was also a philosopher, and is today perhaps one of the most widely quoted musicians of the 20th century. He was also a keen observer of the absurd in much of what he saw in the world, and wasn't afraid to speak what was on his mind. Here are some of his best thoughts and reflections: 

On Parenting:

• The first thing you have to do if you want to raise nice kids, is you have to talk to them like they are people instead of talking to them like they're property.
  ~ Appearance on the Howard Stern Show (1987)
    
• Parents have more to do with making their children weird than TV or rock and roll records. The only other thing that makes them weirder than TV and parents is religion and drugs.
  ~ Zappa & Occhiogrosso: The Real Frank Zappa Book (1989)
     
• The more boring a child is, the more the parents, when showing off the child, receive adulation for being good parents — because they have a tame child-creature in their house.
  ~ Interview with Ben Watson, Mojo Magazine ( 1993)

On Politics:

• When God created Republicans, he gave up on everything else.
  ~ Appearance on Thicke of the Night (1984)
    
• I have four children, and I want them to grow up in a country that has a working first amendment.
  ~ Appearance on CBS Morning News (1985)
    
• The biggest threat to America today is not communism. It's moving America toward a fascist theocracy, and everything that's happened during the Reagan administration is steering us right down that pipe ... When you have a government that prefers a certain moral code derived from a certain religion and that moral code turns into legislation to suit one certain religious point of view, and if that code happens to be very, very right wing, almost toward Attila the Hun...
  ~ Appearance on Crossfire (1986)  

On Scientology:

• Scientology, how about that? You hold on to the tin cans and then this guy asks you a bunch of questions, and if you pay enough money you get to join the master race. How's that for a religion? 
  ~ To a concert audience at the Rockpile, Toronto (1969)

On Rock Journalism:

• Being interviewed is one of the most abnormal things that you can do to somebody else. It's two steps removed from the inquisition.
  ~ Interview on the UK's Channel 4 (6/1/1983)
        
• The rock and roll business is pretty absurd, but the world of serious music is much worse.
  ~ Interview on London Plus (1984)
    
• 
    
• Rock journalism is people who can't write, interviewing people who can't talk, in order to provide articles for people who can't read.
  ~ Interview with Ben Watson, Mojo Magazine (1993)

On Music: 

• I'll tell you what classical music is — for those of you who don't know. Classical music is this music that was written by a bunch of dead people a long time ago. And it's formula music, the same as top forty music is formula music. In order to have a piece be classical, it has to conform to academic standards that were the current norms of that day and age... I think that people are entitled to be amused, and entertained. If they see deviations from this classical norm, it's probably good for their mental health.
  ~ Television interview (1983)
    
• I'm probably more famous for sitting on the toilet than for anything else that I do.
  ~ Interview on Nationwide (1983)
     
• A composer is a guy who goes around forcing his will on unsuspecting air molecules, often with the assistance of unsuspecting musicians.
  ~ Zappa & Occhiogrosso: The Real Frank Zappa Book (1989)

On Life:

• Remember there's a big difference between kneeling down and bending over.
  ~ Lyrics to the song Dumb All Over on the album You Are What You Is. (1981)
     
• The most important thing to do in your life, is to not interfere with somebody else's life.
  ~ Appearance on the Howard Stern Show (1987) 
    
• Take the Kama Sutra. How many people died from the Kama Sutra as opposed to the bible. Who wins? 
  ~ A&E Biography
    
• It isn't necessary to imagine the world ending in fire or ice – there are two other possibilities: one is paperwork, and the other is nostalgia.
  ~ Zappa & Occhiogrosso: The Real Frank Zappa Book (1989)

On Stupidity:

• Let's not be too rough on our own ignorance, it's what makes America great! 
  ~ Appearance on The Tonight Show (1988)
    
• Some scientists claim that hydrogen, because it is so plentiful, is the basic building block of the universe. I dispute that. I say there is more stupidity than hydrogen, and that is the basic building block of the universe.
  ~ Zappa & Occhiogrosso: The Real Frank Zappa Book (1989)

On Music Censorship:

For years Frank Zappa was clearly worried about open musical exploration, artistic integrity, and free speech. He released his ambitious ''Joe's Garage'' in 1979, which questioned what would happen if music were illegal. Six years later, the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center) recommended voluntary album labeling. Joined by John Denver, and Twisted Sister's Dee Snider, Zappa went before the U.S. Congress and accused a Senate committee of fostering censorship. The PMRC had been co-founded by Tipper Gore, wife of Sen. Al Gore. Mrs. Gore's group had compiled a list of what they determined to be the worst offenders in music, dubbing them the "Filthy Fifteen."
  
It was Prince's "Darling Nikki" that set Tipper off on her crusade when she bought the artist's 'Purple Rain' album for her 11-year-old daughter and discovered (much to her horror) that the lyrics were about a teenaged girl masturbating. Zappa became Tipper's most open critic, calling her a "cultural terrorist" and branded the PMRC ''a group of bored Washington housewives'' who wanted to ''housebreak all composers and performers because of the lyrics of a few.'' 

At the hearing, he said, "the PMRC proposal is an ill-conceived piece of nonsense which fails to deliver any real benefits to children, infringes on the civil liberties of people who are not children, and promises to keep the courts busy for years." He later celebrated the event in ''Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention,'' which included 12-minutes of audio excerpts from the hearing.

**********

In the years that followed, Zappa continued to explore various levels of musical expression. In 1982, he released "Valley Girl" on his own Barking Pumpkins label as a satire of California's shopping mall culture, which he correectly saw becoming a trend that he felt would follow for years... as it did. The recording reached #32 in the Billboard Hot 100, and featured his then 14-year-old daughter, Moon Unit.

Frank Zappa died as a result of prostate cancer on December 4th, 1993, a few days short of his 53rd birthday. He was probably the most changeable and audacious American composer of his generation. He was inducted into the Jazz Hall of Fame in 1994, and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, the first (and to date only) artist to be inducted into both.
 
 

First became aware of Company of Thieves when they made their television debut on Carson Daly's show earlier this year, when they performed "Oscar Wilde", and I was immediately fascinated by the explosive performance by singer Genevieve Schatz. Then saw them Philadelphia's NBC affiliate, where they performed "Pressure" which was a bit more toned down, but still made this viewer take notice of the upbeat sound of this group. 
  
Ordinary Riches is the debut album from  Company of Thieves, an indie rock trio based in Chicago. Genevieve Schatz does the vocals, backed up by guitarist Marc Walloch and drummer Mike Ortiz. The most noticeable quality of this album is that it doesn't sound like a debut offering. There's not a track where the trio doesn't sound like they're quite polished, and really have their act together. After listening to the album it's quite apparent that Company of Thieves is not the stereotypical "girl singer with a backing band" type of group. The songs were all composed by Genevieve Schatz and Mark Walloch, and it's good to hear such good, originally material being performed so well. 
  
They won the New York Songwriter's Circle contest in 2007 for "Oscar Wilde," and it will probably be known as their signature song for some time to come. The album was initially released almost two years ago, and it's getting quite a bit of attention since it's been re-released on the Wind-Up Records label. 
  
Genevieve's voice is outstanding, and she has a wide variety of vocal styles that seem to express many different emotions. She always sounds pitch perfect and she sings full out. Her expressions range from buoyant confidence to almost haunting. For this listener, she seemed to be able to express the same upbeat optimism as found in Regina Spektor's Begin To Hope album, especially as heard in Regina's "Better" track. Yet there's also a small bit of Fiona Apple's occasional anxiety, perhaps even a bit of true angst, as found on the latter's Extraordinary Machine. Listen to Genevieve's voice and lyrics in "Pressure" and see what I mean. I've posted their new song "Oscar Wilde" here in my videos. 
  
There's not a bad or even mediocre song to be found on this offering from the group. The beginning track is "Old Letters" and the final is "New Letters." Between these two are a series of excellent songs that seem to make up the contents of a most interesting vocal book. All three musicians perform as a cohesive, polished unit, perhaps due to the excellent production, engineering and mixing by Sean O'Keefe. 
  

  
I have the CD version of this album, and the liner as not only all of the lyrics, but some interesting photographs that are credited to Wallo Villacorta, with the band photographs done by Ray Lego. 
  
The liner closes with the following quote: 

Ordinary riches can be stolen, real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you. 
~ Oscar Wilde 

That sounds quite appropriate for this excellent debut re-release on the Wind-up Records label, and this listener must admit to be quite taken by Genevieve Schatz's amazing voice. I'll be following Company of Thieves to see what they come up with next. The group is currently on tour, so look out for them.
  
Technorati tags: company of thieves, ordinary riches, oscar wilde, genevieve schatz, indie, lexidiem, jargontalk, buzznet 
  
 

History of the US Marines

On November 10th, 1775, the US Marine Corps was founded by the Continental Congress at Tun Tavern, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Since that date Marines have been in uninterrupted service to our country for 233 years and have distinguished themselves "in every clime and place" in such far off lands and on distant remote beaches "from the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli", in France at Belleau Wood, on the infamous Iwo Jima and throughout the Pacific islands, at Inchon and the Chosin Reservoir in Korea, at Khe Sanh and Hue City in Vietnam, and now throughout Iraq in such outposts as Fallujah and the Anbar Province, and in Afghanistan.

Marines historically have heroically, without hesitation, answered our country's call never faltering in their dedication. "Semper Fidelis" ("Always Faithful") is our motto and "Once a Marine, Always a Marine" our creed.

On this special day, I raise a toast to those Marines, past and present, who have risked their lives for their country and I will especially never forget those who have made the ultimate sacrifice; their memory bolsters my faith in our youth, our steadfast values, and our blessed nation.


Famous Marines you may know...
 
Many famous Americans, such as the composer John Philip Sousa who directed the United States Marine Band for 13 years, have served in the Marine Corps. Tom Monaghan, the founder of Domino's Pizza, is a Marine. In politics, Democrat pundit James Carville, Secretary of the Navy and U.S. Senator Jim Webb, Senator Zell Miller and military analysts Anthony Zinni, Joseph Hoar and Bernard E. Trainor are Marines. 
 
Donald P. Bellisario the creator of Quantum Leap, Magnum P.I., JAG and N.C.I.S. is a veteran Marine. Baseball Hall of Fame members Tom Seaver, Ted Williams, Rod Carew, Roberto Clemente, Eddie Collins, and Bill Veeck all served in the Marines. Professional boxer Barney Ross served in the Marines, and so did former heavyweight champions Gene Tunney, Ken Norton & Leon Spinks. Football coach Vince Dooley served as well. 
 
Six astronauts, including Senator John Glenn, Charles F. Bolden, Jr., "Story" Musgrave, and Fred Haise, are Marine aviators. Several have succeeded in the entertainment industry, including Drew Carey, actors Steve McQueen, Tyrone Power, Don Adams, Gene Hackman, Harvey Keitel, Lee Marvin and talk show host Steve Wilkos.

Reggae musician Orville Burrell (Shaggy), former Ramones member Christopher Joseph Ward (C. J. Ramone), and classic rock singers the Everly Brothers all served in the Corps. 

R. Lee Ermey and (surprisingly to some) comedian Jonathan Winters were both Marine drill instructors prior to their renown. Oliver North is a veteran Marine, implicated in covert military actions not specifically authorized by Congress. Smedley Butler received two Medal of Honor awards and spoke out against war profiteers once he retired in War is a Racket. And these are just a few of a much larger list.


Once a Marine, Always a Marine...

The philosophy of "Once a Marine, Always a Marine" has led to the objection to the use of the term "former Marine" or "ex-Marine," leading to a myriad of forms of address for those no longer on active duty:

• Veteran Marine can refer to anyone who has been discharged from the Corps.
• Prior-service Marine is also appropriate.
• Retired Marine refers to those who have completed twenty or more years of service and formally retired.
• Sir or Ma'am is appropriate out of respect.
• Jarhead is only appropriate between Marines as a term of comradeship.

According to one of the "Commandant's White letters" from Commandant Alfred M. Gray, Jr., referring to a Marine by their last earned rank is appropriate.


Birthday Celebration
 
Traditionally, the first piece of Birthday cake is presented to the oldest Marine present and the second piece to the youngest Marine present. When and where this tradition began remains unknown. Some records indicate this practice, and others vary it depending on the dignitaries present at the ball. First pieces of cake have been presented to newlyweds, the Secretary of the Navy, governors, and others, but generally speaking, the first pieces of cake go to the oldest and youngest Marines at the ball.
  
At present, celebrations of the Marine Corps Birthday differ at posts and stations throughout the Corps. All commemorations include the reading of Marine Corps Order No. 47, and the Commandant's message to those assembled. Most commands sponsor a Birthday Ball of some sort, complete with pageant and cake ceremony as prescribed in the Marine Corps Manual.
 
Like the Corps itself, the Birthday Ball developed from simple origins to become the polished, professional function that all Marines commemorate on 10 November around the world.
  
Happy Birthday, Marines... Semper Fi. 
 

You've probably seen those signs for a "free stress tests" or "free personality test" on the street or in a shopping mall somewhere, and maybe you were even tempted to take one of them. For those who are unfamiliar with them, the Church of Scientology gives people free 'e-meter' tests to show that their personalities are ' broken' and can only be fixed by the Church. 

The Norwegian press, including the tabloid Verdens Gang, has reported that Kaja Bordevich Ballo, daughter of Norwegian Parliament member Olav Gunnar Ballo, reportedly took her own life (English translation here) after scoring poorly on a Scientology personality test. There is some uncertainty as to the validity of the report, but the results of the test were time-stamped just hours before Kaja’s death. The family blames the Church of Scientology (Co$) for her death. They waited two weeks and decided to go public with the story, after the test results and a suicide note were discovered.

The personality test, also called the Oxford Capacity Analysis (OCA), or American Personality Analysis, is offered free by the Co$ and comprises an integral part of their recruitment efforts. The test however, has been extensively criticized as it almost exclusively yields negative results. 

Kaja Ballo was a 20-year-old student at the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis located in Nice, France, and according to family and friends she was in good humor, had many friends and was enjoying her French studies. But on March 28, 2008, she was invited into a storefront Scientology center near the student housing complex where she lived, where she took the Scientology personality test. 

A few hours later she reportedly killed herself by jumping from the window of her dormitory. 

Her friends and roommates claim she was in good spirits and showed no signs of a mental break down or depression prior to taking the test. The test was stamped and dated by the Church just hours prior to her suicide, and said that she was "unbalanced, withdrawn and destabilized."

A fellow student claimed on national television that she "changed" after the meeting and the receipt of results of a controversial personality test she was given by the Scientologists. 

"I believe Kaja would have been alive today if she had not gone to the Scientologists," says friend and fellow student Henrik Møinichen, 19, to Dagbladet.

"The information about the Scientology test has been made public through the priest's speech at the memorial service. I can confirm that. Due to the recency of her death, I don't wish to elaborate on or comment on other matters now," said Olav Ballo in a statement to the press.

The Church, which is located only meters from Kaja's dormitory, states that their test results had shown Ballo was "depressed, irresponsible, hyper-critical and lacking in harmony." They also state that it is "unfair to blame Scientology" for Ballo's death and that the test had nothing to do with it. Kaja left behind a note telling her family she was sorry for not "being good for anything."

The incident has generated criticism against the Co$ from friends, family members and politicians. Inga Marte Thorkildsen, one of the members of Norway's Parliament, told the Oslo newspaper Dagbladet that "All indications are that the Scientologist sect has played a direct role in Kaja's choice to take her own life."

Her uncle, Heljar Ballo, said, "We can only relate the facts, that she was doing well in France, was happy and had many good friends, and that she took this test." He confirmed that his niece had suffered a serious eating disorder when she was thirteen years old, and had received both professional help and help from family and friends.

Matthias Fosse, information chief for the Co$ in Norway, rejected any links connection between Scientology and Ballo's suicide, and denied that the personality test was "dangerous", saying "millions" of people have taken it. He claimed no one lured Ballo into taking the test, and that he was told she'd walked on her own into the Scientologists' locale in Nice. He also pointed to Ballo's earlier eating disorder and suggested that she had a history of psychiatric problems.

This is amazing in concept to this writer, since the Church of Scientology has been publicly, and often vehemently, opposed to both psychiatry and psychology since the foundation of Scientology in 1952. It offers itself as an alternative to psychiatry, which Scientologists believe to be a barbaric and corrupt profession.

Kaja's uncle claimed she had fully recovered from problems that she had as a young teen seven years ago. Her father (below) blasted Co$ information chief Fosse's remarks, telling newspaper VG that the Scientologists were tarnishing his daughter's memory and showing utter disregard for her private medical history.

Psychologist Rudy Myrvang said a test like the one administered by the Scientologists is not constructive, and rather aimed "at breaking you down, and then they'll offer to build you up again." It's a recruitment tool, he said, and a means of generating future income for the church.

A Co$ critic, Andreas Heldal-Lund agreed, claiming the Scientologists viewed people like Kaja as "'raw meat from the street.' You're told you're worth nothing."

The Co$ has removed the OCA test from it's website at www.scientology.org/ocanor.htm although main site is functioning normally. 

Heljar Ballo said his family had opted to go public with Kaja's suicide in an effort to shed light on what happened. He said the family "had confidence" in the French police, and their investigation. Kaja's father, the Norwegian MP, has also hired a lawyer to pursue the matter.

Kaja was buried at Grefsen Church in Oslo on Friday, April 11th. A large group of nearly 500 friends followed her to the grave. Many were also in support during a memorial held in the Stortinget (Norway's Parliament) the same afternoon.

French police have asked Scientologists in Nice in for questioning.

How many more times are we going to see needless deaths that seem to be related to this cult? Remember Shawn Lonsdale, whose one-man crusade against Scientology made him an enemy of the church, and was found dead at his home an apparent suicide just a couple of months ago? Have we forgotten another vibrant young woman by the name of Lisa McPherson?

Sources:

• Police probe suicide linked to Scientologists. Aftenposten April 15th (English)
• Family blames Scientology for daughter's death. Wikinews April 15th
• SV-toppen Olav Gunnar Ballos datter Kaja ble bare 20 år. Dagbladet April 15th (Norwegian)
• Tok sitt liv etter test hos scientologer. Verdens Gang April 15th (Norwegian)
• Scientology blamed in high-profile suicide. United Press International, April 16th
• L'Eglise de la scientologie... suicide de Kaja Gunnar Ballo. Bakchich April 16th (French)
• Lærere bør advare elevene mot Scientologikirken. NRK Nyheter April 17th (Norwegian)
• Innkalt til politi-avhør. Verdens Gang April 17th (Norwegian)
• Kaja, 20 ans, se suicide à Nice... scientologie. April 17th (French, English translation)

Anonymous never forgives
Anonymous never forgets
 

Here on the very day of the global Operation Reconnection protests by Anonymous comes the following news report, verified by a number of sources as noted below:

According to reports, authorities in Belgium have seized documents, financial records and computer equipment from the local branch of the Church of Scientology and then sealed off the building.

The reports state that the Church in Belgium is being investigated for extortion and fraud for allegedly posting false job openings in newspapers and then attempting to get those who applied to join the Church. Several ex-members of the Church have also reportedly approached authorities with accusations of intimidation and extortion.

Police in Belgium have been investigating the Church for nearly ten years which resulted in the raid on Thursday.

In a statement to the press, the Church says that the police "violated their fundamental rights" as a religious organization and accused the police of "malicious justice operations." The Church plans to contest any charges filed against it. They also state that the postings were requests for volunteers and not employees.

So far no arrests have been made, but some employees of the Church were detained and questioned by police.

The building is reported to remain closed as of this publication.

Domestic Sources:

• Wikinews: Authorities in Belgium Raid Church of Scientology
• Enturbulation Forums: Breaking News Belgium Raids Church of Scientology
• Mens News Daily: Authorities in Belgium Raid Church of Scientology
• KCAL-TV: Belgium - Scientology Charged with Fraud & Extortion (YouTube video)

International Sources:

• Mister Info (HK): Authorities in Belgium Raid Church of Scientology
• Perquisition au siege de l'Eglise de scientologie en Belgique - Le Monde, (French)
• Huiszoeking op hoofdzetel van Scientology Kerk - De Standaard, (Dutch)
• Onderzoek tegen Scientology - Vlaamse Televisie Maatschappij, (Dutch)

More info and updates as they become available.