Bill Sykes' Newsletter
from America.
(October 2003)
An ex-Brit gives his views-(without fear
or favor)---of the American Scene
What is happening on the home front.
Dateline: 18/19 th September 2003. East Coast
of America.
Hurricane Isabel swept through the east coast states
of America leaving death, destruction and flooding in
its wake.
It commenced its destructive path in South Carolina, before heading north west
through North Carolina, Virginia,
Washington DC, Maryland, and continued on its blustery way north to Canada,
leaving eight million Americans without electricity.
By the way many of the
outlying rural districts are still without electrical power some six days later.
 Comment: President Bush, you continue to talk about financing and rebuilding
the Iraqi infrastructure, (which incidentally was destroyed by the American
Armed Forces), by giving Iraq large amounts of American dollars---which apparently
will end up in the pockets of the executives and investors of Halliburton
Company and its subsidiaries.
Mr President, surely its about time that we spent some of our tax dollars on
rebuilding our own American infrastructure, which badly needs modernizing,
before giving financial handouts to other countries. The electricity generating
and power distribution networks in this country are obviously in need of modernization,
as witnessed by the last two extensive power outages.
Dateline: Wednesday 24 th September 2003. California.
The circus arrived in town and the clowns strutted their
paces in a so-called debate by the top five contenders
who have aspirations to be Governor of California and
are named on a ballot, which also has the names of 130
other applicants for the Governorship of California.
(That is of course, if the current Governor Gray Davis
gets recalled - see the mid-September 2003 news letter
for details of what is meant by being recalled). I say,
the "so called" debate, as the five contestants
were given the questions a few days before the event
so that their political advisors could come up with acceptable
answers for their respective candidates.
 Please
let me set the stage, from left to right we have actor:
Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), Green Peace activist and
financial investment advisor: Peter Canejo (G), State
Senator: Tom McClintock (R), Chairperson and Moderator,
Author and political commentator: Arianna Huffington
(I), and finally the current incumbent Lieutenant Governor:
Cruz M. Bustamante (D).
(R). Republican. (G) Green Party. (I) Independent. (D)
Democrat.
How I scored the individuals in the contest---you can't
call this a debate when the candidates have the questions
and the answers.
Arnold Schwarzenegger : Came over as a dynamic, loud, belligerent,
gesticulating, motor mouthed personality who was out to suppress and intimidate
the other contestants, and be grossly argumentative to a point of rudeness,
without having a full grasp of the subject being discussed---not my idea
of what a Governor of the great State of California should be.
Peter Canejo : Intelligent, articulate,
and provided good arguments without rancour. He failed
to convince me in his final two minute address as to
why he should be elected as Governor.
Tom McClintock : Articulate, and had
a thorough grasp of the subject matter, (as a good politician
should), and although he appeared to lack a dynamic personality
he came out of the evening fray with a degree of respect.
Arianna Huffington : Erudite, articulate,
gave as good as she got in her confrontations with Schwarzennegger,
and was not intimidated by his rantings and ravings.
She impressed me with her personality but I didn't think
at this point that she was Governorship material.
 Cruz M. Bustamante: A quiet, softly
spoken, well dressed unassuming professional politician
with a caring personality who knew the workings of State
government, and even with the allegations that he took
monetary contributions from the native Indian gambling
operations, I thought that he could do no further harm
to the California economy than it is currently experiencing
and would be a suitable replacement for Governor Gray
Davis, if Governor Davis was to be recalled.
My comments.
The much bally-hoed debate turned out in
my opinion to be a somewhat distasteful affair, which
in general did not clarify the candidate's positions
and was totally unsatisfactory as an informative political
debate on subjects that are of immediate concern to the
citizens of California.
Dateline: Thursday 25 th September 2003. Washington
DC.
District Judge Lee R. West of the Oklahoma Federal District Court made a ruling
on Tuesday 23 rd September 2003, that a bill approved by Congress, which is
scheduled to take effect on the 1st of October 2003, intended to prevent telemarketing
companies from making unwanted and unsolicited telephone calls to private residences
was not legal, as the Federal regulators had overstepped their authority in
establishing a "Do not call" register, (which fifty million people signed
up for), and that Congress had not given authority to the Federal Trade Commission,
(FTC), to operate such a register.
The Oklahoma Federal Judge's action was quickly rectified today the 25 th of
September 2003 when Congress confirmed the FTC authority, and approved the
Federal Trade Commission operation of the "Do not call" list.
Explanation:
The ordinary private citizen has been bombarded for several years by constant
telephone calls on a daily basis at all hours, (especially the evening dinner
hours), from telemarketers with solicitous offerings of many, and varied,
unwanted services. There has been a growing amount of telemarketing fraud
with deceptive and sometimes fraudulent practices, which has become an ever
increasing concern to the general public, especially the aged.
This legislation
will try to prevent telemarketing calls by fining proven violators with a
$11,000 fine per violation.
Disclaimer.
The usual disclaimer.
Much of the information gathered for this newsletter is gleaned from American
and International sources, (including the Internet), and as such is quoted
as accurately as possible.
I try to obtain confirmation on each subject from
several outlets,
so the text is a mixture of composite news and personal comment and therefore
the reader must make his/her own judgement
as to the reliability and accuracy of the subjects discussed.
Sincerely,
Eric (Bill) Sykes. (California).
We welcome feedback about any of the
contents of these newsletters. Please send all correspondence
to
bill_sykes@huddersfield1.co.uk
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