Conspiracy Nation -- Vol. 11  Num. 64
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                     ("Quid coniuratio est?")

P O T P O U R R I


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:
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