Wednesday 25 May 2005

Santorum To Back Frist On End-Of-Days Compromise
Says He'll Guarantee "Weather Storm" If That Day Comes

Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) came to the support of Senate Leader Bill Frist yesterday, in calling for an 'End-of-Days' scenario, and holding the Democrats to an extreme standard in order to conduct the "extreme measures" filibuster that is part of the Senate Compromise worked out Monday evening by 14 moderate senators, Republican and Democrat.

Santorum went further, saying he'll deliver "a weather storm" to the Democrats, "the likes that has never been seen".

Santorum, say his critics, is attempting to privatize the U.S. Weather System

On April 14, Santorum introduced Senate Bill 786, which will limit the National Weather Service to delivering severe weather forecasts, not daily local forecasts that are profit makers for commercial weather forecasters.

There are over a dozen private weather companies, including AccuWeather, that are based in Pennsylvania - Santorum's state and Santorum has received contributions from AccuWeather.

"The core mission of the National Weather Service" says Santorum, is not the five-day forecast but to prepare the public for weather emergencies. The Weather Service should not be investing resources, time and energy in providing travel forecasts for airlines or Pebble Beach or ski resorts."

Critics say that these private weather companies are taking information generated by the National Weather Service, repackaging it and selling it for a profit.

"The government should not compete in an area outside its mission where there is a private sector available," he said.

Santorum dismissed his critics and says he's just "trying to preserve jobs"

AccuWeather is the largest (325 employees) of 14 commercial weather forcasting companies in Pennsylvania.

"Let the Democrats just try something", barked Santorum "The Book of Revelations will look like a cartoon compared to what I, and AccuWeather, rains down on them".


White House Stays Course On Story Sources
Criticizes Islamic Websites For Vague Zarqawi References

Like his favorite news network, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan was being "fair and balanced" as he criticized a number of Islamic news organizations and websites, who have been presenting unverified reports that Iraqi Al Qaeda leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is seriously wounded, perhaps gravely so.

"What's good for the goose is good for the gander" offered McClellan, at the daily press briefing yesterday.

"We would expect the Arab and Islamic journalists and news organizations to have sound principles in their reporting. We saw last week, the trouble and deaths that resulted from just a few lines in an American magazine. Reports like this can cause serious ramifications for a great number of our military, as well as innocent civilians".

McClellan not-so-covered reference to Newsweek's reporting of a Koran being flushed down a toilet at the Guantanamo Bay Prison Camp, and the subsequent protests and 17 deaths in Afghanistan that President Bush, and McClellan, squarely blamed Newsweek for causing has been refuted by U.S. Military commanders as well as the Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Mr. Zarqawi, who Osama bin Laden chose to be the Al Qaeda leader in Iraq, is a Jordanian-born militant who the U.S. Military has a $25-Million bounty on his head as the "most wanted man" in Iraq.

"Any news organization, or group" continued McClellan, "that puts out information that they know to be false, or inaccurate, is not a credible organization".