People Talk
Friday, November 28, 2003
Talk On President Bush's Thanksgiving Visit To Iraq
DC: Bush goes to IRAQ!!!! What a leader! He could have sat home in Crawford....but no way! The man is courageous! Had to boost troop morale! The guy rocks! When I was in Nam, I would have loved that!
Jennifer (BUSH SUPPORTER): Our commander and chief spent Thanksgiving in Baghdad today. Showing support for our troop. John King reported on the news the democrats are not showing they have the skills to control terrorism the way Bush has proven he will do.
Doug in Indiana: DC did you say bush licks butt crack? Man that sucks.
Wayne in Missouri: DC, When you were in Nam you would have loved that Bush was taking a cushy assignment with his father's connections that he went AWOL from because he had neither the willpower nor the courage to follow through on the simplest of obligations.
He is not courageous. He is a chickenhawk who sends other people to fight his wars for him. He is in Iraq because he is interested in photo ops for his re-election campaign. He is thankfully surrounded by security and is as safe there as he is in the states.
His true courage showed when he went AWOL from the guard in 1972.
Thank God we have ordinary Americans everywhere who have courage so that Bush looks courageous. But let's be clear that he is simply absorbing the glory that rightfully belongs to people who do have real courage.
Maybe I'm cynical, but I'm sick of the coward basking in the limelight with his cocky self-important attitude and his playing the tough guy as a game when my friends in the National Guard are out risking their lives for real as retrained military police because Bush put them into a dangerous situation with no clear endgame.
I respect their courage. But I don't respect Bush's courage.
I guess that's what makes politics interesting though. We can look at the same situation and see two very different things.
In honor of Mr. Bush's visit to Iraq:
http://www.takebackthemedia.com/onearmy.html
Keith Brekhus: Good for Bush. Clinton basically did the same thing in 1999 when he went to Kosovo on Thanksgiving, so it isn't really unusual, but this is a good gesture, even if it is politically motivated to get favorable press coverage.
DC: If this president could raise the dead, some of you would give him no credit! Every thing in life is not politically motivated! Get a freaking grip! He made the troops that saw him come alive! He made them happy! Piss on you naysayers!
It was also a strong message the Iraqi people, Saddam is not in charge anymore! You are free! There will always be cynical people out there, afraid to take the good out of any situation, that is why America is polarized!
Wayne in Missouri: Almost everything in life is politically motivated for Bush and Rove.
I think it is good that Bush went to Iraq.
But I also think we've really lowered the bar when we heap excessive praise on a President for doing something that should be expected of them.
Bush has been notably absent from military funerals and I think this is something he should occasionally attend too. I suspect we would praise him for it, even though every other President has done it as standard operating procedure and without praise.
Sindhu Kumar: Good point you brought up Wayne. I have not seen this president take the time out of his busy schedule to visit families who lost loved ones in this war. Although i liked the fact that he paid a surprise visit to the troops in Iraq for thanksgiving, he should have at least visited the citizens of Iraq and spent part of the ID holidays with them as this weekend is part of the holy Ramadan holidays for the Muslim world.
Ann Stewart: Hey folks--I think it is great that President Bush went to Iraq for Thanksgiving, but in opinion we should have never went to war in the first place so I don't care how many times he goes to Iraq he still ain't right. Just my opinion.
DC: Bush goes to IRAQ!!!! What a leader! He could have sat home in Crawford....but no way! The man is courageous! Had to boost troop morale! The guy rocks! When I was in Nam, I would have loved that!
Jennifer (BUSH SUPPORTER): Our commander and chief spent Thanksgiving in Baghdad today. Showing support for our troop. John King reported on the news the democrats are not showing they have the skills to control terrorism the way Bush has proven he will do.
Doug in Indiana: DC did you say bush licks butt crack? Man that sucks.
Wayne in Missouri: DC, When you were in Nam you would have loved that Bush was taking a cushy assignment with his father's connections that he went AWOL from because he had neither the willpower nor the courage to follow through on the simplest of obligations.
He is not courageous. He is a chickenhawk who sends other people to fight his wars for him. He is in Iraq because he is interested in photo ops for his re-election campaign. He is thankfully surrounded by security and is as safe there as he is in the states.
His true courage showed when he went AWOL from the guard in 1972.
Thank God we have ordinary Americans everywhere who have courage so that Bush looks courageous. But let's be clear that he is simply absorbing the glory that rightfully belongs to people who do have real courage.
Maybe I'm cynical, but I'm sick of the coward basking in the limelight with his cocky self-important attitude and his playing the tough guy as a game when my friends in the National Guard are out risking their lives for real as retrained military police because Bush put them into a dangerous situation with no clear endgame.
I respect their courage. But I don't respect Bush's courage.
I guess that's what makes politics interesting though. We can look at the same situation and see two very different things.
In honor of Mr. Bush's visit to Iraq:
http://www.takebackthemedia.com/onearmy.html
Keith Brekhus: Good for Bush. Clinton basically did the same thing in 1999 when he went to Kosovo on Thanksgiving, so it isn't really unusual, but this is a good gesture, even if it is politically motivated to get favorable press coverage.
DC: If this president could raise the dead, some of you would give him no credit! Every thing in life is not politically motivated! Get a freaking grip! He made the troops that saw him come alive! He made them happy! Piss on you naysayers!
It was also a strong message the Iraqi people, Saddam is not in charge anymore! You are free! There will always be cynical people out there, afraid to take the good out of any situation, that is why America is polarized!
Wayne in Missouri: Almost everything in life is politically motivated for Bush and Rove.
I think it is good that Bush went to Iraq.
But I also think we've really lowered the bar when we heap excessive praise on a President for doing something that should be expected of them.
Bush has been notably absent from military funerals and I think this is something he should occasionally attend too. I suspect we would praise him for it, even though every other President has done it as standard operating procedure and without praise.
Sindhu Kumar: Good point you brought up Wayne. I have not seen this president take the time out of his busy schedule to visit families who lost loved ones in this war. Although i liked the fact that he paid a surprise visit to the troops in Iraq for thanksgiving, he should have at least visited the citizens of Iraq and spent part of the ID holidays with them as this weekend is part of the holy Ramadan holidays for the Muslim world.
Ann Stewart: Hey folks--I think it is great that President Bush went to Iraq for Thanksgiving, but in opinion we should have never went to war in the first place so I don't care how many times he goes to Iraq he still ain't right. Just my opinion.
Monday, November 24, 2003
Talk On Michael Jackson
Scarlet Termite: Ok, does anyone else think CNN is going a little overboard with the Michael Jackson coverage? I guess earlier today they were either interviewing or trying to get a reaction from Jermaine Jackson and Jermaine became angry and said the "F" word on the air. Apparently, you could hear folks gasping in the background when he said it.
Are the other networks harping on this like CNN is? I'm sorry but, IMO, there are a lot more important things going on in the world right now than this. What do you guys think?
Sunshine: Yeah but Jermaine acted like a jerk when he was cursing on TV. That was bad. He could have been more formal and it would have made him look a lot better. Michael Jackson is really in trouble this time. He's being arrested and he will be prosecuted. I found this site on the History Of Michael Jackson’s face.
Michael Bohannon: I'm sorry, but I can't help not thinking that Michael Jackson is as guilty as sin. I know that you're supposed to give people the benefit of the doubt and assume him innocent until proven otherwise, but I think authorities have purposely overlooked some of his past grievances because of who he is. A buddy of mine at work insists that Jackson is being harassed simply because he has a love for kids, but I think that he has more than just a love for kids. Michael Jackson is infatuated with kids and this obsession shouldn't be treated as some artistic peculiarity. No he needs professional help. His family isn't worth a damn. They're entertainers through and through, more worried about his image than getting their brother some serious help. He needs somebody to yank his delusional ass out of never never land and committ him to a hospital.
Laura in LA: Michael, hear ya re Jacko. That interview that came out this year really nailed it for me. Did you see it? There was a part where he was attempting to explain why he sleeps with children and it creeped me out. That entire interview showed me that there is something wrong with his mental health. They must have some evidence if they arrested him. Yet, I don't think that hours upon hours of news coverage should be devoted to this story. How many freakin' times did they show the plane landing, Jacko in handcuffs and giving the peace sign? There was so much real news to report yesterday - bombings in Turkey, FTAA protests in Miami, the Shrub in London, protests in London, bombings in Iraq, etc. This is why Americans are clueless in most respects ...today, we'll get hours of Jermaine and other folks defending Jacko. It's torture. Boy, what would I do without the internet so I can get the real news.
Scarlet Termite: Ok, does anyone else think CNN is going a little overboard with the Michael Jackson coverage? I guess earlier today they were either interviewing or trying to get a reaction from Jermaine Jackson and Jermaine became angry and said the "F" word on the air. Apparently, you could hear folks gasping in the background when he said it.
Are the other networks harping on this like CNN is? I'm sorry but, IMO, there are a lot more important things going on in the world right now than this. What do you guys think?
Sunshine: Yeah but Jermaine acted like a jerk when he was cursing on TV. That was bad. He could have been more formal and it would have made him look a lot better. Michael Jackson is really in trouble this time. He's being arrested and he will be prosecuted. I found this site on the History Of Michael Jackson’s face.
Michael Bohannon: I'm sorry, but I can't help not thinking that Michael Jackson is as guilty as sin. I know that you're supposed to give people the benefit of the doubt and assume him innocent until proven otherwise, but I think authorities have purposely overlooked some of his past grievances because of who he is. A buddy of mine at work insists that Jackson is being harassed simply because he has a love for kids, but I think that he has more than just a love for kids. Michael Jackson is infatuated with kids and this obsession shouldn't be treated as some artistic peculiarity. No he needs professional help. His family isn't worth a damn. They're entertainers through and through, more worried about his image than getting their brother some serious help. He needs somebody to yank his delusional ass out of never never land and committ him to a hospital.
Laura in LA: Michael, hear ya re Jacko. That interview that came out this year really nailed it for me. Did you see it? There was a part where he was attempting to explain why he sleeps with children and it creeped me out. That entire interview showed me that there is something wrong with his mental health. They must have some evidence if they arrested him. Yet, I don't think that hours upon hours of news coverage should be devoted to this story. How many freakin' times did they show the plane landing, Jacko in handcuffs and giving the peace sign? There was so much real news to report yesterday - bombings in Turkey, FTAA protests in Miami, the Shrub in London, protests in London, bombings in Iraq, etc. This is why Americans are clueless in most respects ...today, we'll get hours of Jermaine and other folks defending Jacko. It's torture. Boy, what would I do without the internet so I can get the real news.
More Talk on Jacko
Jennifer: Michael Jackson grew up in a twisted family and life was harsh on him. I do think there are people out there who would try to take him for money and accuse him of things he may not have done to get money, but I don't think this many children would come forth and say this if there wasn't some truth to it. He has just had too many children accuse him of it, and he is so weird anyway. It makes him look so guilty.
JOY: MICHAEL JACKSON IS SO SAD. I WATCHED THAT INTERVIEW ON HIM ABOUT WHERE HE TRIES TO EXPLAIN WHY HE SLEEPS WITH CHILDREN. THAT WAS SCARY.
Arty P: Like I said there Michael Jackson should pipe down about this being a "high teck lynching". In years gone by if a black man had been rubbing his crotch and shrieking at young white children the way he does, there would have been nothing high teck about it! (I never condoned that sort of thing - I'm just saying he ought to keep it in perspective) And like I also said if you want to go around molesting children and then get presumed innocent, you should probably be a bit more discreet than giving interviews on your intentions to the British Broadcasting Corporation. Michael Jackson - Child Molester or Creepy Freak? http://www.redwhiteandright.blogspot.com
Scarlet Termite: I haven't been paying that much attention to the MJ thing because I am rather disgusted by it and disgusted by the media attention that it has been receiving. Someone told me today that the people that are accusing him of child molestation are the same folks whose son appeared in the documentary about MJ that was on whenever it was. This person said it was, unfortunately, starting to smack of extortion. I said well, he has been doing this for a while and giving the parents of these young boys lots and lots of money to keep them quiet. Now, of course that is only my opinion. But if it does turn out to be true I think that the parents are just as guilty as Jackson and should be prosecuted accordingly. Imagine doing that to your child? It's so horrible that it just staggers the imagination.
Jennifer: Michael Jackson grew up in a twisted family and life was harsh on him. I do think there are people out there who would try to take him for money and accuse him of things he may not have done to get money, but I don't think this many children would come forth and say this if there wasn't some truth to it. He has just had too many children accuse him of it, and he is so weird anyway. It makes him look so guilty.
JOY: MICHAEL JACKSON IS SO SAD. I WATCHED THAT INTERVIEW ON HIM ABOUT WHERE HE TRIES TO EXPLAIN WHY HE SLEEPS WITH CHILDREN. THAT WAS SCARY.
Arty P: Like I said there Michael Jackson should pipe down about this being a "high teck lynching". In years gone by if a black man had been rubbing his crotch and shrieking at young white children the way he does, there would have been nothing high teck about it! (I never condoned that sort of thing - I'm just saying he ought to keep it in perspective) And like I also said if you want to go around molesting children and then get presumed innocent, you should probably be a bit more discreet than giving interviews on your intentions to the British Broadcasting Corporation. Michael Jackson - Child Molester or Creepy Freak? http://www.redwhiteandright.blogspot.com
Scarlet Termite: I haven't been paying that much attention to the MJ thing because I am rather disgusted by it and disgusted by the media attention that it has been receiving. Someone told me today that the people that are accusing him of child molestation are the same folks whose son appeared in the documentary about MJ that was on whenever it was. This person said it was, unfortunately, starting to smack of extortion. I said well, he has been doing this for a while and giving the parents of these young boys lots and lots of money to keep them quiet. Now, of course that is only my opinion. But if it does turn out to be true I think that the parents are just as guilty as Jackson and should be prosecuted accordingly. Imagine doing that to your child? It's so horrible that it just staggers the imagination.
Saturday, November 22, 2003
Love Talk On John McCain
Laura in LA: I like and RESPECT John McCain very much. I think he should have been President - not Bush. We would not be in this mess in Iraq if McCain were Prez. Rove and Bush CO played very dirty to beat McCain in the 2000 primaries. Ann, did you hear about the "push polls" the Bush Camp did against McCain? They inferred that McCain had a half African American baby. McCain stands his ground and his criticism on the post planning of the Iraqi blunder is well taken and well stated.
Sindhu Kumar: I too love that Maverick John McCain, would have loved seeing him in the white house as I did vote for him in the primaries in 2000, but too bad, GWB used GHWB, and JEB to get him elected.
Ann Stewart: No Laura I didn't hear about that, but thanks for telling me. I'll do a post on John McCain just because you said that Laura. That is not the first time I heard that. My mother is a big fan of John McCain's. She loves him.
Laura in LA: I like and RESPECT John McCain very much. I think he should have been President - not Bush. We would not be in this mess in Iraq if McCain were Prez. Rove and Bush CO played very dirty to beat McCain in the 2000 primaries. Ann, did you hear about the "push polls" the Bush Camp did against McCain? They inferred that McCain had a half African American baby. McCain stands his ground and his criticism on the post planning of the Iraqi blunder is well taken and well stated.
Sindhu Kumar: I too love that Maverick John McCain, would have loved seeing him in the white house as I did vote for him in the primaries in 2000, but too bad, GWB used GHWB, and JEB to get him elected.
Ann Stewart: No Laura I didn't hear about that, but thanks for telling me. I'll do a post on John McCain just because you said that Laura. That is not the first time I heard that. My mother is a big fan of John McCain's. She loves him.
Wednesday, November 12, 2003
Sunshine's New News Blog
Hey Folks go check out Sunshine’s new blog. Sunshine is a good online friend of Ann’s. Ann helped her build it. It has a lot of posts on Dr. Sanjay Gupta. She posted you're remakes on missing the CNN sites.
Hey Folks go check out Sunshine’s new blog. Sunshine is a good online friend of Ann’s. Ann helped her build it. It has a lot of posts on Dr. Sanjay Gupta. She posted you're remakes on missing the CNN sites.
Talk Over Missing CNN Fan Sites
Paula: Ann-I am sorry it worked out this way. I really enjoyed
the sites. Dr. Gupta is a special, unique individual (as well as adorable!) who deserves to have a website dedicated to him. He's a huge inspiration to me. I'm now trying to live a much healther life because of him. He's so healthy and fit himself and it inspires me. I've made a promise to myself that I will meet him and give him a hug one day.
Paula
Katiesmom: Ann, are you going to be able to have your sites back on Sanjay? I really loved all the stuff and always lurked but never posted. Sent his a simple B-day card after you got the right date. I was really sorry you had to take them down, but no one would want you to get in trouble. Can you not have a site like this and do that kind of stuff and have a chat time. I'm on the Hemmer boards and on one of them we have chat on Wed night. Since you can have chat open all
the time people can come and go as they please or set a time. I realize there isn't as much flexability but it would be something. I always have to mention Sanjay on the Hemmer chat and everyone knows I really think Sanjay is the greatest. They respect that and let me rave for a while before we get back to Bill who is nice too. I realize Sanjay is only 34 but gee we need to know if his brain stem is alive (sex).
Ann Stewart: I'm a little heartbroken and disappointed with how CNN has chosen to speak to other press members about our open to public talk sites before they chose to speak with us. You see I heard though another 3rd person that CNN's Crystal Drake had reported me to the legal department of CNN and told me to
stop publishing when she never did make that statement to me. That frightened me. She never told me to stop publishing, and when I also called her and emailed CNN many times and told them to tell me if anything was unwanted on our open to public talk sites to let me know and I would remove what CNN didn't feel was appropriate. She didn't tell me to shut down, she just said CNN is uncomfortable with my sites, she would not be specific about what CNN wanted removed, but she said CNN wished I would remove my sites. So I did. And I'm still working on it now. It will take me a few days to get all my posts transferred to a site that can't be publicly seen. From
now on I will be talking on my political talk sites from what I gather from
Magazines and from Fox News. Fox News is now my main source of political news and I also love Time Magazine. Maybe I can get my fix of Sanjay Gupta there.
Pinkpanther: Ann--Wow, what a mess. I am so sorry. You're right--Crystal Drake was not professional or clear with you at all, and you were so polite to even let them know about the sites and ask if that was ok. I don't think most people
on the web would have the courtesy to do that. Have you heard from Sanjay
at all? I wonder what he thinks about all this. He hasn't said anything to
me. The last I spoke to him was a week ago when we talked about me getting
on the air. But I have decided not to email him anymore. I don't care if
he's a celeb, that he's on CNN or that he's a brain surgeon. He's always
been polite to me. Ann, I am so sorry this has happened to you. You are so nice, so talented, and have put so much work into those sites. Life is funny, you never know why things happen. Maybe something good will come out of it. I will pray for you.
Take care and keep in touch,
Pink (;
Ann Stewart: NO I have never heard from Sanjay and never will either. I'm sure it's probably something he can get in trouble for from his job.
Sindhu Kumar: Ann-- I miss your websites already. Ann dearie:- you should reconsider building a site for Sanjay.
Ann Stewart: No ladies I will help you build your sites and keep them maintained, but I will not be building anymore sites. I love that I can post on Sunshine's, Guava's or Scarlet's blog and I have my Election sites and Sports talk sites. That's enough to maintain as it is.
UberDiva: That is complete and utter BULLSHIT!
As long as there isn't any slandering or threatening any of the CNN
personnel going on, what's the damned problem?
Wai Lin: That sucks so much!! I could always be
guaranteed a good laugh at her site. boo cnn! hissss booo!!!
Colen: Who does CNN think they are, giving us
no rights to use the internet. F' them. It's like they are the only ones
who are allowed to say whatever they want about people.
It's not right CNN does not own the internet. This is a freedom of
speech place.
That is so wrong.
Sunshine: First of all CNN does not have the power
to tell anybody what they can and cannot write on the internet. CNN
does not own the world.
Jet: I'm with Colen. Screw CNN. They don't own the internet and they CAN"T tell us what we can and can't talk about. We were not slandering or threatening ANYONE so they should just keep thier mouths shut.
CNN sucks as a news station and the only reason I watch is because of Bill Hemmer. When he goes I go!
I may start another CNN talk site just to piss them off!! Stay tuned.
Pinkpanther: Ann--That is AWFUL that CNN said you could get into legal trouble! You didn't do ANYTHING wrong! I wouldn't worry too much about it though, I think they are just using scare tactics. But it's so stupid. They should be thanking you, because it's people like you and his other fans that have made him so
popular and that has given CNN ratings. So they are really stupid in my opinion. You were helping them! Thanks for building the sites and the gab. It was always fun to talk to you girls, especially when I was stuck in the house after my accident with two sprained ankles. You guys made me laugh. Hang in there. I will keep praying for you, and if you get another gab (non-CNN related) let me know and I will come visit. Take care dear and don't worry too much. I have faith things will work out for the best in the end. I always try to believe that there is good that can come out of any situation. And if you ever want to talk you know my #. I'm pretty much always home.
Pink(;
Jancey: Hi Ann--Well, I have been reading and following your sites for some time..never participated though. Anyhow, please advise as to what happened and how big brother CNN has foreced you to shut down the sites. I will hopefully be in touch over the group chat in yahoo. Hoping you feel better!! Your on line friend and fellow CNN fan.
Jancey
Jet: I think you are owed a legitimate explanation at the very least. Being "uncomfortable" with something is a very generic term. There are many "uncomfortable" things on the internet but they aren't being taken down. I also feel somewhat responsible just like Scarlet. I wrote alot about Bill because I just adore him. All of the stuff about aliens etc was just play and anyone with half a brain can see that. I like Scarlet will probably never meet Bill Hemmer but if I have the good fortune to do so than so be it. That is my concern not theirs. I hope everything works out for you with this whole mess. Please let me know if you get a response from Jennifer. I would like to hear what she has to say. Take care and maybe I'll see you on another site soon.
Jet
UberDiva: I think that's crap. But if that's what you decide to do, so be it, I support you. If you want to make that concession, okay. However, I think you should, at the very least, rethink shutting down the QuickTopic. There is nothing on them that CNN has anything to do with or control over. The fan sites contain pictures, which technically, are CNN property. But please don't let them bully you into closing your private talk forum. I don't think they have the right to do that. We are not threatening, slandering, openly plotting to stalk anyone, or divulging personal, confidential information about any CNN employee. So what's the big deal? So we go farther than any of the Yahoo groups. Big deal. It's not like we're writing pages and pages of sexually explicit fan fiction. Legally, CNN doesn't have a leg to stand on with the QT forum. Did you hear from one our men that CNN had told them not to write you or comment on the forums anymore? I didn't quite understand the Sanjay reference.
ud
Paula: Ann-I am sorry it worked out this way. I really enjoyed
the sites. Dr. Gupta is a special, unique individual (as well as adorable!) who deserves to have a website dedicated to him. He's a huge inspiration to me. I'm now trying to live a much healther life because of him. He's so healthy and fit himself and it inspires me. I've made a promise to myself that I will meet him and give him a hug one day.
Paula
Katiesmom: Ann, are you going to be able to have your sites back on Sanjay? I really loved all the stuff and always lurked but never posted. Sent his a simple B-day card after you got the right date. I was really sorry you had to take them down, but no one would want you to get in trouble. Can you not have a site like this and do that kind of stuff and have a chat time. I'm on the Hemmer boards and on one of them we have chat on Wed night. Since you can have chat open all
the time people can come and go as they please or set a time. I realize there isn't as much flexability but it would be something. I always have to mention Sanjay on the Hemmer chat and everyone knows I really think Sanjay is the greatest. They respect that and let me rave for a while before we get back to Bill who is nice too. I realize Sanjay is only 34 but gee we need to know if his brain stem is alive (sex).
Ann Stewart: I'm a little heartbroken and disappointed with how CNN has chosen to speak to other press members about our open to public talk sites before they chose to speak with us. You see I heard though another 3rd person that CNN's Crystal Drake had reported me to the legal department of CNN and told me to
stop publishing when she never did make that statement to me. That frightened me. She never told me to stop publishing, and when I also called her and emailed CNN many times and told them to tell me if anything was unwanted on our open to public talk sites to let me know and I would remove what CNN didn't feel was appropriate. She didn't tell me to shut down, she just said CNN is uncomfortable with my sites, she would not be specific about what CNN wanted removed, but she said CNN wished I would remove my sites. So I did. And I'm still working on it now. It will take me a few days to get all my posts transferred to a site that can't be publicly seen. From
now on I will be talking on my political talk sites from what I gather from
Magazines and from Fox News. Fox News is now my main source of political news and I also love Time Magazine. Maybe I can get my fix of Sanjay Gupta there.
Pinkpanther: Ann--Wow, what a mess. I am so sorry. You're right--Crystal Drake was not professional or clear with you at all, and you were so polite to even let them know about the sites and ask if that was ok. I don't think most people
on the web would have the courtesy to do that. Have you heard from Sanjay
at all? I wonder what he thinks about all this. He hasn't said anything to
me. The last I spoke to him was a week ago when we talked about me getting
on the air. But I have decided not to email him anymore. I don't care if
he's a celeb, that he's on CNN or that he's a brain surgeon. He's always
been polite to me. Ann, I am so sorry this has happened to you. You are so nice, so talented, and have put so much work into those sites. Life is funny, you never know why things happen. Maybe something good will come out of it. I will pray for you.
Take care and keep in touch,
Pink (;
Ann Stewart: NO I have never heard from Sanjay and never will either. I'm sure it's probably something he can get in trouble for from his job.
Sindhu Kumar: Ann-- I miss your websites already. Ann dearie:- you should reconsider building a site for Sanjay.
Ann Stewart: No ladies I will help you build your sites and keep them maintained, but I will not be building anymore sites. I love that I can post on Sunshine's, Guava's or Scarlet's blog and I have my Election sites and Sports talk sites. That's enough to maintain as it is.
UberDiva: That is complete and utter BULLSHIT!
As long as there isn't any slandering or threatening any of the CNN
personnel going on, what's the damned problem?
Wai Lin: That sucks so much!! I could always be
guaranteed a good laugh at her site. boo cnn! hissss booo!!!
Colen: Who does CNN think they are, giving us
no rights to use the internet. F' them. It's like they are the only ones
who are allowed to say whatever they want about people.
It's not right CNN does not own the internet. This is a freedom of
speech place.
That is so wrong.
Sunshine: First of all CNN does not have the power
to tell anybody what they can and cannot write on the internet. CNN
does not own the world.
Jet: I'm with Colen. Screw CNN. They don't own the internet and they CAN"T tell us what we can and can't talk about. We were not slandering or threatening ANYONE so they should just keep thier mouths shut.
CNN sucks as a news station and the only reason I watch is because of Bill Hemmer. When he goes I go!
I may start another CNN talk site just to piss them off!! Stay tuned.
Pinkpanther: Ann--That is AWFUL that CNN said you could get into legal trouble! You didn't do ANYTHING wrong! I wouldn't worry too much about it though, I think they are just using scare tactics. But it's so stupid. They should be thanking you, because it's people like you and his other fans that have made him so
popular and that has given CNN ratings. So they are really stupid in my opinion. You were helping them! Thanks for building the sites and the gab. It was always fun to talk to you girls, especially when I was stuck in the house after my accident with two sprained ankles. You guys made me laugh. Hang in there. I will keep praying for you, and if you get another gab (non-CNN related) let me know and I will come visit. Take care dear and don't worry too much. I have faith things will work out for the best in the end. I always try to believe that there is good that can come out of any situation. And if you ever want to talk you know my #. I'm pretty much always home.
Pink(;
Jancey: Hi Ann--Well, I have been reading and following your sites for some time..never participated though. Anyhow, please advise as to what happened and how big brother CNN has foreced you to shut down the sites. I will hopefully be in touch over the group chat in yahoo. Hoping you feel better!! Your on line friend and fellow CNN fan.
Jancey
Jet: I think you are owed a legitimate explanation at the very least. Being "uncomfortable" with something is a very generic term. There are many "uncomfortable" things on the internet but they aren't being taken down. I also feel somewhat responsible just like Scarlet. I wrote alot about Bill because I just adore him. All of the stuff about aliens etc was just play and anyone with half a brain can see that. I like Scarlet will probably never meet Bill Hemmer but if I have the good fortune to do so than so be it. That is my concern not theirs. I hope everything works out for you with this whole mess. Please let me know if you get a response from Jennifer. I would like to hear what she has to say. Take care and maybe I'll see you on another site soon.
Jet
UberDiva: I think that's crap. But if that's what you decide to do, so be it, I support you. If you want to make that concession, okay. However, I think you should, at the very least, rethink shutting down the QuickTopic. There is nothing on them that CNN has anything to do with or control over. The fan sites contain pictures, which technically, are CNN property. But please don't let them bully you into closing your private talk forum. I don't think they have the right to do that. We are not threatening, slandering, openly plotting to stalk anyone, or divulging personal, confidential information about any CNN employee. So what's the big deal? So we go farther than any of the Yahoo groups. Big deal. It's not like we're writing pages and pages of sexually explicit fan fiction. Legally, CNN doesn't have a leg to stand on with the QT forum. Did you hear from one our men that CNN had told them not to write you or comment on the forums anymore? I didn't quite understand the Sanjay reference.
ud
Wednesday, November 05, 2003
Talk on Howard Dean and The Confederate Flag
Ann Stewart: Yesterday I left a question at the 2004 Election Debate on the comments of Howard Dean’s statement on the Confederate Flag and here are the answers I got from our online debaters.
Scarlet Termite: Ann, I believe Gov. Dean said he wanted to be the candidate for the guys with the Confederate flags on the back windows of their pickup trucks. What he meant was that he wanted to be the candidate for the common man but it was an unfortunate choice of words to convey that. If he wanted to use a Southern image to try to win back the Southern Democratic vote maybe he should have said he wanted to be the candidate for the guys with the number 3 on the back windows of their pickup trucks. The Confederate flag is such a inflammatory image. It's amazing that he or his speechwriters didn't stop to think about the effect that would have.
Michael Bohannon: I know what Dean is trying to convey but I don't know if it's good strategy. Most of those confederate flag waving southerners at one time were staunch Democrats. Our social leanings are no doubt conservative, but in the 60's there wasn't much rhetoric about how inept the government is and all that jazz. Southerner's had no problem with government until they perceived the Democratic Party as becoming socially liberal. Dean is trying to get those votes back that he thinks rightfully belong to the Democrats, but he's misled into believing that most of those people still exist.
There are a lot of poor Southerners who would be better off under Democratic leadership, but the South is a weird ball of wax. Once a particular ideology gets a hold of it, there's no moderation and no turning back. Straying from that ideology is social suicide. We Southerners would rather starve than to ask for help from a government program. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but it’s quite an ordeal to do it. Those confederate flag-waving southerners are no longer closet Democrats, but staunch anti-government conservatives, no matter how much they suffer for it.
Keith Brekhus: I think Dean's quote has been taken out of context and spun as something it isn't.....
Here is a key comment Dean made in response to the whole flap that has been ignored:
http://www.startribune.com/stories/484/4187867.html
"I want people with Confederate flags on their trucks to put down those flags and vote Democratic -- because the need for quality health care, jobs and a good education knows no racial boundaries."
This is not an argument for pandering to racism; it's an argument that working people in the South--- whites and blacks need jobs and health care and we shouldn't ignore those economic concerns.
Here is a good perspective on Dean's remarks and includes his two comments about the flag....
http://bodyandsoul.typepad.com/blog/2003/11/southern_man.html
Isn't this a silly thing for other Democrats to attack Howard Dean for:
MS Man: We voted in Mississippi to keep our flag. I am not racist! I am proud of my "southern heritage" and so are a lot of blacks in Mississippi. STOP THE HATE!!!! We will not let a lil thang like a flag come between us.
Scarlet Termite: Annibelle, I answered your question about the flack over Deans' comment a couple posts ago. I agree with MSman, we need to stop focusing on the images and start focusing on the people. There are good people and bad people in every walk of life, every race, every religion. The way things stand now relations between everyone are just going to get more and more tense because the folks that think they are helping by being PC and such are just making things worse. I judge a person by their character and the way they conduct themselves. I don't care if they are black, white, or purple with pink polka-dots. I don't care if they believe in God or the Great Pumpkin either. Everyone is just trying to have a life.
Keziah: I don't really care what Dean says or doesn't say, I'm not voting for him regardless of whether he takes his comments back or not. He's really out of touch with the American people and I don't think even he knows where he stands on most issues. He's definitely a politician but he isn't a leader. Lieberman is soooooooooooo annoying. And kind of creepy looking.
I do hope though that current administration is voted out, cause Bush doesn't care about America. He only cares about Bush.
DC: I enjoyed much of the debate last evening, but I feel Dean is getting a bum rap on the confederate flag issue, the interpretation, was not his meaning, everyone knows that, but politics as usual in america! It was nice to see Edwards battle a bit, I half-assed like him. Kerry seems the logical choice to me, but is he electable? GWB is the kind of president, everyone says they despise and then stroll into the voting booth and place the X by his name. He has an unusual charisma, that is lost on many!
Laura in LA: The Rock the Vote debacle was painful. It explemfied what bothers me so much about the Dems. While they were calling Dean a "bigot" while not calling him a "bigot," Barbour and others have politicized that same flag to win elections. The liberals would rather be politically correct then get elected. It's a flag, I'd rather hear about what they are going to do for us. I don't bother with symbols and, since I oppose any consitutional amendment to ban flag burning and the like, I think it hyprocritcal to tell others what flag they can fly. Simply put, this is America, do what you want. So, after all that, Kerry's website has posted for a day or so a cartoon of Dean in a truck with a rifle and, of course, the confederate flag. Kerry's an ass. (sorry but that is the perfect adjective at the moment). That cartoon could be considered just as politicallly incorrect.
What is more important is the big union support that Dean is getting - the SEIU and, possibly, the AFSCME. The big announcement will be next Wed. These unions are traditionally at odds and it appears they are uniting to beat Bush - they are going to Dean because he's got the money and the support. They want to win. This hurts Gephardt big time. Latest Zogby poll has Dean in the lead, Clark down a bit and Dean with a slight edge in the South. Unfortunately, it is about "money." Right now, some deals are being cut, this is an important stage in the "game." Dean will be hard to beat. SEIU has 1.6 million members and is the most ethnically diverse. AFSCME has 1.4 million members. That's a lot of boots on the ground. I'm in this to win. Later on, I'll post more on why I chose Dean to back. I don't agree with him on many issues and, frankly, he not all that liberal. He's the guy that can do it. Clark will be VP.
The debates will mean more later.
Ann Stewart: Thanks for the reply folks. I didn't totally understand why there was such a fight last night in the CNN Rocks The Vote debates over this, but your comments clears it up a bit.
Ann Stewart: Yesterday I left a question at the 2004 Election Debate on the comments of Howard Dean’s statement on the Confederate Flag and here are the answers I got from our online debaters.
Scarlet Termite: Ann, I believe Gov. Dean said he wanted to be the candidate for the guys with the Confederate flags on the back windows of their pickup trucks. What he meant was that he wanted to be the candidate for the common man but it was an unfortunate choice of words to convey that. If he wanted to use a Southern image to try to win back the Southern Democratic vote maybe he should have said he wanted to be the candidate for the guys with the number 3 on the back windows of their pickup trucks. The Confederate flag is such a inflammatory image. It's amazing that he or his speechwriters didn't stop to think about the effect that would have.
Michael Bohannon: I know what Dean is trying to convey but I don't know if it's good strategy. Most of those confederate flag waving southerners at one time were staunch Democrats. Our social leanings are no doubt conservative, but in the 60's there wasn't much rhetoric about how inept the government is and all that jazz. Southerner's had no problem with government until they perceived the Democratic Party as becoming socially liberal. Dean is trying to get those votes back that he thinks rightfully belong to the Democrats, but he's misled into believing that most of those people still exist.
There are a lot of poor Southerners who would be better off under Democratic leadership, but the South is a weird ball of wax. Once a particular ideology gets a hold of it, there's no moderation and no turning back. Straying from that ideology is social suicide. We Southerners would rather starve than to ask for help from a government program. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but it’s quite an ordeal to do it. Those confederate flag-waving southerners are no longer closet Democrats, but staunch anti-government conservatives, no matter how much they suffer for it.
Keith Brekhus: I think Dean's quote has been taken out of context and spun as something it isn't.....
Here is a key comment Dean made in response to the whole flap that has been ignored:
http://www.startribune.com/stories/484/4187867.html
"I want people with Confederate flags on their trucks to put down those flags and vote Democratic -- because the need for quality health care, jobs and a good education knows no racial boundaries."
This is not an argument for pandering to racism; it's an argument that working people in the South--- whites and blacks need jobs and health care and we shouldn't ignore those economic concerns.
Here is a good perspective on Dean's remarks and includes his two comments about the flag....
http://bodyandsoul.typepad.com/blog/2003/11/southern_man.html
Isn't this a silly thing for other Democrats to attack Howard Dean for:
MS Man: We voted in Mississippi to keep our flag. I am not racist! I am proud of my "southern heritage" and so are a lot of blacks in Mississippi. STOP THE HATE!!!! We will not let a lil thang like a flag come between us.
Scarlet Termite: Annibelle, I answered your question about the flack over Deans' comment a couple posts ago. I agree with MSman, we need to stop focusing on the images and start focusing on the people. There are good people and bad people in every walk of life, every race, every religion. The way things stand now relations between everyone are just going to get more and more tense because the folks that think they are helping by being PC and such are just making things worse. I judge a person by their character and the way they conduct themselves. I don't care if they are black, white, or purple with pink polka-dots. I don't care if they believe in God or the Great Pumpkin either. Everyone is just trying to have a life.
Keziah: I don't really care what Dean says or doesn't say, I'm not voting for him regardless of whether he takes his comments back or not. He's really out of touch with the American people and I don't think even he knows where he stands on most issues. He's definitely a politician but he isn't a leader. Lieberman is soooooooooooo annoying. And kind of creepy looking.
I do hope though that current administration is voted out, cause Bush doesn't care about America. He only cares about Bush.
DC: I enjoyed much of the debate last evening, but I feel Dean is getting a bum rap on the confederate flag issue, the interpretation, was not his meaning, everyone knows that, but politics as usual in america! It was nice to see Edwards battle a bit, I half-assed like him. Kerry seems the logical choice to me, but is he electable? GWB is the kind of president, everyone says they despise and then stroll into the voting booth and place the X by his name. He has an unusual charisma, that is lost on many!
Laura in LA: The Rock the Vote debacle was painful. It explemfied what bothers me so much about the Dems. While they were calling Dean a "bigot" while not calling him a "bigot," Barbour and others have politicized that same flag to win elections. The liberals would rather be politically correct then get elected. It's a flag, I'd rather hear about what they are going to do for us. I don't bother with symbols and, since I oppose any consitutional amendment to ban flag burning and the like, I think it hyprocritcal to tell others what flag they can fly. Simply put, this is America, do what you want. So, after all that, Kerry's website has posted for a day or so a cartoon of Dean in a truck with a rifle and, of course, the confederate flag. Kerry's an ass. (sorry but that is the perfect adjective at the moment). That cartoon could be considered just as politicallly incorrect.
What is more important is the big union support that Dean is getting - the SEIU and, possibly, the AFSCME. The big announcement will be next Wed. These unions are traditionally at odds and it appears they are uniting to beat Bush - they are going to Dean because he's got the money and the support. They want to win. This hurts Gephardt big time. Latest Zogby poll has Dean in the lead, Clark down a bit and Dean with a slight edge in the South. Unfortunately, it is about "money." Right now, some deals are being cut, this is an important stage in the "game." Dean will be hard to beat. SEIU has 1.6 million members and is the most ethnically diverse. AFSCME has 1.4 million members. That's a lot of boots on the ground. I'm in this to win. Later on, I'll post more on why I chose Dean to back. I don't agree with him on many issues and, frankly, he not all that liberal. He's the guy that can do it. Clark will be VP.
The debates will mean more later.
Ann Stewart: Thanks for the reply folks. I didn't totally understand why there was such a fight last night in the CNN Rocks The Vote debates over this, but your comments clears it up a bit.
Tuesday, November 04, 2003
2004 Presidential Debate Talk
Ann Stewart: I just got though watching America Rocks the Vote with Anderson Cooper on CNN. I would say I am not impressed with the way Howard Dean is debating. I seem to be closer to agreeing on the issue with Dennis Kucinich
and if I thought he had a chance I would support him totally. I agree with Kucinich because he is like me. He wants to bring the troops out of Iraq and put the UN in charge of Iraq's government. That's sounds a lot better to me than to leave our American troops over there, to get picked off everyday like they are doing now.
Senator Joe Lieberman , John Kerry, John Edwards and Al Sharpton are all awesome debaters. I would say all of them are better than Bush in Public speaking, but John Kerry has really shined in the debates in my eyes. He's a great talker and carries himself well with the public crowd. So far from what I have seen of Dean in the debates is when he is asked a question, he speaks as little as possible and doesn't always answer the specific question that was asked. He was attacked a lot tonight in the debates about a statement that he made about the Confederate Flag. I believe he stated something a long the lines of 'wanting to see more Confederate Flags stickers on the back of pickup trucks.' Does anybody know more on that?
It seems as some of the black community was offended by it. Dean also stated something like 'You know you are the front runner when you are always picking lead out of your rear end.' That was a statement Dean made referring to the fact that a lot of the other candidates are picking on him. Which could be a little true and maybe that's why he doesn't want to talk much. Anyway I hope Dean's debating gets better, because so far I believe it's not really that he is a bad speaker; it's that he speaks as little as possible. If any of you have watched the debate and kept a close eye on Dean you would know what I am saying. Jack even said the same thing. So here is my question to Dean if I could ask him a question. I would ask him this, "Governor Dean why do you not like to talk much?" If he becomes President he is going to have to speak a lot so I want him to prove he can do it now, by talking as much as possible when asked a question.
Jack: Al Sharton is a clown. He is not Presidential material. He would not be a good President. In the debates Wesley Clark repeats the same thing over and over and over again. He always says Bush does not have a strategy or a plan. He talk talk talks all the time. Dean don't talk much, but Wesley Clark just says the same thing over and over again. It's annoying. I would like to hear something new from Dean. I'm not sure who I'm for now. I don't know enough about Dean, and he's not debating well.
Michael Bohannon: Wesley Clark's credibility is being slowly flushed down the toilet chunk by unbelievable chunk!
Laura in LA: DC, Kucinich, Sharpton and Mosely-Braun are the only Dems prosposing to pull of out of Iraq. The other Dems are proposing ceding control to the UN, thereby internationalizing the effort, and subsequent turn-over to the Iraqi's. They are all pretty much on the same page - -that we don't have enough troops, security is lacking, and we cannot afford rebuilding on our own. None of them are saying that terrorism is not a problem and we such turn tail. DC, I think you should check out General Clark a bit more. We have our issues going into this election. Yours seems to be foreign policy. Check out this interview at Talking Points Memo. Please print it out, read it and sit with it. I'd really like your take on it. I think Clark might be a consideration for you.
Ann Stewart: I just got though watching America Rocks the Vote with Anderson Cooper on CNN. I would say I am not impressed with the way Howard Dean is debating. I seem to be closer to agreeing on the issue with Dennis Kucinich
and if I thought he had a chance I would support him totally. I agree with Kucinich because he is like me. He wants to bring the troops out of Iraq and put the UN in charge of Iraq's government. That's sounds a lot better to me than to leave our American troops over there, to get picked off everyday like they are doing now. Senator Joe Lieberman , John Kerry, John Edwards and Al Sharpton are all awesome debaters. I would say all of them are better than Bush in Public speaking, but John Kerry has really shined in the debates in my eyes. He's a great talker and carries himself well with the public crowd. So far from what I have seen of Dean in the debates is when he is asked a question, he speaks as little as possible and doesn't always answer the specific question that was asked. He was attacked a lot tonight in the debates about a statement that he made about the Confederate Flag. I believe he stated something a long the lines of 'wanting to see more Confederate Flags stickers on the back of pickup trucks.' Does anybody know more on that?
It seems as some of the black community was offended by it. Dean also stated something like 'You know you are the front runner when you are always picking lead out of your rear end.' That was a statement Dean made referring to the fact that a lot of the other candidates are picking on him. Which could be a little true and maybe that's why he doesn't want to talk much. Anyway I hope Dean's debating gets better, because so far I believe it's not really that he is a bad speaker; it's that he speaks as little as possible. If any of you have watched the debate and kept a close eye on Dean you would know what I am saying. Jack even said the same thing. So here is my question to Dean if I could ask him a question. I would ask him this, "Governor Dean why do you not like to talk much?" If he becomes President he is going to have to speak a lot so I want him to prove he can do it now, by talking as much as possible when asked a question. Jack: Al Sharton is a clown. He is not Presidential material. He would not be a good President. In the debates Wesley Clark repeats the same thing over and over and over again. He always says Bush does not have a strategy or a plan. He talk talk talks all the time. Dean don't talk much, but Wesley Clark just says the same thing over and over again. It's annoying. I would like to hear something new from Dean. I'm not sure who I'm for now. I don't know enough about Dean, and he's not debating well.
Michael Bohannon: Wesley Clark's credibility is being slowly flushed down the toilet chunk by unbelievable chunk!
Laura in LA: DC, Kucinich, Sharpton and Mosely-Braun are the only Dems prosposing to pull of out of Iraq. The other Dems are proposing ceding control to the UN, thereby internationalizing the effort, and subsequent turn-over to the Iraqi's. They are all pretty much on the same page - -that we don't have enough troops, security is lacking, and we cannot afford rebuilding on our own. None of them are saying that terrorism is not a problem and we such turn tail. DC, I think you should check out General Clark a bit more. We have our issues going into this election. Yours seems to be foreign policy. Check out this interview at Talking Points Memo. Please print it out, read it and sit with it. I'd really like your take on it. I think Clark might be a consideration for you.
