1. Former FBI Translator and Whistleblower Sibel Edmonds has exposed, among many other disturbing revelations, that Osama bin Laden and "Al Qaeda" (which simply means "the base") were working with government intelligence operatives right up until the morning of 9/11 (and perhaps beyond):

http://amconmag.com/article/2009/nov/01/00006/

2. The 9/11 Commission Report has been exposed as almost entirely untrue by John Farmer, the Dean of Rutgers School of Law--Newark who served as Senior Counsel to the Commission:

http://media-newswire.com/release_1098894.html

3. No reasonably intelligent and rational individual could possibly watch the full two hours of this video and still honestly believe everything the American government has told its citizens about the events of 11 September 2001:

http://www.ae911truth.org/flashmov11.htm

4. The 9/11 Truth Movement ebbs and flows ... losing credibility with each Alex Fox media stunt and every (planted?) Icke-ish nut claiming alien lizard people or Apocalyptic demons are to blame ... then regaining momentum whenever one more brave citizen opens their mind to the harsh facts and horrible ramifications of what the truth might be, and demands an unbridled investigation knowing they will be called "kook" or "communist" by scared Sheeple seeking to maintain the bliss of ignorance. This will go on, ad nauseam and forever, until the Truth of 9/11 is fully investigated and openly exposed.

So again I ask, why is the mainstream media not demanding the truth about 9/11?

Whatever happened to investigative journalism?

Bruce Arnold
Miami Beach, Florida

Davenport NEW Misses Benchmark

July 29 - Editorial - Davenport NEW Meets Old Davenport. Success signs - getting front-line city staff involved.

As the largest department of the city, there is no greater front-line than Public Works. In an election year, it is difficult to evaluate and judge the performance of our mayor and aldermen on their hand-picked choice for Public Works director, when he fails to show up for a First Ward meeting and conveys his loathing to speak to the public, through the elected official. As one who is also old Davenport (old school), I'd like to hear from the man in charge: Do we have enough salt for Winter? Is he thinking about spring flooding, potholes, sewer collapses, road resurfacing? If Davenport NEW is about open and transparent access to government, then meeting the new Public Works director would be a good public-relations start.

Arthur Anderson
Davenport

I am a strong supporter of the campaign to pass a local option sales tax increase of 1 percent that would go toward school facility improvements and school construction and urge folks to vote "yes" on Tuesday, April 7.

First, we have watched schools in Scott County and every county in Iowa improve significantly thanks to the local option sales tax for schools that passed more than a decade ago. What we've seen is an influx of new parents and new homes that are attracted to newer school facilities. We can do the same in Rock Island County.

Second, not a penny of the approximately $13 million a year generated by this 1-percent increase would be spent on anyone's salaries. By law, every penny would be devoted to school facility and school construction projects determined by local school districts. And by law many important items are excluded from this new sales tax, including groceries, cards, drugs, medical supplies, farm equipment and parts, and boats and recreational vehicles.

Third, every school district in Rock Island County would receive funds from this new revenue source. Every school district voted to put this referendum on the April 7 ballot because they are closest to the challenges and opportunities at the local level.

Fourth, the public school system is the foundation of any successful community. The national and international economic crisis shows us that our kids will face tougher challenges than previous generations.

Fifth, if Kids First passes, we might be able to see property taxes frozen or even dropping as local school boards receive new dollars from the1-percent sales tax.

I've been a Rock Island County resident all my life. And I've been in the political arena a long time. I'm not a supporter of higher taxes unless the cause is right.

Opponents of this measure haven't given us a good reason to be against this issue. This cause -- our kids, our public schools -- is just and right and that's why a "yes" vote is the right vote on April 7.

Denny Jacobs

Former State Senator and East Moline Mayor

Mayor Gluba:

I'm a Ron Paul supporter and a member of Opt4Better, which opposed the
Davenport Promise program.

I take issue with your comments. I am not opposed to city, county, state, or
national government. I am opposed to government that oversteps its
constitutional limits and violates its charter. I'm certainly not opposed to
progress.

But a program that takes from one and distributes it to another is not
progress.

Please don't disparage Ron Paul supporters. Dr. Paul's campaign was the only
one that demonstrated any honesty. And if you noticed, virtually all of his
predictions and warnings are happening before our eyes.

I hope he runs in 2012. I can only speculate what our country will look like
then. If we still have one.

Mike Angelos
Davenport

Editor's note: This letter was submitted in response to the article "Blackhawk Hotel project threatened by critical report," by Tory Brecht.

An open letter to Quad-City Times readers and fellow Lee Enterprises shareholders.

Tory, I read your article with some degree of skepticism this morning. On March 10, Lee Enterprises, the owner of this newspaper, has their annual shareholder meeting; in the past year their stock has tumbled from almost $20 per share to 24 cents at the low. (38 cents as I write this.) I am not only a subscriber but a shareholder. Apparently the newspaper industry and now you have been oblivious to the traction radio commentator Rush Limbaugh has gotten with his "Drive-by Media" characterization. It is sticking no matter how you folks in the media protest. And it is sticking because you allow your personal opinions and the opinions of the editors to creep into your reporting. The only thing you folks have to offer is credibility, and unfortunately your piece in today's "noospaper," as Bill Wundrum frequently refers, does little to lend credibility to this newspaper or you as a reporter.

Here are the ABCs of the Davenport Promise.

A. Promise is a scheme to take city taxpayer money from improving Davenport streets, sewers, and other infrastructure and use it to try to attract residents with children to bolster enrollment in Davenport schools.

B. The Upjohn study funded by Promise backers says the likelihood of the plan working as hoped has "a high level of uncertainty." Those are fancy words for "don't hold your breath."

C. The plan contains no commitment by Davenport schools to improve graduation rates and student academic performance, measures currently below neighboring Iowa districts. It divides students within the district between Davenporters who are eligible for scholarship help and those in the district but outside the city who are not eligible. That doesn't sound right.

Summary: A. Unwise, B. Unlikely, C. Unfair.

Vote "No" for the Davenport Promise referendum March 3.

Keith Meyer

Davenport

I just wanted to provide an insight from a family that left Davenport because of the schools. I grew up in Bettendorf, moved to Davenport, and after having children moved them to Geneseo, as I refused to put them in the Davenport school system. As a parent, I would not subject my children to 13 years in that school system to earn money for college. Not only is the crime rate in that school system high, but the schools do not adequately prepare the kids for college.

I was chairman of the board of the Davenport Chamber of Commerce when it successfully promoted passage of the one-cent sales tax. There was enthusiasm for infrastructure improvements then and, clearly, that enthusiasm remains.

The most recent Davenport Community Survey finds residents give their highest priority to continue improving the city's streets and infrastructure. That is fact.

Approving the "Promise" proposal would divert millions of dollars from such work. That, too, is fact.

The various claimed benefits of Promise are not facts. They are estimates and questionable ones at that.

(Editor's note: Republican Scott County attorney candidate Hugh Pries outlined his positions in the July 9, 2008, issue of the River Cities' Reader. Democratic candidate Mike Walton was given an opportunity to do the same.)

 

Mike Walton Thank you for allowing me to address your readers as the current Scott County attorney and the Democratic candidate for county attorney in the election this November 4.

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