THE AGGIE IS HEADING TO AUSTIN

It's back home to Texas, and into the leftist enclave of Austin, Texas on Saturday, January 29th!  Its the KLBJ Talkfest at the Austin Convention Center.  I'll be doing a live show just for my Austin listeners from 10:00 to Noon!  More details later.  Keep your eye on Nealz Nuze. 

ARMSTRONG WILLIAMS AND PAYING TALK SHOW HOSTS

Not good.  

On Friday of last week we found out that the Bush Administration had taken $250,000 of taxpayer's money and paid it to radio and television talk show host Armstrong Williams to promote administration policy.  The original story last Friday was that Williams was supposed to not only run advertising on his television program for the No Child Left Behind Act, but he was also to promote it on radio and he was supposed to schedule the Secretary of Education for various guest appearances.  The story seems to have changed somewhat by today.  Now Williams is saying that the payment was solely for television advertising.  Williams' column today fails to clear up this question. To give Williams some credit, he has now admitted that there are some serious ethical questions surrounding his actions and that, given the chance, he would not do it again.  He has apologized to his listeners and viewers.  Now I'm waiting for him to apologize to other conservative radio and television talk show hosts.

Predictably, as soon as the word of Armstrong's arrangement became public I started receiving the predictable emails..  Here are just a few examples: 

No big surprise ... that's to be expected.  When people can't take you on for your positions point-by-point they often resort to messages like these.  For the past 10 or so years I've received emails at least once a day accusing me of getting my talking points for the show every day from the Republican National Committee.  Now, of course, detractors are going to say that I've been taking money from the Republicans or from the Bush administration in return for promoting various positions on the air.  

Well, I thought about this over the weekend, and I came up with a little challenge for Craig and Bob, and for the rest of you who have written your snide little emails asking me how much I've taken to promote my various positions.  Find out about the Freedom of Information Act and get busy.  Start searching for some proof that I have ever taken one penny from any source, government or otherwise, in return for promoting a certain idea, philosophy, concept, product, program or  piece of legislation on my radio program outside of a paid commercial endorsement.  You come up with the proof and I have a $10,000 donation ready for the bona-fide charity of your choice.  

Just as an aside; please note that Craig Thompson's email came from academia.  spsu.edu.  That would be Southern Polytechnic State University near Atlanta.  No surprise.  He's not real good on the spelling either.

AND ANOTHER REASON FOR THE HARSH CRITICISM OF ARMSTRONG WILLIAMS

Well now, this one is really pretty simple, isn't it?  Armstrong Williams is black and Armstrong Williams is a conservative. This means that the leftist mainstream media will be all-too-ready to pounce given even the flimsiest of reasons.  When black conservatives speak out .. and especially when black conservatives become effective .. black conservatives must be silenced.  How DARE Armstrong Williams attempt an escape from the plantation?

Remember ... this is all about the No Child Left Behind Act.  A principal part of the NCLB Act is vouchers.  Any good liberal knows that parents must not be allowed to gain any meaningful control over their child's education.  No way, no how.  Government schools are an absolute necessity if liberals are to instill in our children a sense of helplessness and a need for more and more government in their lives.  Liberals love to talk about free choice when it comes to having a child .. but once that child is born they immediately claim virtual ownership and woe be unto the person who rises to challenge.  Armstrong Williams did just that.  That's why he's taking far more heat for this incident than any liberal would.

SPEAKING OF PARTY TALKING POINTS

As I said ... I've been getting emails for years accusing me of getting a set of talking points every day from the Republican Party. The Wall Street Journal's James Taranto had a rather interesting revelation in Friday's column:  Taranto notes that the following letter from one Nic Karlsson of Avondale appeared in Friday's Arizona Republic:

"President Bush is endangering my retirement and the retirements of millions of Americans by taking the first step in his plan to dismantle Social Security.
Recently, White House sources revealed their plan to cut promised benefits to retirees by nearly a third. And these cuts are guaranteed, whether you opt in to the Bush plan or not.
For those entering the workforce today, that means more than a 25 percent cut in the retirement benefits they're counting on; for their children, it guarantees a 46 percent cut.
We can't stand by and let George W. Bush and the Republicans cut our promised retirement benefits--especially when so many of us are counting on Social Security to help us lead a happy, healthy life when we retire."

Taranto then reveals that someone named Faun Durni sent a identical letter to the Fargo (N.D.) Forum, Sandra Martin sent the same letter to the Charleston (W.Va.) Gazette, William Brown sent the same letter to the Tullahoma (Tenn.) News and Refugio Mata sent the same letter to the Ventura County (Calif.) Star.  So ... who's giving talking points to who?  This same phenomenon has occurred many times in recent years ... and always with people writing letters in support of Democratic positions.  

MEDIA'S TORTURE OBSESSION CONTINUES

Last week's Alberto Gonzales confirmation hearing gave the Democrats (and a few weak-kneed Republicans) the opportunity to whine about how the Bush administration is "torturing" terrorists at the Guantanamo Bay detention center. Now there's some news, courtesy of some FBI e-mails. Let's take a peek, shall we?

As part of a Freedom of Information act request from the ACLU, the FBI has released some e-mails about what its agents saw at Guantanamo. Here is one of the descriptions of "torture." Ibrahim Al Qosi, a Sudanese accountant with suspected ties to Al-Qaeda (you know, those Islamic terrorists that murdered 3,000 innocent Americans a little over 3 years ago? Yeah...that's the one.) Anyway, this guy was being detained at Gitmo, and he wouldn't talk. The Pentagon was frustrated by their inability to get captured terrorists to talk, so they approved aggressive interrogation tactics.

Apparently there is a room down there called the "Hell Room." In this room, detainees are strapped to the floor, wrapped in Israeli flags (Islamic terrorists hate Jews,) taunted by their female interrogators who rubbed their bodies against them in suggestive ways (so far, so good!) and subjected to cold temperatures and loud music. This was done to get them to talk. Sorry, but nothing here qualifies as torture. Not even close.

The thing people are forgetting is that these Islamic terrorists are enemies of the United States of America. They want to kill us.  They are not prisoners of war, they are not American citizens. They are not entitled to any protections under our Constitution.  Torture would be pulling out fingernails or making them listen to Barbra Streisand recordings over and over.  We're not going quite that far.  The left in this country is so anxious to see us fail in Iraq.  Making Bush look bad is more important than insuring freedom for the Iraqi people.  This torture nonsense is just a part of that quest.

THE POODLE GOES TO SYRIA

Last week, John Kerry went to Iraq to thank the troops for their service in Operation Iraqi Freedom. However, remember what The Poodle said during his campaign? That it was the wrong war, in the wrong place at the wrong time?  Did he have the courage to say that to our troops?  Polls show that our troops are overwhelmingly in favor of the work they're doing in Iraq.  Why didn't Mr. War Hero stand up in front of these men and women and tell them that they were fighting the wrong war at the wrong time in the wrong place?  

Anyway, while he was over there, he continued the Democratic tradition of attacking the Commander-In-Chief on foreign soil. We should expect nothing less. But what he did after his visit to Iraq was most interesting. He went to Syria to visit Saddam's fellow Ba'athist buddy, Bashar Al-Assad. The Poodle held talks with Assad.

So, let me get this straight. Syria is known to have harbored former regime officials from Iraq, is suspected of hiding Saddam's weapons of mass destruction, and is sending terrorists into Iraq to assist the insurgency and kill American soldiers; and Kerry rushes to Al Assad's side for a bit of mutual spit swapping.

Does this sound just a wee bit like bringing aid and comfort to the enemy?

HILLARY'S BAG MAN INDICTED

Despite the mainstream media's attempt to sweep this one under the rug, Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign aspirations just took a hit. David Rosen, The Hildabeast's former finance director, has been indicted on charges of causing false campaign finance reports to be filed. Oops.

This one goes back to 2000, when Hillary was still the first lady. Apparently Mr. Rosen hid the costs of an event, a gala for Clinton in Los Angeles. He reported it was only $400,000, when it was in fact much more at $1.2 million.

Now ask yourself...what if this had been George W. Bush, or any Republican? The impeachment proceedings would have already begun. Will we hear the same outrage over Hillary? I doubt it.

But this will cause problems for her re-election next year in the Senate, and for her White House run in 2008. After all, what did she know and when did she know it?

BIG VS. LITTLE --- MAMMARILLY SPEAKING

First ... let this be said.  This is something you will never hear Limbaugh or Hannity bring up on their shows.  Savage?  Maybe.  So ... let's get on with it.

I've been telling you for years that in the business of advertising automobile dealerships, "the louder the commercial, the dumber they think their customer is."  Pay attention to car commercials on radio.  If the commercial features a calm, reasoned announcer with soft background music you're probably listening to a commercial for a more expensive car.  If the commercial features explosions, loud music, drum beats, weird sounds and screaming-dueling announcers destroying their vocal chords, you're probably listening to a commercial for a cheaper car.  

You may not look at it this way, but generally speaking, the smarter you are the more money you make, and the more money you make the more expensive the car you will buy.  The dumber you are the less money you make, and the more likely it is you will be searching the car lots for something cheap.  

I've just made the observation here, I can't tell you why it's true, but stupid people just seem to be more willing to listen to someone screaming at them.  Maybe that's because they're used to it.  

Now ... thanks to my incredible powers of observation I have another interesting discovery.  It's sort of a physiological corollary to the "louder the commercial the dumber they think you are" bit.  This one applies only to television commercials.  Here we go.  The bigger the breasts, the dumber they think you are.  To support this theory I direct your attention to television ads featuring females.  If the product being advertised is financial services, medical services or items generally used by people in the upper income levels the females will have ordinary breasts.  If you're seeing something advertised, including cars, that would generally be consumed by people of lesser means, step back before your eye gets poked out.

I just wanted you to understand that my powers of observation and understanding go far beyond the political and government policy realm.

RANDOM, INTEMPERATE, INSENSITIVE THOUGHTS

McDonald's is going to roll out a new high-end premium coffee at their U.S. locations.  It's about time.  I have been convinced for some time now that there is no worst coffee anywhere in the free world than the slop that McDonald's has been serving for years.  Maybe they made it so hot so that it would render your taste buds temporarily useless.

California's Sierra Nevada Mountains continue to get more and more and more snow.  More snow now than at any time in the past 90 years.  If someone doesn't do something about this global warming we're all gonna die.  

The taxpayers of Florida are going to have to spend about $75,000 to replace American flags in government school classrooms.  The reason?  A new state law says that every flag must measure 3x2 feet.  Some aren't large enough.  Isn't that grand!  The State of Florida walks up to a taxpayer and says "Give us some money.  We don't care what you need it for.  Medical bills, debt retirement, saving for a new home, whatever ... we don't care.  Hand it over.  We have some flags in our government school classrooms that are too small and they have to be replaced.

ANNISTON AND PITT ... AND THE REASON I SHOULD CARE IS????

So, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Anniston are splitting up.  Imagine my distress.  Actually, the real sad story here is that this is news and that this "news" is so important to so many people.  How pathetic.  Come on, people!  What did you expect?  These Hollywood "marriages," aren't actually marriages at all, they're arrangements.  They are arrangements designed to enhance and promote the Hollywood careers of the involved parties while having a little (possibly) great sex.  These Hollywood couplings are no more marriages than professional wrestling is a sport.  Pitt and Anniston weren't married for 4 1/2 years, they were doing nothing more than going steady.  

Take a look at your local newspaper today.  Perhaps they will have a section celebrating golden anniversaries.  Now those are marriages.  If you want to engage in a little idol worship, those are the people you should look to.  

READING ASSIGNMENTS

Here's your link to the Mexican Government's "How to sneak across the border into the United States undetected, stay undetected, make money, and send the money back to Mexico" handbook.  

Now that Yasser Arafat's successor has been elected, we can expect things to be completely different, right? Wrong says Jeff Jacoby, who explains just what the problem is with Mahmoud Abbas. So much for the "Peace Process."

Bloggers launch an offensive to prevent a stolen election in Washington State.

If all the United Nations stands for is corruption, intolerance and bribes, then what use is the United Nations?  None at all, explains Michael Barone. Here's an idea: let's get rid of it.

As they enter their second decade of power in the House of Representatives, Robert Novak says the Republicans may be getting a little arrogant. He talks about a recent action taken that sounds a lot like something the Democrats might do.

Recently on Palestinian television, a sermon asked Allah to have mercy on the Muslims that died in the tsunami. It looks like everybody else is on their own, explains Diana West. Such a peaceful religion, isn't it?

Remember White House economist Greg Mankiw? This was the guy that said outsourcing was good for America. He also said that there would be 2.6 million new jobs in 2004.  How did he do on that prediction?  Golly!  If that were true, the media would have told us .. right?

The ACLU is asking a judge to stay the execution of a serial killer.  Why?  Well, because lethal injection could be painful!  How about a bullet to the head? He won't feel a thing!

The United States is reportedly considering "death squads" for Iraq, to go around and kill members of the Iraqi insurgency. Sounds like an idea we could have used for the past year or so.  Fight them the way they fight us.

The first reports from the investigation of the UN's oil-for-food program are coming out, and it isn't pretty. 400 pages of audits are due out today. Should be interesting to see how the Kofi apologists explain this one away.

The Democrats' theft of the election in Washington state isn't going unchallenged. The Republican who won the first couple counts is challenging it in court.

President Bush's vow to reform Social Security is very much like President Kennedy's vow to land a man on the moon. Both have serious long-term implications, explains George Will.

WHAT THE HECK ARE THOSE POINTY HAND THINGS?
These are links to each individual story on the Nuze, p-links for the geeks out there. Plus, they work today and they'll work tomorrow. Now you can easily discuss/debate/rip apart the Nuze without worrying about the links going bad. Enjoy!

BOORTZ BLAST NEWSLETTER
Everyone is talking about the Boortz Blast newsletter. Do you want yours? Sign up here and we'll deliver it directly to your inbox every 2 weeks. If you signed up but aren't receiving it, either your company or your spam filter could be keeping it from you. Try using a personal email address and check your spam filter's junk folder for wayward newsletters.

NEAL'S FANS GET TOGETHER
If you like Neal and are looking for like minded people to hang out with online or off, check out these places:

• Talkmaster Yahoo Group
• Meet Boortz fans in your area
• alt.fan.neal.boortz newsgroup (note, you're going to have to figure out newsgroups all on your own)

NEALZ LINKS FOR NUZE The Atlanta Journal-Constitution World Net Daily NewsMax Wall Street Journal opinions Washington Times Washington Post Real Clear Politics Media Research Center Naples Daily News The Drudge Report The Associated Press SF Gate townhall.com

NEALZ AUDIO ARCHIVES Interview with Peter Jennings 1/26 Howard Dean Alarm System Neal talks with Ludacris Boo Got Shot CARTOON INDEX Check here for a list of cartoons that have appeared on Nealz Nuze.

Belinda Skelton, Ken Rogers, Laura Nunemaker and Brian Ganey assist in the daily preparation of Nealz Nuze!