Happy Birthday Brian!

Dear Brian:

HAPPY 49TH birthday!!! working on your birthday!!! such dedication!! we would excuse you!!

Sounds like the military analyst story missed the cut yet again.

It's been 15 days and counting, Brian:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ed.leedle/news/

Good Evening Mr.Williams, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR.WILLIAMS! YOU SHOULD HAVE HAD THE DAY OFF!! I hope the day has been great and you had some birthday cake at the newsroom. I must say that I always learn something in history reading your posts. Very interesting Mr.Williams. Thank you! Here we go again the Monday before another primary in two States this time. You will be busy as always along with Mr.Russert. Looking forward to the broadcast! I hope Richard is on again tonight! Of course I always hope he's going to be on the broadcast! Hope you had a great weekend too! Peace to you and to all!

Lots of Love to Laurel, Jackie and Stephanie! And Hi to all those other great ladies of this post!
Be well always!

Happy Birthday, Brian!

You are the best.

Happy Birthday!!!!
You don't even get the day off!!

Dear Brian,

A very happy birthday to you!  (And to Michael Palin, and Kurt Loder.)

Tonight, I just wanted to share the message that was posted on the sign outside a local business, here in Southern Maryland:

The word LISTEN contains the same letters as the word SILENT.

It seemed fitting, given the state of things lately.

I look forward to the broadcast.  And thank you for remembering Mrs. Loving.

P.S. - Lots of love to L, J, & S.  And Jackie, tonight there will be a, "Hillary Clinton Top 10," on David Letterman.  Sometimes I wish Bill Clinton had not gone on Arsenio Hall all those years ago.  It opened up the flood gates for this kind of silly stuff.  But - of course - I'll be watching!!!  Ha, ha.

Happy Birthday Brian!

Happy birthday!! =-)

I wanted to know what you think about the articles out today about Sen. Clinton's interview with John McCain on Feb 20, 2005. During the interview she agreed with John McCain about staying in Iraq for 50 years!  

http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/2008/05/clinton-agreed.html

Brian,
    Happy birthday, but instead of celebrating your 49th birthday might I suggest that you instead celebrate the 20th anniversary of your 29th birthday. Have a good evening and please do spend some time with your family on this occassion.
Frank

That's very interesting Brian and happy birthday. Once you're done with that story what are the chances that you'll be addressing the fact that pentagon spokespeople masquerading as independent military analysts were cheerleading for the war on your network?

Should I hold my breath? No?

Regarding the Pentagon Propaganda story, here is a quote from President Dwight D. Eisenhower's Farewell Address that sums up why it's so incredibly important that this story be covered by NBC and the mainstream media in general:

"Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together." ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower, Farewell Address, 1961

So a the price of a barrel of oil was only $32 when Bush took office? Well it was ONLY $$46.53 A barrel the day Nancy Pelosi took over the Speakership of the House.

“Democrats have a commonsense plan to help bring down skyrocketing gas prices…” (Nancy Pelosi, Press Release, 4/24/06)

Nancy Lied and the American dream died :-)

Big oil isn't the enemy, the lie by omission MSLM and democrats are.

Oh PS: Happy Birthday Brian Hope you have a great one!!

Happy birthday, Brian!  (From one Cinco de Mayo baby to another)

Good Evening Mr.Williams,Always wonderful to see Richard on the broadcast!! PLEASE STAY SAFE RICHARD!! Richard's report from Sadr City with Charlie Company certainly showed how very dangerous the missions of of our US troops. As Richard stated not long after the troops arrived the fighting began and all the firing of guns and other amunition filled the air around them. Building that huge concrete wall will be a slow undertaking because of the fierce resistance of the insurgents. It made me tense and nervous hearing all the firing going off and poor Richard trying to speak above all the noise to give his report. No wonder the words had to be written underneath so the viewers understood what he said. Seeing the soldier climb to the top of the slab really puts the soldier at risk being fully exposed to the firing. Fortunately, nobody was hurt during this battle, but these troops face danger everyday and I pray all of them remain safe and well! You are brave Richard to do this reporting! PLEASE STAY SAFE ALWAYS!! Great job Richard as always! The report by Mr.Taibbi concerning the Marine and his translator was very nice! They certainly formed a strong bond having been through the battle at Fallujah and other parts of the region during this war. It was great he was able to bring the translator to the United States to live. I hope the Marine finds others who did the same work safe and well. Peace needs to come to that region soon! Very nice piece! Thank you for the broadcast Mr.Williams! STAY SAFE RICHARD AS ALWAYS! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR.WILLIAMS! Celebrate with the family! Peace to you, Richard and to all!

Lots of Love to Laurel,Jackie and Stephanie!
Hi to all the other great Ladies of this blog!
Be Well Ladies!

Happy Birthday, Brian!!!  I hope you had a lovely day!!!

I just watched the NASA shots on the webcast and it once again reminded me of just how far we have come in such a relatively short time spane. As I remarked to one of the shipmates at the reunion I recently attended just how far the field of communications had come in the 27 years I served in the Navy. When I joined I was coping morse code at 30 words per minute and when I retired back in 1990 we were transmitting mega bytes of information in nanoseconds. It is also a reminder of how much further we can go in the future. I can only hope that our tolerance of other people can advance just as much if not more in the future.

Continued obstinate refusal to address the military propaganda campaign and NBC's culpability.

Continued refusal to disclose conflicts of interest by those who produce, create and deliver "news"

Continued refusal to grant Glenn Greenwald an interview about the above.

Continued failure to produce journalism, integrity and honesty.

Continued failure to serve the public interest and to keep the public trust.

Happy Birthday Brian !!!

While there has been no official acknowledgment, I was watching the sports show PTI, and they said that it was your birthday today. So happy birthday. Also, thanks for giving me a jump start on my intended plans for law school with that case. I guess I'll have to read it in case one of my teachers is a fan of it. If I had to venture a guess, I would say that primary night will be a split one; one for Senator Obama, and one for Senator Clinton. I would like to point my finger at white women and people over 40? or is it 50? whatever the exit poll data says, that keep this race going on for the democrats. We young people are getting frustrated!  I'm glad I have been given that exit poll data, so I now know who to wave my finger at, as I'm sure most of us were looking for people to blame, especially those super delegates. Waiting for there to be a clear winner until siding, how very "political" of them. Its sad how powerless Howard Dean seems to be. It looks like there really is no need for a DNC Chair, or that anyone could just ask nicely for people to make up their minds by a certain date, a month from now. I think its really funny that your birthday is Cinco De Mayo. I think its historical significance makes it perfect that it would be on your birthday, as I gather you are a bit of a history buff, so you must know more than most what today means. I'm still waiting to see if I will get a stimulus check or not. I would love to know if anyone has received theirs yet, so I have an idea if mine will be coming or not. Anyways, look forward to the broadcast.

Happy birthday to you.... Brian!  Hopefully you can have a proper cake & ice cream celebration instead of the fast food meals you regularly are forced to particpate in eating!

Matt, I got my stimulus check in direct deposit last Monday.  It's still sitting in my savings account because I've got $3,000 ways to spent $300.  

Ah yes... that mind and body connection is a serious thing.  I wish mainstrean medicine took it more seriously.  

My favorite story tonight was about the marine and the translator.  Naturally I'm not remembering their names but we don't get enough positive stories out of the war (or anywhere, for that matter) so it was good to hear.  

I missed the first 15 minutes of the broadcast.... hope I didn't miss anything important!  lol  I'm on the road tonight...

Hi ladies & Matt!  

As of tonight's nightly news with Brian, I am never going to watch his deficient reporting again. His failure last week to mention McCain's oops in mentioning the Iraq war was about oil was almost as bad and ridiculous as tonight's report on the Iraq native who performed translation for troops during the war and now lives in New York in terms of a major, serious omission: audaciously neglecting to mention the current White House administration, in conjuntion with the Pentagon, terminating numerous gay American military men and women's careers as translators because of their sexual orientation. Rot in hell, NBC, for my decades-long desire to watch your news is forever gone as of tonight, both local and national. Good riddance.

Happy Birthday! Coming from the west today is Cinco de Mayo as well. It's suppose to be a  remembrance of a battle won over the French, but really it's just a great reason for the first big party of the spring! I'll include this link for the history bluffs among us. there really was more to it than I realized.

http://www.vivacincodemayo.org/history.htm

Matt, here's the deal If you filed this year, IF you made less that 75,000 (150,000 if married filing jointly) and IF your parents didn't claim you as a dependent, based on student status, the you should see 600.00  If you had any refund owed you direct deposited you should see it next week in your account. If you got a paper refund check it will be mailed out on about this schedule
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=177937,00.html

Don't spend it all in one place. ( I never did understand that particular "Momism" but it does seem to fit) I'm glad you're going to law school, take a few political science courses on the way, I see the making of an elected official in you.

Anna--  Brian confirmed when he accepted the congratulations and a balloon from the local NBC anchors during the Nightly News promo this evening. So the birth date is good and the real world and the internet agree--for once.

I actually used another communications route to send my best wishes to Brian on Friday. I was afraid if the words "Happy Birthday" were posted on this blog--someone would attack him for the effrontery of having been born! And may I say--I think the "regulars" did a great job in attack rebuttal last week.

Brooke, Fort Stewart GA--  Thank you for your post on Sunday, noting Richard was with Charlie Company in Sadr City, and so is your husband--and for confirming that things are really tough there. I hope you will continue to post from time to time and keep us up on your husband's welfare and the conditions Charlie Company is dealing with. Since Jackie's daughter returned from Afghanistan (safely, as we were delighted to hear), we haven't been getting personal war info in this space. We DO like to stany informed here, so hearing from you on occasion would be much appreciated.

Claudia--  It's bad enough with flak jackets. It gets really scary when they show with helmets as well. Then you hear firing all around and the only consolation is that there is still audio and picture transmission so you know--at least so far--it's OK. And another comment to Brooke--I honestly don't know how you cope with it. Waiting and wondering and not being able to do anything must bring new meaning to frustration.

And Claudia, reading their comments, it's hard not to conclude the "new posters" think that although the reporters coverage is, as you say, "the fairest reporting going"--it should be discounted in judging the progress of the war. But now I'm getting snarky.

Reading "Farmington" at the end of your posts, a bell always goes off in my mind. Why, I wondered? Last night I finally checked my info from a trip I took about 5 years ago. We flew to Albuquerque, rented a car and drove around New Mexico for 10 days. We almost got to Farmington (it was on our list), but ran out of time and had to come home. The closest we got to you was Chama (about 100 mi), where we took the Cumbres and Toltec RR trip--which was terrific. So when you posted about the mountains and forests from your place "west of New Jersey", I have an idea of what you meant. You have a beautiful state--lots to see. On an earlier trip, I'd been to 4 Corners and Durango--so I've been all around you.

Two great reports from Richard--to borrow from Brian--as always!
Best to the "regulars" and Happy Birthday Brian!  

Brian- Happy BD!  I don't think this issue is going away.  So, if I may, post Dana Perino's (WH Press Sec)comment on the whole affair from 4/30/08:

Q The New York Times has reported that over the last --

MS. PERINO: Definitely going to be a good question. (Laughter.)

Q -- over the last six years the Pentagon conducted a secret operation designed to sell the war in Iraq and the war on terror to the American people. It recruited more than 75 ex-military officers, many with financial ties to the defense industry, provided them with talking points and an extraordinary degree of access not available to ordinary members of the press, including meetings with the Secretary of Defense, and it got them higher supposedly independent military analysts by every U.S. television network. One of its participants described it --

MS. PERINO: Do you have a question?

Q One of its participants described the program as "psyops on steroids" and others said that if they --

MS. PERINO: Is this your opinion?

Q I'm describing the program.

MS. PERINO: What's your question?

Q Others said that if they departed from the Pentagon's talking points, their access was cut off. And my question is, did the White House know about and approve of this operation?

MS. PERINO: Look, I didn't know -- look, I think that you guys should take a step back and look at this -- look, DOD has made a decision, they've decided to stop this program. But I would say that one of the things that we try to do in the administration is get information out to a variety of people so that everybody else can call them and ask their opinion about something.

And I don't think that that should be against the law. And I think that it's absolutely appropriate to provide information to people who are seeking it and are going to be providing their opinions on it. It doesn't necessarily mean that all of those military analysts ever agreed with the administration. I think you can go back and look and think that a lot of their analysis was pretty tough on the administration. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't talk to people.

Does that settle it for y'all

Why is it important for you to cover the Pentagon Propaganda story, Mr. Williams?

"Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together." ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower, Farewell Address, 1961


View the speech in which President Eisenhower coined the phrase "military-industrial complex," which, in an earlier draft of the speech had been called the "military-industrial-congressional complex":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y06NSBBRtY

Or, read the entire text of the speech here: http://coursesa.matrix.msu.edu/~hst306/documents/indust.html

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIAN your gift is I wont sing because I really don't sing well. smile

Now to the news.  Nothings changed as the Government is still corrupt and our troops are still stuck in the Iraq Civil War. Now I did notice the wall that's being put up in Sadr City. Don't look for them to last very long. I read about how the US and the Pentagon are building a Disneyland in Iraq along with a Wealthy Resort area. Looks like we have just taken over as the Iraq Government has no say in what's happens in their country.  With millions of Iraq people without electricity, water and food so like a good plan by the US to build a Rich Resort area.

I remember the Loving vs Virginia case.  It was always strange for me to understand how God made humans and yet they pick at what each other looks like. I told my Dad that heaven has all the people God made and no one has a problem. The heart and love knows no color. If a person is blessed to find a love in this life time hang on to it.

Yes tomorrow is another Primary and I'm looking for my girl Hill to win. This is the longest primary I've ever seen.  The last time I was so excited about an election was when JFK won against Richard Milhouse Nixon.  That night I got to drink apple juice to celebrate.

Best always to Lisa, Laural, Stephanie, Anne, Claudia and Matt

Brian, It's me Mark Blevins. You know the one that NBC has been missing with in Forest Hill, TX. I wanna go on the news and tell my side. You Blacks need to keep lying to your selfs about not being RACIST.

Last week I wrote you guys this:

What McCain said about war for oil wasn't exactly clear... However I think this war goes well beyond mere oil...  To me, the US wasn't trying to prevent an Iraqi civil war, they were HOPING FOR ONE in order to create the vital instablitiy they need to give them the excuse to both stay there permenantly and to accuse Iraqi neighbors of insurgency!  This war always intended as a much broader war with Iran...  END OF STORY! Furthermore, to tear down all policing controls in a country known for its severe sectarian tentions and let the population essentially "kill itself" was a war crime all its own.  150K troops isn't even enough to fill two college football stadiums let alone secure a country the size of California.  Yeah... and McCain's surge will work eventually only because by the time the next president takes office the Iraqi people will have either been killed, dismembered or moved off.  Go figure... So I say it was NOT just a war for oil, but a religious war diligently planned and waged by the Far Far right!

----

And so I ask... Can you please generate the kind of story (the kind of investigative story) that may yet still make a difference and keep us out of the next war with Iran?  When all we have is you... I don't think you can blame me for trying to point out what should by now be so obvious.  It's not just my world and my children's world, it is our world... about to be shredded by religious extremes on all ends.

Chris

Brian...your birthday or not, it is shameful what NBC has NOT done to cover the NYT piece on the generals and your corporate ownership's refusal to see this as news.  

You may laud yourself as a free journalist but until I see something straight about the fiasco with the Generals, why on earth should we trust your judgment?

Matt:

Here's the link to the IRS website.   Take a look at the stimulus information.    

If your parent's had you as a dependent last year because you were a student, I don't believe you are eligible for any payments.

Take a look at the eligibility and the schedule of payments.  http://www.irs.gov/

No stimulus payment at this household!  Sorry, I hope someone nice like you gets some of my tax money.  Put it to good use for me!

A Happy Birthday Wish to Brian

May you be granted some insight into what you have become--a mouthpiece for corporations. May you receive a computer that allows you to play "Orwell Rolls in His Grave" so that you can understand that you are OWNED. May your children forgive you for cheerleading us into an unnecessary war that led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis because their homeland was in an area that had some the Empire of America wanted.

No weapons of mass destruction. No links to al Qaida. Just another tin-pot dictator like so many we have installed and supported (the Shah, Pinochet, Somoza).

A war that is now killing more returning vets through suicide than through actual combat.

And yet you babble on. Infotainment. Irrelevant. Ignominious.

The blood is everywhere, Brian. But yet you continue to smirk in your self-satisfied, arrogant manner and continue to babble on.

May on your birthday you be granted the wisdom to know what you REAL job is: to avoid the truth, to distract the American people, to cover up the sins of the corporations and the war-mongers.

Brian, I am also sure that you are smart enough not to take this personally. It's just that you have become a symbol of the rot on America's soul.

And to make it worse--you are a coward.

Happy belated Birthday Brian!
Do let us know how 49 feels.I will be 49 myself in 51 days. I hope you had time for a little celebration. It will be a busy day today for you but very exciting to be so involved. We will be watching!

Two questions from yesterday's (monday may 5) live chat with WashPost's Howard Kurtz:

Toronto: Hi Howard -- kudos for last Sunday's focus on the New York Times's Pentagon propaganda story. Why do you think the networks still are silent on this? The comments on Brian Williams's blog are at a boiling point -- I'm surprised NBC hasn't shut it down yet!

Howard Kurtz: I can only conclude that the networks are staying away from what would otherwise be a legitimate news story because they are embarrassed about what some of their military analysts did or don't want to give the controversy more prominence.


Savannah, Ga.: Is the story about the Pentagon connection to the media military experts getting any more traction, or is it just old news? I was really looking for some soul-searching on the part of the organizations that used them.

Howard Kurtz: You didn't miss it. It's just not there. The networks are ducking this one, big time.

Brian, any more thoughts on the Generals controversy?  Kudos for at least saying something on your blog, which is more than most of your competitors have done.  But I would like to see you address this more fully, especially the earlier pre-war commentary (when more critical comments really could have made a difference) and the non-disclosure of financial conflicts.  Also, you should really say something on the air about this major story.  I think the Washington Post's Howard Kurtz speaks for many when he says:

"Howard Kurtz: I can only conclude that the networks are staying away from what would otherwise be a legitimate news story because they are embarrassed about what some of their military analysts did or don’t want to give the controversy more prominence."

Source:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2008/05/02/DI2008050202737.html

I notice that you are not printing my comments regarding your non-coverage of the military analyst story, even though my comments are directly related to the blog, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others.

Happy birthday Brian!

Happy Birthday, Brian!

When Clinton was bombing the hell out of civilians in the Balkans were there any retired generals or military analysts working for networks?

Hi Brian -

Perhaps the only thing I will miss about this everlasting 2008 Presidential campaign is the wonderful, informative and entertaining noon newscast on MSNBC "Have fun with Politics" with Brian Williams and his friends.

It's a gem Brian, a gem.

Oh Happy, happy, birthday you, beautiful boy!  Has you integrity and courage returned yet?  No?  I didn't think so.  Your continued silence on the NBC as propaganda outlet is DEAFENING!!!  Are you such a sniveling coward that you cannot bear to even address the subject?  Is your friendship with the two war profiteer generals still more important that your job as a 'journalist'?  The answer would seem to be yes.  You actually value your personal friendship with two of the most treasonous creatures on earth above the welfare of your own country.  You are a traitor, birthday boy.  I will be writing EVERY DAY until you do the right thing or you are fired.  Sleep well, Brian.  I'll talk to you tomorrow.

David  

I often wonder who has it worse Brian or I. My family struggles at the bottom with nothing and no where to turn. We are slaves no matter the color or creed, we are still slaves. Brian is a man of intergity and spirit and yet even with the handsome resources he must find himself feeling the collar and asking himself as I do, is it all worth it. Are we really making a contribution to our childrens future or are we all so controlled now that whatever we do, in the scheme of real power, we are but pawns. Most mere penuary cannon fodder pawns others valuable and rewarded handsomely for not rocking the boat.
Well Brian does get to send his children off to college, mine have no opportunity but cannon fodder.
I have difficulty sleeping at night as I peer into the future. I wonder if Brian with that integrity and patriotisim has the same difficulty, somwhere deep inside and I wonder how far money goes to squelch that inert responsibility.

Why have you, NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, etc. not reported the military analyst propaganda story the NY Times broke?  Shame on you and the rest of your mainstream media cohorts.  Nothing surprises me anymore.

To Daniel and David, your particular brand of personal attacks are offensive. IF you must consider this such an
important issue why don't you direct your attacks where it might do some good. It is my understanding that others are calling upon the GOA to investigate.  

I am here publicly calling upon the moderators to delete posts that include name calling,or outright attacks.

and before you bother to post back, that I am failing to understand the issue, or in some way I'm merely a "Williams groupie" forget it. You have gone well beyond the issue at hand and into scurrilous attacks that have no place in civil discourse.  

Just checking back here to see if you've said anything about the military analysts story. No? All right, see you tomorrow.

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