What follows is a quote pertaining to a broader issue. My reason for the post, and excerpt, is a theme that's familiar here at Time Bomb 2000, information warfare. The events of the last year have brought us clear examples of the use of deception through the use of the media. We've seen here at TB2000, the use of the techniques used to discredit and silence an alternative view. Yet the board stands, and the free exchange of information and ideas continue.

The fuller context is - through the use of the medium we now have, the Internet, and boards such as TB2000, we've (the public) a tool that's never existed in our history.

Throughout the last century we've been at the mercy of the Hearst's, the New York Times, and Pravda's of the world. We've undergone the agonies of WWI & II, the depression, the cold war, Vietnam, and the media has had no small part in bringing those events to pass.

Today we're witness and participants of an upheaval to those entities.

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For accurate information means not only that what is said must be so, it also means that that which is importantly so must be said.

Information must not only be accurate, it must also be full. A salesman of securities must not only say things to you that are true, he also must tell you everything about the security that is material and he must do so truthfully and honorably.

The same is true of our national security, even more so. In an age of "information war," every citizen is an information warrior. An accurate and full flow of information to and from each citizen is our most important weapon in such a war; it is -- in the end, along with the moral basis of our free and republican institutions, if we can preserve them, and our founding vision as set out in the Declaration and Constitution -- our great and undefeatable weapon.

If we do not use it, we will lose to forces that truly constitute an enemy both foreign and domestic.

Retired Admiral Thomas Moorer is a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs, chief of Naval Operations, commander-in-chief Pacific, supreme Allied commander Atlantic and commander-in-chief Atlantic Fleet.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/bluesky_excomm/20000228_xex_becoming_bei.shtml

http://www.Keep-the-Republic.org/ End Quote:

The quote from retired Admiral, Thomas Moorer, is not intended to endorse his political beliefs, in as much as to illustrate this concept of info-war, and the ramifications of which the Internet may play on our future societal development. His call to use the Internet to question US presidential candidates on critical issues, is an example of circumventing the traditional and controlled media, to have the public- press for the facts.

The Internet is the only medium we have today that will let the public have that voice - a voice that cannot be stifled.

Much has been said and written regarding the new media, it's manifestations of Drudge to a dot.com driven economy. But in my opinion, it's the bulletin boards, usenet, and forums such as this, is where the real rubber hits the road.

I'm not a great communicator, yet my beliefs are - we must continue to work for a more perfect union. Today we have the ability to use this new medium of the Internet, to share and collaborate on a wide range of issues. To inspect the official line from divergent perspectives. To use the tools we have to ask the hard questions and suggest possible solutions. The participants of Time Bomb 2000, have and do just that on a daily basis, this creates and promotes, an atmosphere of possibilities and promise. Thus, every participant, poster, troll, lurker, et all, are - info warriors.

Best Regards,

-- Tom McDowell (bullriver@montana.com), February 28, 2000

Answers

Do you think "they" will ever be able to "control" the internet?

-- jeileen (tjfarrar@bellsouth.net), February 28, 2000.

Good post Tom. Lucky for "they", control is effective enough to date to undermine the truth with a snicker. Many act as if they believe that "if it ain't on CNN then it ain't important enough to consider". Our culure has exceeded information overload, and the school systems have failed at training persons to process any amount of info greater than what is contained in a 30 second commercial. We have no critical thinking skills, and dump all our resources instead in trying to minimize stimuli through perscriptions or any other mood altering bahavior. IMHO.

-- Hokie (Hokie_@hotmail.com), February 28, 2000.

Tom, appreciate your well stated opinion of the internet and our role in it as "information warriors." Never thought of us in that particular vernacular before; however, I did think of us as being truth seekers. And as pilgrims on the road to finding honest answers to honest questions. The genie, so to speak, is now out of the bottle. Let's all hope that we'll be able to keep this avenue of unfettered speech and alternative information gathering free and available to those warriors seeking the path of truth.

P.S. However, I'm all for hangin' trolls! :)

-- Lurkess (Lurkess@Lurking.XNet), February 28, 2000.

Makes "Timebomb 2000" even more effective as a forum name.

Do you think this'll rank as a guerilla group in info war when our great grandchildren look back on what's happening? Sort of like the colonials against Britain in the American Revolution? I'm serious.

Bet the Founding Fathers feel good about this posting. Wish I had been here earlier, but it's great to be allowed to participate now. Darn, any of you other old timers remember the sixities radicals and "all power to the people"? Ironic in a delightful way that we inherited that banner while we built up our stocks and 401K's. Got to go off and think about this one!

-- mike in houston (mmorris67@hotmail.com), February 28, 2000.

Don't think too hard ... the Sixties was over-rated, full of too many drugs and guilt trips. I like it a lot better now, and the technology! Those boring sit-ins can't begin to compare with creating stuff with Cold Fusion and Shockwave. Man, I was born too soon.

-- (bigmouth@home.now), February 28, 2000.

good points hokie. true true. i notice someone objected to the use of the word "sheeple" to describe people. however, i think it seems totally appropriate. the only problem is we have such bad shepherds in charge of the flock.

-- tt (cuddluppy@aol.com), February 29, 2000.

I reckon soon they will have information agents trawling the net for subversive or non-pc material (whichever party is in power). Enjoy your freedom while you can. They can track you down just as easily through the net, also what were once private conversations within 4 walls are perhaps now more easily monitored.

-- Sir Richard (richard.dale@unum.co.uk), February 29, 2000.

Thank you for the post Tom.

-- Dee (T1Colt556@aol.com), February 29, 2000.

Dear God, I am a commoner, who stumbles across a conversation of the Intellect, by chance. My earthly quest seen to have been alerted of the web based sites which proclaim the Federal Reserve to actually not be of a U.S. design, but a "sell out". For sure, I cannot connect a personal interest in the Federal Reserve, since I hold no stocks, bonds, etc. But once upon a life, if one has an open mind, one might stumble upon a book published in 1991, entitled "The Secrets of the Federal Reserve" by Eustace Mullins. I had read such a thing, on the internet. How chance it was for me to stumble across the actual book at a Flea Market Sale?

-- My Story (andiam@sticking.com), May 21, 2001.