BuzzMachine

– A fine and right-on Ken Layne rant: “I am tired of the pro-war/anti-war arguments. This is a war, and we are in it. This is a war declared by bin Laden, on the teevee for everyone to see. The fires are still burning in Manhattan. Going to the mailbox has turned into a nightmare…. It is time to deal with how this war is being fought.” Give this man a T-shirt!

– Iraq is sabre-rattling. Rumsfeld rattles his sabre back. But Britain’s Straw keeps his sabre at his side.

– A well-read reader points out this link from anthrax to Iraq: the chemical additive bentonite, which only Iraq uses. Told ya. (Thanks, Clyde.)

– I’m already getting spam offering me anthrax-zappers. All that and a bigger package, too.

– America’s economy contracts anthrax.

– Arthur C. Clarke suggests compulsory psychiatric tests to find the terrorists. Trumps the national ID card.

I don’t buy the theory being floated now that the anthrax attack is domestic (just because the FBI hasn’t managed to find the link yet): [1] The aerosolizing of the anthrax is the work of weapons engineers, not just any old PhD. That means Iraq. [2] It’s now confirmed that Atta met with Iraqi agents and, reports say, got Anthrax. See all the Baghdad connections here. [3] The M.O. of the terrorists is to keep silent and not take credit to spook us; the M.O. of unabombers is to write long, looney treatises to get attention. I’m starting to wonder whether this domestic theory is being floated to draw attention away from likely culprit Iraq so there is not a public outcry to attack Baghdad and fight this war on a second front.

– Terror fashion: A safety coat with camera, sensors, geiger counter (in German).

– Focus reports some want to turn the Hollywood sign red-white-and-blue; others fear this would make Hollywood a terrorist target.

– Life has changed profoundly in New York and Washington. Has it in the heartland?

– Bin Laden’s web guru. Or should I saw web iman?

– Blair: Get Osama before he nukes us.

– Newsrack/Standard: French better allies than Germans.

Brit military chief warns of a four-year war: ìIím not suggesting this war will go on for 50 years but weíre fighting a concept, not a state . . . and weíre having to rewrite the rulebook (to deal with it). The al-Qaeda organisation is not tangible. Youíre fighting against this thing called terrorism.î

Thanks to Matt Welch for a great plug for the Warlog Store (read about it under the tote bag below and buy the Former Pacifist or Rudy Kicks… or Osama Kiss My… T-shirts)…. And I’m glad that Matt and his cohort Ken Layne are back and blogging.

If you want a barometer of what America is really thinking — if not saying — listen to Howard Stern. Today, Howard wondered what Bush is up to trying to wage the politically correct war, telling our kids to send dollars for kids in Afghanistan and now to find Muslim pen pals. Howard says that’s not how we waged WWII; the countries we bombed were our enemies. Right. Now it’s true that in this war, Bush has to work hard to distinguish the enemy — terrorists — from the civilians around them and their fellow Muslims, since we are relying on them as at least temporary allies. Still, what Howard’s really saying is that we want decisiveness. Instead, we’re starting to hear that we may not ever get Osama and that the war is already tougher than we figured. On the homefront, it’s worse: We witnessed a fumbled, mumbled, and bumbled response to the worsening anthrax attacks; we got vague reassurances when we should have been getting swift action and information. It also does not inspire confidence that the government is asking Hollywood and now us for ideas to fight terrorism (apply here). Our support for the war and Bush is not faltering. We just want something more to support.

– Anthrax survivor: “I was near death.”

– Fun Florida.

– Bin Laden link to Argentine terror attacks.

The post-9/11 T-shirts I’m seeing on the streets of New York are mostly mawkish, hawkish, tacky, or even offensive. We need to improve the level of T-shirt discourse. And here is my humble contribution: The Warlog Store (all profits to charity). So far, three products:

– The Former Pacifist line (inspired by my confession, below). For you NPR/PBS fans who may not be caught dead or alive in T-shirts, we offer the Former Pacifist tote bag (above). Buy here.

– The Rudy For… t-shirt. On the front, suggestions for Rudy’s next job: Attorney General (my crusade), FBI Director, Senator, Governor, any of the above. On the back, “Rudy Kicks…” with an arrow pointing you-know-where. Buy here.

– And to show off my new hawkish tendancies: A T-shirt that says “Osama: Kiss My…” with an arrow pointing down; the same message on front and back. Buy here.

Suggestions welcome.

Through others’ eyes: In the current issue of der Spiegel, there’s one story about the love-hate relationship Germans have with America right now — with many against supporting our war. And only a few pages away there’s a story (neither of them online) remembering the day exactly 40 years ago when our tanks confronted Soviet tanks across the Berlin Wall, risking nuclear war, a historian now believes, for the sake of German freedom. Ungrateful? Disloyal? At the same time, we’re hearing more about the planning for terror that occurred in Germany. Spiegel has a story about Atta plotting in Hamburg. And there’s an amazing story (if I’m translating correctly) about the double life of a soccer star turned terrorist. There are terrorists in their midst, too.

– The future of mail: Wall Street Journal asks whether this is the end of snail mail. I was telling friends the business to be in is sanitizing and opening mail for important or self-important people; too late, for the NY Times reports that Hazmail is offering just that. Will we be required to seal our mail in plastic bags? Will our mail be delayed while it’s nuked? Will the mail cost more? You bet. Will that affect every business that sells and communicates via the mail? Absolutely. Will they try to find alternatives in email? They’re trying.

– The United We Stand postage stamp released today. Let’s hope it’s the no-lick variety.

– Do NOT microwave your mail.

– Uncle Bin’s Instant Anthrax (picture on Der Spiegel).

– Blair: No Court TV for bin Laden. Rumsfeld: Ditto. Rumsfeld: On the other hand.

– Bild via CBS: Atta got anthrax from Iraq

– Criticism on the homefront: NY Times … Washington Post …

Yesterday afternoon, I went down to the Here Is New York gallery — where hundreds and hundreds of photos of Sept. 11 are displayed on the walls and now there are so many they even hang from the ceiling. You’ve probably seen the story on TV: These volunteers are collecting photos from any photographers and then selling them for $25 each with net proceeds going to a WTC fund of the Children’s Aid Society. I bought five. No, I don’t intend to hang them in my living room; I intend just to hang onto them to remember. I don’t know why, but I find myself staring at photos like these. Even though I was there, I don’t think I’ve yet calculated the enormity of this; maybe that’s why I need to stare. These photos do not have the newsy urgency and bluntness of the amazing collection of photojournalism at Digital Journalist. These are mostly photos taking by the photographers who happened to be there. If you’re in New York, I recommend going to the gallery at 116 Prince St. (11a-6p); they’re open until Nov. 4 and they’re looking for donations to help build a web site to bring the photos online. Volunteers?

– Life changing in every American city: Christian Science Monitor.

– Arrrgh: “Post Office chief suggests wash hands after opening letters…”

– Maureen Dowd: “The federal government is starting to remind me of the Amity town council in ‘Jaws.’ Afraid panic will spread and business will suffer, they keep telling us to go back into the ocean before they’ve figured out how to fight the shark. And people keep dying.”

– American Muslims meet; set up Muslim defense fund. Maybe they should think about excommunicating a few of their own.