Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Every down-dog has its day

Posted by Mickey Z on 12/05 at 05:13 AM
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  1. Good morning all...The topic of yoga and soldiers for some reason reminds me of the news report a while back about “flat daddies”. Maybe we should send the flat daddies to Iraq and keep the guys with the real weapons here.
    Also, yesterday during an interview I mentioned the whole big, and now past, debate about WMD’s. It seems to me that the debate should have been about the right of any sovereign nation to have the same weapons as the usa, not about whether there actually were any WMD’s in Iraq. Even if Iraq did have WMD’s, that fact could not justify invasion and occupation. How many nuclear weapons does the usa have? 10,000 ? Then every other nation should also have equal rights to the same, or else the usa should be forced to give up its stockpile.

    Jeremy has an interesting article up on Dissident Voice about Iran and nukes.

    Posted by RMJ from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts  on  12/05  at  08:41 AM

  2. Hello Expendables. It was downright cold this morning...but the sun is out now and that’s warmed things up a few notches.

    Good morning, RMJ. Will there be a place online we can hear and/or read your radio interview?

    I also saw Jeremy’s article on a few sites. He hasn’t been here in quite some time. You lurking, Jeremy?

    As for yoga, I’m taken a few classes in my time and have had some great teachers. However, when I encounter the “spiritual” types, I head for the exit. I remember one teacher asking us to meditate and send “peace” to Bosnia. That worked, huh?

    Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria  on  12/05  at  10:41 AM

  3. Mickey… I do not know when it will be aired. I was not planning on listening to it but I just checked the web site for information for you. Pat Bradley did the interview. You might be interested in her background. She will know about the schedule and it can probably be heard on line. (In my defense I have to say that just prior to the interview I had taken a caffeine pill.)
    http://www.wamc.org/meet.html

    The ground is white and it is very cold up here. C-span and others are airing the confirmation hearing for the new Secretary of Offense....and they thought that Rummy was bad....same views, just another face.

    Posted by RMJ from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts  on  12/05  at  11:03 AM

  4. I used to do a lot of yoga, actually at Jivamukti (ran by David Life, who is featured in the article) and they give a lot of lip service to living a cruelty and pollution-free life.  They promote veganism and buying earth-friendly products.  There was always something that didn’t sit right with me regarding their high mindedness, mostly because of the consumerist aspect of it all.  Reading that I see what a complete hypocrite he is.

    As I have stated here before, I am a Buddhist, and am taking steps to deepen my practice actually.  But here’s my thing, I think such “spiritual” practices should be for me to get centered so that I can be of more use in the world, and ultimatly to cut through to the core of why we suffer.  Many Americans turn to such practices as a way to “deal” with their reality...I see so many who take a yoga class or go to a meditation, and then head back to their ad agency or brokerage firm. 
    My goal is to philisophically merge Buddhism with radical anarchism--I think the two have the potential to very much compliment each other.  (I aspire to write a book about it sometime in the near future.) Many far-leftist types balk at any talk of “sprituality” but I actually think that is EXACTLY what is missing.  I used to be a union organizer and ended up a neurotic, drug addicted mess...now that I have been sober a few years I’m looking for new ways to “fight the power.” I’ll keep you posted.

    Captcha says: united

    Posted by Brian from Belly of the Beast  on  12/05  at  12:16 PM

  5. I hear what you’re saying, Brian, but the word spiritual has been corrupted. What you mean by “spiritual,” I feel, is not what most of the New Age types mean by “spiritual.” Since it’s way too much effort to keep explaining this difference, I’d prefer a new term and “Anarcho-Buddhism” just doesn’t work for me.

    Anyone have a suggestion?

    Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria  on  12/05  at  02:09 PM

  6. HUmmmm..."spiritual". To me it sort of means that maybe there is something beyond the material world. Most things can be explained away by observing the physical world but sometimes it seems that maybe there are some things that go beyond that explanation. My Atheistic friends and scientific friends argue with me all the time but I resist their attempts to convert me. I like being an Agnostic. The burden of proof is theirs, not mine.

    Posted by RMJ from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts  on  12/05  at  02:29 PM

  7. hi all,
    can’t access the video, you censored mz?

    soldiers doing yoga… ha fucking ha…

    Ok eberyone, a deep breath, let the solidity of everything melt away and assume your die you cocksucking towelheaded untermensch position and… hold and… relax… ok everyone tomorrow we’re going to work on our spiritual connection and deepen our understanding of the we’re going to fuck up your country and create havoc death and horror all around you position.

    sorry about the language, i know anger is a step to be surpassed and turned to positive action to counteract the cause of said anger but.. it’s all right to let it flow sometimes too.. isn’t it.

    just read a great book by an irish guy micheal meegan.. has done wonderful things in africa and is enlighteningly connected and who, despite what he’s seen has entitled his book, surprised by joy… recommend, a quote… I like your christ, i do not like your christians though, your christians are not like your christ… any guesses who.. prize i’ll dedicate my next song to you and send you the record.

    the big things are what you do with your heart.. lemako.  love

    Posted by declan from cia airport island  on  12/05  at  02:29 PM

  8. Thanks for the radio link, RMJ. And Declan, thanks for letting me know the video link was dead. Try it now, okay?

    Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria  on  12/05  at  03:06 PM

  9. For me, sprituality is about the connections between each of us and the world around us.  I want to deepen those connections.  I have no concern one way or the other for what is “beyond” the material real.  I don’t belive in “faith” either.  I just want to be present and connected.  At one time (say, oh, pre-civilization) humans just were that, but now, living the damaged life (as Adorno would say) I feel we need something to help us envision such a state again.  If someone has something better than what the Buddha suggested, I’m game, but I haven’t found it yet.
    Captcha says: simply

    Posted by Brian from Belly of the Beast  on  12/05  at  03:19 PM

  10. yea thats runnin now, enlightened occupational therapy, must be a consequence of the yogic balance being achieved by the enlightened footsoldiers of hegmonia.

    spirituality ... compassion??

    If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. if you want to be happy, practice compassion. there is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples, my pholosophy is kindness The Dalai Lama

    Posted by declan from cia airport island  on  12/05  at  03:42 PM

  11. Back from Canberra, which does not feel like a capital at all.  If one did not walk past the odd ministry or parliament, one would think one was in a large country town.

    And unfortunately you are right, Mickey - with these efforts to calm soldiers down instead of fighting militarism, the chances of ‘turning this mess around’ are extremely slim.

    And hello to Rosemarie, Brian and declan from a windy Daylesford.

    Posted by Helga Fremlin from Daylesford, Australia  on  12/05  at  06:10 PM

  12. Evenin’ Expendables. Only 17 more days and the days start getting longer.

    I like this discussion about spirituality. Here’s my 2c: what I’ve seen of the political left in the US suffers from hyper-rationality, the sort that tramples over common sense without even saying ‘Excuse me.’ The leadership’s track record over the last few generations, something a middle school bowling coach wouldn’t survive, confirms this. Aside from the infighting over position, turf, and money, there’s also a poisonous terror of any sort of spirituality not linked to organized religion. Mention indigenous beliefs, for instance, that go back thousands of years and you get a blank stare. What’s my point?

    I think the most important part of spirituality is a form of liberation or transcendence that overrides human lifespan. Whatever one chooses (I also reject “sending peace” to Bosnia) is usually far more appealing than the left’s mumbling barfly come-on of “We’re losers. Join us.” Arriving in a mental space where Mark Twain, Sitting Bull, and Emma Goldman could rap about the Knicks game or how best to make the owners and rulers beg for mercy, is what I vote for.

    Captcha sez “worked.” It has before (see IWW, AIM, Black Panthers).

    Posted by Zenprole from Urth  on  12/05  at  06:15 PM

  13. I feel like Bosnia could do with all the peaceful thoughts people would care to summon up.

    Posted by owen from schmarcelona  on  12/05  at  06:33 PM

  14. Hello Helga. Welcome back…

    Owen: My problem with the “sending peace” approach is that people often aim their pleas to something “spiritual” as opposed to informing themselves about how such crises come about. Peace and war are not forces of nature. They are the outcome of human decisions.

    Zen: Good stuff. So, how about them Knicks?

    Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria  on  12/05  at  06:49 PM

  15. LOL! ‘The Knicks’ was just a figure of speech, but looking at the standings, something I do less and less in any sport, I see the entire Atlantic Conference is stinking up the league, and the Celtics have the 3rd worst record underall. <Daaaamn...> Further down, I note that the New Orleans team is playing in Oklahoma City.

    For anyone with the slightest care about sports, get on the mailing list at http://www.edgeofsports.com
    Dave Zirin is the only lefty sports writer in the US and, simply put, he rocks.

    Captcha sez ‘out,’ and I am - got homework to do.

    Posted by Zenprole from Urth  on  12/05  at  07:21 PM

  16. Since you mentioned Dave Zirin:
    http://www.dissidentvoice.org/July05/MickeyZ0722.htm

    Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria  on  12/05  at  07:56 PM

  17. In line with today’s discussion:
    http://www.selvesandothers.org/article15488.html

    Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria  on  12/05  at  08:11 PM

  18. non sequiting in add lib styling that movie reminds me of a great forties movie about this english diplomat who’s evacuated from an unrestful china to be flown home to become foreign secretary but the plane being hijacked by a nefarious mongolian is crashed in uncharted snow covered mountains, at which point all looks lost for the ambassador and his brother, the guy running from his past, the silly paleontoligist and the diva girl. then, from out of the blue or rather the mountains comes this monkish chap with aload of donkeys and non descript mongols who lead the begraggled collection of westerners back to a utopian valley where no-one grows old and everything is perfect, and the main guy is convinced by it all while his little brother who’s a bit of a sop thinks it’s all a lie, and convinces his older bro and they leave freely to treck back to civilisation, but on the desperate way through the mountains the woman who journeyed with them became lame and had to be carried and then suddenly in the hard sleet the younger bro cries look at her face look at her face and it’s true, she’s suddenly become an ancient dead skeleton, then the sop younger brother falls off a cliff, and the dude makes it back to civilisation and though the british govt try to track him down the agent sent to get him remains always one step behind him as he desperately tries to find the place… which is the name of the movie that i can’t remember, all i keep thinkin is kubla khan and xanadu, but it’s a super flick.. get back to you on that one.

    captcha - morning - just round a stormy corner on this granite outcrop…

    Posted by declan from cia airport island  on  12/05  at  09:15 PM

  19. Declan, I will assume you’re not talking about this:
    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081777

    Captcha sez: night (as in “good...")

    Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria  on  12/05  at  09:39 PM

  20. DEFINITELY not…

    davidtully.biz hehe

    coladh samh

    Posted by declan from hourland  on  12/05  at  09:44 PM

  21. Re taunting the children in Iraq streets. I see there has been rain, or why is the street wet? bush/howard/blair, ignoble trio, did not invade Iraq, things may not be as bad as they are today.

    Posted by Amy E Green from Australia  on  12/06  at  08:17 AM

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