Mickey Z

Cool Observer

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

How can we cheer up our dedicated defenders?

Posted by Mickey Z on 10/18 at 04:41 AM

JOS, to reply to what you asked yesterday ´Owen...sure you could fit them into Oregon, but what would you feed them?´ I´ll say we don´t have a shortage of food, just unfair systems of delivery. Africa for example is depicted by gubbermintal channels as a landmass unable to feed itself, which is absurd, it´s a most fertile place but a grotesque amount of food grown there is cashcrop for transnationals. We have enough everything for everybody, my friend.

Posted by Owen on from Barcelona 10/18 at 06:37 AM

Mickey, I know people have probably told you this many a-time, but your radicalism is pathbreaking. If only the activist community would adopt your methodology, the Left would be getting somewhere!

I’m curious as to whether you’ve written at all on Marxism. I’m new to the site, and I was wondering if you’ve ever done a piece/post on either Marx, Marxism, or his followers (either theory or praxis).

Keep up the good stuff!

Uncle Donnie

Posted by Donald Sanskrit on from Hiroshima, Japan 10/18 at 07:09 AM

must be a tough choice. do you want a homeland security department that is low on morale, possibly leading to another atrocity or do you want one brimming with confidence and raring to keep up internal repression.

tough one eh?

Posted by michael on from scotland 10/18 at 07:41 AM

Congratulations Michael. I just tried to post on your site but it did not work for me. I will try again later.

Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 10/18 at 07:48 AM

Hello Owen, good to hear from you. I agree there is enough food for everyone, but what horrible things do we do to the earth to produce it? And with the population growing larger and larger how do we keep up with it? How do we win the “food race?” Here’s an excerpt from a talk by Daniel Quinn on that subject:

I’m talking about the food race—the race to produce enough food to feed our growing population.

There are people in the world—calm, intelligent, reasoning people—who believe that we’ve already gone over the limit, that even our present population of six billion can’t be fed sustainably on this planet. I have no evidence that they’re right—and I certainly hope they’re wrong. But the six billion is not nearly as alarming as the twelve billion that we will be in your lifetime if we go on growing at this rate.

Now—of course!—there are two handles to this thing. I recently read an Associated Press story that reported that food scientists are confident that they can WIN the food race. By the time there are twelve billion of us, they’ll be able to FEED twelve billion. That constitutes a win. SO: Not to worry, folks. The scientists are confident that food will ultimately triumph over population. That’s one handle.

The other handle is the one the Union of Concerned Scientists has grabbed. In their “Warning to Humanity,” they say: “We must stabilize population,” which is of course unarguable. But then they go on to say, “This will be possible only if all nations recognize that it requires improved social and economic conditions, and the adoption of effective, voluntary family planning.” I’m afraid that grabbing this handle is an act of faith that has virtually nothing to do with science, but it’s easy to do, because it means that, really, nobody has to do anything but pray that someday, through some magical, unknown process all nations of the world will improve social and economic conditions and adopt effective, voluntary family planning.

It has been my misfortune to saddle myself with the really thankless task of bringing into view the third handle on this issue. This is a simple and well-known biological fact—well known at least to biologists and ecologists—that a food race like the one I’ve just described can no more be won than the arms race could be won—and for the same reason. Because neither race has a finish line—except catastrophe.

You can’t win an arms race with your enemy, because every advance you make in your weaponry will be answered by an advance in your enemy’s weaponry, which of course must be answered by an advance in YOUR weaponry, which stimulates an advance in THEIR weaponry, and so on in a never-ending escalation.

And in the same way, food cannot win any race with population, because every advance in food production is answered by an advance in population. This isn’t a statement that is happily or readily accepted by most members of the public, because, I’m afraid, most members of the public don’t really understand the connection between food and populations. I’m therefore going to take a minute to explain that connection:

http://www.ishmael.com/Education/Writings/kentstate.shtml

Posted by JOS on from Isla Grande Airport 10/18 at 07:58 AM

Unfortunately Good Night and Good Luck has not yet been released in Canada. Clooney’s a great director, probably better at that than acting. In the mean time, everyone should check out Grizzly Man, the new doc from Werner Herzog - at the very least because it nearly repeate - in an actual story - the drama in some of Herzog’s dramatic films, particulaly Agguire Wrath of God.

Posted by Jordy Cummings on from Toronto 10/18 at 08:59 AM

not even heard of it yet! UK gets things a month or so later or a month or so ahead depending on where its made but will look out for it. while we are mentioning films i mentioned to mickey but should have said to everyone to look out for a film called “rabbit proof fence”. its a true stroy thing and its not about rabbits. no one who sees this film will forget it quickly

Posted by michael on from scotland 10/18 at 11:21 AM

Chomsky voted the world’s top intellectual (courtesy of Mike over at bornatthecrestoftheempire.blogspot.com):

http://bornatthecrestoftheempire.blogspot.com/2005/10/way-to-go-noam.html

capthca, later

Posted by JOS on from Isla Grande Airport 10/18 at 12:39 PM

If I had been Chomsky’s campaign manager, I would have used this slogan: To Noam is to Love Him.

I did see “Grizzly Man” but after reading the book “Grizzly Maze” and learning how much Herzog left out, I was less impressed. I’d suggest seeing the movie and reading the book. Perfect combo.

Tried to rent “Rabbit Proof Fence” but they didn’t have it in VHS and the only DVD player I have is on my new computer and that’s not much fun to watch a movie on.

Thanks for the links, JOS.

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 10/18 at 12:49 PM

no problem, Mick.

Funny thing, when “hate” is part of your blog title...the last two blog search results that led new visitors to my site were:

“I hate men”

and

“why do ugly women hate pretty women”

I had to share that…

(captcha: pressure)

Posted by JOS on from Isla Grande Airport 10/18 at 02:52 PM

I hate when that happens…

(captcha: good)

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 10/18 at 03:02 PM

Hi Humans -
I’ve been out buying “cheer up” cards for our Homeland Security people. I can’t afford it, but I’ll just cut back a tad on my “adapt an Elite” budgeting, and all will be well. This month, I’m setting aside some cash for legal bills for Scooter and Dick and Carl. I worry that they may get into some trouble on their “third / vacation home” payments if I don’t help out.

I saw Rabbit Proof Fence. Remarkable film - true story. Another “Australian” film I’d heartily recommend is “Ned Kelly,” another true story…

JOS - excellent quote from Ishmael. If only these third world peoples would just say no to sex. But, instead, they want condoms and birth control pills, abortion and sex-education. With such base and immoral perspectives, it’s no wonder they’re having problems. Perhaps we can increase our funding for sterilization programs. We don’t want people with such genetics reproducing, anyway, so sterilization might be the best solution.

Chomsky probably IS the world’s foremost intellectual, though it’s somehow disturbing that
he’d win any sort of popular vote. Perhaps he’s “lost a step or two” in the last few years.

I haven’t seen “Good Night...,” yet, Mickey, but it’s next up when we’ve a chance to get out for a few hours. I’m looking forward to it.
Great Slogan, by the way!

I gotta go fill out all these cards. Well, anything for the Fatherlan… Uh, I mean, for America.

Posted by joe on from Out in the Garage 10/18 at 03:38 PM

Another great post Mickey - and hi JOS, RMJ and the rest of the ‘gang’ on this comment thread.
And thanks for the link to Michael’s new blog - so many blogs and so little time!
And I hope it won’t be too long before ‘Good Night and Good Luck’ is released in Australia - sometimes it can take years until one can see certain films down under ..

Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 10/18 at 03:46 PM

Hi Helga, be careful using the words “down under” at Mickey’s place.

Joe, those pesky third worlders really get under my skin sometimes.

If Counterpunch doesn’t want your essay, try Znet, if not Znet, we’ll keep looking, and in the end, you’ll have to just share it with us...I’ve got plenty of space.

Oh yeah, and thanks for reminding me, I almost forgot to do something nice for a Homeland Security Official today.

Posted by JOS on from Isla Grande Airport 10/18 at 03:56 PM

Hello all…

Some good ideas for e-cards here: http://www.tackymail.com

Joe, is that “Ned Kelly” with Jagger?

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 10/18 at 04:02 PM

Thanks, JOS. I’ve already blabb’d everyone’s ears off, here. I think I must have been Elmer Fudd, in my last lifetime… I’m hoping to “spread the dumb.”
But - tsk, tsk, JOS. Please, don’t forget your Elites. Do something nice for an Elite, today!
(And maybe they won’t murder you, tomorrow!)
Do we have another slogan, here?

Well, Mickey, here’s the quote of the day:
“Preserving the bad taste of our era, for future generations.”
Gosh, with Capitalism, even our unstated needs are met! No wonder we reject socialism…

Ned Kelly starred: Heath Ledger, Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush, and Naomi Watts - with Charles “Bud” Tingwell, as Premier Berry! All in all, a fine little film. A “poor, Irish, rebellion film,” with an appropriately sad - and true, conclusion. I still get angry, just thinking about it. What more can one ask of one’s favorite films?

Posted by joe on from Oregon 10/18 at 05:40 PM

I thought you were referring to this one, Elmer:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066130/

I haven’t seen either...but I think it’s time.

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 10/18 at 05:52 PM

look at ‘land and freedom’ about the spanish civil war

imdb is a pile of shit (we prefer to say shite - it has a nicer ring in the accent)

Posted by michael on from scotland 10/18 at 06:22 PM

Don’t know anything about IMDB. Did a Google search for “Ned Kelly” and it popped up.

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 10/18 at 06:42 PM

imdb has a lot of fairly useful info but it tends to miss out a lot as well and the more you look at it the more you see a pattern in what sort of thing it tends to miss

Posted by michael on from scotland 10/18 at 06:57 PM

I can’t wait to see George Clooney’s film, especially since watching two excellent documentaries about Fred W. Friendly that are available at archive.org.

Part of the Open Mind collection there, they are among the most enthralling of the interviews-- and are intellectually profitable to anybody interested in learning more about the real men that are dramatized in “Good Night, and Good Luck”.

Highly recommended:

http://www.archive.org/details/openmind_ep497

http://www.archive.org/details/openmind_ep498

Posted by Robert B. Livingston on from San Francisco 10/18 at 06:58 PM

hello robert. kindred spirit!

archive.org is the best thing. all the government propaganda films, much of the indymedia stuff and so much shit that is bizarre beyond belief.

Posted by michael on from scotland 10/18 at 07:02 PM

Thanks, Robert. I think I’m gonna have to spend some time at that site.

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 10/18 at 07:04 PM

i will be non political for once and ask anyone to type in ‘lego’ and wacth the films you get

Posted by michael on from scotland 10/18 at 07:11 PM

because joe mentioned ned kelly,

If Ned Kelly Was King
by Midnight Oil

Hollow threats and a great adventure
So much business, towns in the dirt
Company cars and efficient Americans
Three black boys sit in the corner
White woman waiting to talk
Lots of intention but no understanding

If Ned Kelly was king
He’d make those robbers swing
He’d send them down

Out in the dead heart, tourists and cameras
Four wheel drives wreck, snapshots and slides
Follow the brochures but nothings inside
Heavy machinery loud in the outback
Dreamtime developers they make all the sound
Where will we be when they leave us a quarry?

If Ned Kelly was king
He’d make those robbers swing
He’d send them down there
He’d make them stay
And we can hope

If Ned Kelly…

If the quinella comes in today

http://tinyurl.com/7qsjh

http://tinyurl.com/bm9my
speaking of kurosawa, i’ll have to check out rashomon again. great quotes: http://imdb.com/title/tt0042876/quotes

Posted by tm on from the lower depths 10/18 at 07:25 PM

I could spend the next ten years watching a movie and day and still not see every movie I want to see. TM just added another to the list (and made me certain I want to see at least one version of “Ned Kelly").

Check out the Lego link, Michael. I know a director here in NYC named John Gallagher. I wonder if that’s him.

From “Rashomon”:

Commoner: Well, men are only men. That’s why they lie. They can’t tell the truth, even to themselves.
Priest: That may be true. Because men are weak, they lie to deceive themselves.
Commoner: Not another sermon! I don’t mind a lie if it’s interesting.

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 10/18 at 07:33 PM

Another thing on population: the animals we domesticate are part of that problem, and a big part. This is largely going unnoticed—although George Monbiot, in what’s now a classic essay called “Why Vegans Were Right All Along Famine can only be avoided if the rich give up
meat, fish and dairy”—has explained: “The number of farm animals on earth has risen fivefold since 1950: humans are now outnumbered three to one.”

Not only is this a recipe for environmental disaster, but, given the human population growth rate in a world of finite resources, this custom is not sustainable for everybody. We’ll soon be making choices between feeding animals we breed to eat, and feeding financially poor people.

Monbiot concludes that veganism is not only a response to animal suffering or a health fad, but “the only ethical response to what is arguably the world’s most urgent social justice issue.”

Posted by Lee Hall on from 10/18 at 07:55 PM

Lee Hall is in the house…

Thanks for that, Lee. Here’s a link to Monbiot’s piece:
http://www.commondreams.org/views02/1224-01.htm

Captcha word: good

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 10/18 at 08:13 PM

RMJ, why didn’t you think of this?:

http://tinyurl.com/8fohy

I know, you’re way to young for these gals:

http://tinyurl.com/d29av

Posted by JOS on from Puerto Rico 10/18 at 09:39 PM