Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Fight Card: Steve McQueen vs. George W. Bush, Arnold vs. Tookie, and Mickey Z. vs. The Mythmakers
Crowd control, riot control, whatever...these people who make decisions about the worthiness of others to live should face the uprising on the front lines. “Okay, Juror #4 and Parole Board Member, there are 1000 angry people whose opinion is that YOU should die. Go out and, if you survive, you can keep living.”
Slow around here this sunday, I’ve NEVER been the first post before.
MZ, I couldn’t be happier that There Is No Good War will finally come out in pb! Your first and most counter to the zeitgeist work. Attacking the Good War and the Greatest Generation attacks the foundation of the modern myth that Murrica builds its identity on...good job!
Joe, from last night: thanks as always for the supportive pep talk. I’m glad to have brought into my life such a kind and wonderful group simply by coming here to wart MZ about his crazier stances.
Owen, thanks for letting me know about the file issues. “After” this post, I tell a belated car story.
Posted by Mudge on from Dear, dead Austin 12/11 at 11:33 AMMudge, I thank you “every” day for getting me the WWII book deal. It’s very cool that you’ve since become one of the ever-expanding Expendables.
I’m headed out now. I’m expecting a full house by the time I get back.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 12/11 at 11:43 AMIn the 1970s, texas was the last state to doaway with licensing of 14-yr-olds to drive. The loss of Federal highway dollars was the only stick that compelled our Lege to act. They crafted a provision that did not violate Federal rules, from which I benefited: Hardship licenses.
Under these rules, a 15-year-old could geta license if he or she had a valid reason for doing so, such as being in a single-parent household (me) or living in a rural county on a farm or ranch.
Thus it was I came to be part owner of a 1968 Bonneville convertible in the depths of the Oil Embargo’s aftermath...gas was 50 cents!!! The world cometh to an end!!! My Bonneville, shared with Mama, was yclept “Pygge” because the bloody thing slurped gas like a hog at a trough. I was PLEASED when I got 7mpg.
Being a teenager, I wasn’t supposed todrive at nioght, or outside a radius of 30 miles from my home. The night thing I blew off immediately. The 30 miles? So what? Less than 2 miles from my house there was a highway under construction, with long, sweeping curves ending at a bluff over the Colorado River, awaiting a bridge to be built to declare it complete.
Being the obedient, law-abidig sort I’ve ALWAYS been, I used this area to determine if I could peg the speedometer (go 120moh) at the urging of and with the participation of my then boyfriend with NO consideration for what would happen if the stopping distance from 120 proved to be longer than the road left.
The short version is I worked it out, since I’m here today. The longer version is, the car pegged at 120 and I hurtled toward the orange-and-white striped barrier a lot sooner than I thought I would. I’ve since learned that what I invented on the spot is called a “power slide” and that pros don’t like doing them in convertibles because a rollover accident is common and the windshield of a convertible just isn’t strong enough to support 3000+ pounds of Pontiac.
I remember thinking, as I was in the power slide, “If I don’t die now, and Mike doesn’t die now, I can do anything.”
Turns out, so far at least, I was right. Everything I’ve HAD to do, for whatever good or bad, internal or external reason, I’ve been able to do. May this trend continue. Does this tale boost my “street” cred? >snort<
Posted by Mudge on from Dear, dead Austin 12/11 at 11:51 AMIt was “time” for a book like that then, MZ, and it’s always been time since. I note that Sander’s doing the book under what seems to be an imprint called “Cherry Red” which name I would think better associated with sex books.
I believed in your dissident voice then, and I haven’t stopped. Of course, my life will not be complete until I have caused you to recant and eat a factory-farmed chicken.
Here’s to longevity!
Posted by Mudge on from Dear, dead Austin 12/11 at 12:08 PMMickey said: Tookie Williams is less than two days away from state-sponsored murder...but the state’s top concern is maintaining law and order after they kill him
Yes, this is a clue regarding which way Arnold will go. He’s ordered pre-riot repressive measures. Not surprising from the son of an SS stormtrooper. I feel sick about this.
Joe, I never got back to you from your response to my “fog” story yesterday. You mentioned Smilla’s Sense of Snow, and I’m glad you did. I’ve owned the book for a while now, but have not yet given it a read. I’ll take your mention as a sign and read it next, just after the Ross MacDonald entertainment I’ve been ripping through this weekend. I definitely believe in answering the call of synchronicity—brings magic back into our lives, no matter how caught in the machine we become.
May all Expendables and assorted visitors enjoy an epiphonous Sunday. If it’s really special, let us know what happened....
Posted by Hawk on from Boulder, CO 12/11 at 12:28 PMMudge, with your tireless activism, I have faith that the factory farming system will rise to true prominence in our society someday… Oh I’m just kidding, no flaming. Kinda funny about me being vegan in a way, I guess; my very name-- Long-farm in Danish, and not a strictly agriculture farm (just like Kierkegaard=church yard). Although the farm my dad grew up on in the 40s couldn’t really be called a factory. Unless a baby factory; considered mentioning yesterday in reference to the population article, he had 8 or 9 or so brothers and sisters. Yeah, ‘or so’; I’ve lost track of how many uncles and aunts I have.
Thinking of MZs WW2 book, would be good to talk to my dad about life then. Stories I recall most, mostly about Jews they hid in the basement back then. He was young enough he just thought of them as friends who couldn’t visit for very long.
There was an interview just now on the Maria Batiromo show on NBC with the director of Syriana. Lively discussion, I think-- anyone know about this movie? Is it for real? I couldn’t tell; was distracted by MB a bit too much.
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 12/11 at 12:42 PMI haven’t read Mickey’s WWII book yet, but I have a backlog to go through (am read Zinn at present) and have a shitload to read through. Not being a regular blogger, I clicked on the wrong link earlier, wondered why nobody else was posting and then realised it was Wednesday’s blog! Doh!
Mudge, what’s your book about?
Posted by Chris Wood on from Manchester, England 12/11 at 01:32 PMI know a little about the Syriana movie. It’s about Middle East oil & based on a former CIA guy’s memoirs, George Clooney’s in it. There’s an article about it in today’s Sunday Times. Apparently Clooney was villified for a long time for questioning the Iraq war & became one of the traitor figures for the right wing press. Anybody else gag on shit like that? Someone famous speaks his mind, says some fair & intelligent things about war, & some motherfuckers present him as a craven, unpatriotic fool?
I think it’s superb that so many people here are well read about issues (often putting me to shame about my own lack of knowledge on many places), and I would suggest reading some of the right wing trash to big yourself up. I write myself and the day I read two chapters of Sean Hannity’s Let Freedom Ring filled me with such confidence in my own writing style! I’m not Scott Fitzgerald, but next to that moron I come off pretty well. Other struggling writers take note - reading the likes of fuckwits like that can do wonders for your self confidence.
Posted by Chris Wood on from Manchester, England 12/11 at 01:54 PMI read excerpts of There Is No Good War in a Disinformation anthology and found it invaluable. Helloo to you all I´ve been typing since Tuesday, nice to be back.
peace and RIP Richard Pryor,
OwenPosted by Owen on from Barcelona 12/11 at 01:56 PMHello Mudge, Hawk, James, Owen...and welcome, Chris.
Chris: A few of us here took on the November-is-National-Novel-Writing-Month challenge, so most references to our novels grow out of that.
Love yer story, Mudge. Makes me think I have to share one like it next week. Boys and cars...who doesn’t have a tale to tell?
James and Chris: I think I will see Syrianna. It’s been a good season for Hollywood in terms of somewhat political flicks (Lord of War, Good Night and Good Luck). Still, I cannot resist King Kong. I was a monster movie maven in my youth. Does anyone remember “Creature Features” and “Chiller Theater” on Saturday nigth TV?
Owen, we miss you here.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 12/11 at 02:11 PMSorry, Hawk, forgot to reply: It is ominous that Gov. Arnold is gearing up for crowd control. Frustrating, heartbreaking, and ominous…
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 12/11 at 02:12 PMGood Night and Good Luck hasn’t come out over here yet (to my knowledge), but I thought Lord Of War rocked. It wasn’t perfect, but made some fine contributions to publicising the shittiness of the arms trade. Hopefully Syriana will add to this stock.
What’s wrong with blockbusters? A good attack of nonsense is an excellent way of unwinding. Where would we all be without some escapism? Taking life too seriously is, I believe, highly destructive, and not in the cool, live-fast-die-young-get-found-in-a-puddle way.
I know there are a lot of American readers on this site (I’m clever like that!) so can I recommend P G Wodehouse? No idea if he’s big in America but he did a lot of his writing there and is probably the world’s funniest author. Certainly his books have a major feel good factor to them and that’s a fine thing!
My best to everyone who took on the November novel writing challenge. More people should have the confidence & drive to write; it can be a frustrating thing but so rewarding when you feel it’s going well.
Posted by Chris Wood on from Manchester, England 12/11 at 02:19 PMClooney in Syrianna’s motivating me to keep the beard. I don’t know, so far it looks like Kong should be bigger; he looks more like Mighty Joe Young. I can’t wait for A Scanner Darkly to come out in March; been a big fan of Phil Dick since *before* they started making crappy movies of his short stories.
I don’t have a car story; never even learned how to drive… It’s a bright sunny day here, just blocks from where the climax of Kong takes place-- I should go outside and not just websurf all day.
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 12/11 at 02:26 PMCar stories? Earlier this year I backed into a car at work, and it was the only other one in the car park. I was giving some friends a lift home and they started talking, somewhat distractingly, about the sex life of one of the gym teachers I like the look of. I was busy smiling a sloppy grin when I put the bugger in reverse and hit some guy’s Peugeot.
I may have caused an accident as well. I got a notification from an insurance company about liability for a smash I didn’t have. The swine! So far I haven’t been able to pin down any details and the fuckers have backed off. Anyone else nearly had to pay for an accident they weren’t involved in?
Posted by Chris Wood on from Manchester, England 12/11 at 02:32 PMPS, I looked for Pinter’s Nobvel acceptance speech. Here’s the link if anyone wants to take a look at him denouncing the Iraq War:
http://nobelprize.org/literature/laureates/2005/pinter-lecture.html
Posted by Chris Wood on from Manchester, England 12/11 at 02:36 PMMZ, yeah, the combo of car and kid is potent and, all too often, lethal. I wonder, on so many levels, why I am not dead.
James, for God’s sweet sake, talk to Pop now while he has and can use all his marbles, and do it with a tape recorder present! You won’t be sorry if you do, and might be sorry if you don’t. I wish I’d recorded my mother’s wild flights of fancy over the years. Several good novels in the fiction she crafted for her life story.
Chris, my book is a novel called My True Adventures in the Porn Trade. It’s about a selfish, nasty, sex-obsessed literary agent (entirely fictional, of course, no resemblance to me and shut up, Mickey) who redeems himself in his own and the world’s eyes by becoming a balckmailing pimp.
Hawk, Smilla’s Sense of Snow is my 18-yr-old’s favorite book of all time since he read it a few years ago, and he’s named his dog Smilla Jespersen after the main character. Hoeg’s book I can’t speak for in Danish since I don’t wot Dansk, but I liked it fine too. The History of Danish Dreams was more to my taste, of Hoeg’s work; and more still up my own alley was The Royal Physician’s Visit by Per Olavsson. I wonder about that spelling of the last name, but can’t lay my hands on the book.
Owen, have you ever Googled your last name? Try it, if not.
One last thought before I “leave”: it’s really amazing and wonderful to me how many well-informed folks there are here, Chris, and humbling to think they actually listen to me once in a while!
Posted by Mudge on from Dear, dead Austin 12/11 at 02:43 PMMudge, I’m delighted to hear your views, especially if they’re about literary agents & the porn trade! I once asked a friend of mine to dress up in her naughty nurse outfit while I pitched to an agent, figuring the right kind of guy might sign me up for the sugar! Didn’t actually happen, but I reckon she’d easily be worth 50%.
Talking of agents, does anyone know any literary agents I can blackmail? I have a lot of writing in me and while I enjoy many parts of my current job (teaching English), getting paid to write is my dream. I’m not a morning person and tomorrow at 8.30 the staffroom will resemble hell on toast.
Posted by Chris Wood on from Manchester, England 12/11 at 02:58 PMMudge, too late for that tape recorder; see yesterday’s post about my dad; I’d go on about it again but this time I really should go leave the house for awhile, while there’s still some sun left… yeah, hey I’ve always meant to read ‘Danish Dreams’, an ironic title considering my post yesterday. I gave it as a gift to my mom, maybe I’ll ask her for it back soon.
Ahhh… heh, just saw something about this on tv this morning of all times so I looked it up.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=336904
Damn weird.Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 12/11 at 03:03 PMA Scanner Darkly will be an interesting test, J. I have basset hopes for it. I’m still waiting for a movie version of Arthur C. Clarke’s book, A Fall of Moondust, which came out the year and month I was born and which I’ve loved since teen years. The colonization of the Moon...in 1997! Well, in 1960 that wasn’t a complete impossibility. DAMN the fools in Congress!!
BTW, tangent: There is not, anywhere on planet Earth, an extant set of plans for the only launch vehicle ever designed and built that was capable of taking manned vehicles to the Moon (no, the Russians never developed one) or, in theory, anywhere else beyond Earth’s orbit. NASA chucked them during a 1990s housecleaning. The various contractors have tossed them out, too, since the project was over...gasp...33 years ago!!
So for all of the audience who thought Armageddon was a rallying cry...nope. We’ll all be “growing” wings if the next NEO (Near Earth Orbit) object becomes OEI (On Earth Impact) object.
Posted by Mudge on from Dear, dead Austin 12/11 at 03:09 PMDamn! Fifty! Too young, too early, too horrible!
Ah me...the things we wish we’d done, like reading through the posts before speaking. I’m retroactively sorry for your loss, J, and annoyed with myself that I didn’t pay enough attention to your words from yesterday.
Fifty. I’m almost 50. All my older siblings are past 50. Yuck.
Posted by Mudge on from Dear, dead Austin 12/11 at 03:15 PM“One donor who wished to remain anonymous says he’s not sure why so many would-be parents from overseas want Danish genes, but he suspects it has something to do with his countrymen’s reputation for good looks.”
From the GMA piece James linked to; all the Dames I’ve ever known were weedy little dweebs much like yourself, J.
>chuckle<
Posted by Mudge on from Dear, dead Austin 12/11 at 03:21 PMMudge said: and more still up my own alley was The Royal Physician’s Visit.
That one’s waiting for me on the shelf, too—oy, I guess my reading list is filled-in for the next couple weeks.... Thanks for the tip, my friend.
Now, I’m off to the “city” to sit in my favorite internet cafe, where I’ll check in with you all.
Posted by Hawk on from Boulder, CO 12/11 at 03:22 PMNo problem about paying attention, maybe you were outside for awhile like I should be now… yeah, it was like lightning striking.
Well, if anyone can pull off Scanner, it’s Richard Linklater. Did you see Waking Life? Scanner will be like that, with the animation and all, except with a coherent plot. PKDs family’s given it the thumb’s up, which they haven’t for other turdstorms that were stuff like Total Recall and the Tom Cruise one. Actually, the last good one was Blade Runner, also from a novel, not a short story, so maybe that’s the trick.
http://www.philipkdick.com/films_scanner-061204.html
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 12/11 at 03:25 PMMudge… ‘Dames’?
Yeah yeah, but you should meet my ‘little’ brother, he’d knock comments like that right out…Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 12/11 at 03:28 PMRegarding PKD, part of my job involves teaching Minority Report to 15 yr olds. Umm, can honestly say it’s not an inspiring movie, although it has it’s moments and in places Tom Cruise almost acts. Not a patch on Blade Runner, though.
How about Vonnegut adaptations? Breakfast of Champions had some fine scenes, but overall didn’t light my fire. Someone should make The Sirens of Titan, an intriguing book with many fantastic ideas in it. It’s the type of book that I want other people to read so I can hear what they think of it! However, weird minds like Vonnegut’s don’t make for the easiest translations to screen.
On that subject, what did other people make of the movie Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas? One of my favourite books, and the movie had some fine atmosphere, but overall I don’t know I would say it was a success. More like an interesting failure! However, a very brave and laudable attempt. There should be more people like Terry Gilliam making movies.
Posted by Chris Wood on from Manchester, England 12/11 at 03:34 PMChris, I was never a big HST fan. I liked Hell’s Angels but after that, I wasn’t much into him.
Also never read much Philip K. Dick. I’ve probably read 70-30 non-fiction in my life so that might explain it a bit.
As for Vonnegut, I’ve really liked the vast majority of his books and perhaps the best film adaptation was Mother Night.
Btw, Hawk’s got a fine post on being a hermit today: http://adreampuppet.blogspot.com.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 12/11 at 05:13 PMDo you make them read the 20 or so page story that Minority Report was based on? Damn weird how a lot of these stories, I bet Dick hardly thought twice about when he was done with them, short little things; novels were where he really came into his own.
No, my PKD fixation turned me away from Vonnegut, and never saw Fear and Loathing, though you have an apt description of Gilliam’s work often-- interesting failures. By the way, Dick was 53 when he had that brain aneurysm… sometimes, frequent use of hallucenogenic drugs are really bad for you…
And hey Mickey, this is another post that reminds me of Ball of Confusion… still looking for a good site with the lyrics for it, Temptations and later updated versions.
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 12/11 at 05:23 PMI’ve not seen the film of Mother Night but I enjoyed the book. His take on the world is so rational it becomes eerie - what he writes is terrifyingly close to how you see those people thinking. The one about ice (is it Ice 9? Something like that) is also pretty frightening, but then that’s his great gift: he’s frighteningly rational about such huge, intimidating ideas.
HST is certainly an acquired taste. Some of my friends have taken to him like a duck to water, others less so. Not to worry! It’d be a dull world if we all liked the same things.
I’ve read the Hawk’s hermit post just now and it’s very thought provoking. Bizarre how society sees withdrawl from others as being a bad thing; a sign of difference, wrongness and alienation. How far from the notions of individuality we should look to if we wish to become evolved people.
Once or twice in my life I’ve become withdrawn, usually due to having the wrong people around me. I’d sooner be on my own than with people that make me feel oppressed. (Didn’t Ambrose Bierce define solitude as being “alone in bad company”? Great idea!)
Hawk, your blog rocks. I will certainly check up on your site again - some of the links are awesome!
Best to everyone.
Posted by Chris Wood on from Manchester, England 12/11 at 05:26 PMNo, James, I don’t make the kids read the short story Minority Report was based on. The class I teach that to at the moment are one of the lowest ability ones I’ve ever taught. Their minds are so easily confused. Many children thrive when they have a challenge, but the apathy of that particular class is hard to express. Funny how some kids really hate it when you try and educate them!
BTW, if any teachers read this, can I recommend you show the movie Outfoxed? It’s an excellent piece of journalism about how Fox has shat all over the truth and smeared anyone who speaks against the party line. It is a really terrific piece of work and so thought provoking.
I don’t know if you’re familiar with an English writer called Dennis Potter, but he called his tumour Rupert. Ouch! Now that’s DARK!
Posted by Chris Wood on from Manchester, England 12/11 at 05:33 PMMickey and Chris,
Thanks for the link and the kind words. The hermit’s life is bound to resonate with writers, bloggers and otherwise Internet fiends, so I figured that post would resonate around here.
I just posted a little followup, Mickey, on my post from the other day, about the Armenia Genocide. I quote from the middle of the piece your wrote for Counterpunch, about Elie Wiesel’s weaseling. I threw in a reference to Norman G. Finkelstein and his book, The Holocaust Industry. Now there’s a book to challenge our collective conditioning, eh?
Hope you don’t mind being in the same post as those whacked out Elohim dudes, Mickey—I just had to forward some of the stuff “they” have been sending me, quite unsolicited. I think it’s karmic residue from the years I spent working in a metaphysical bookstore....
Now, feeling no “lack” in my life, it’s time to start reading Smilla.
Posted by Hawk on from Boulder, CO 12/11 at 05:35 PMDrastic change of subject: http://tinyurl.com/85rv6
P.S. Did anyone “find” the McQueen line of interest? I was quite proud of that.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 12/11 at 06:13 PMYes, I liked that, although thinking of someone that cool next to such a dick does rather stretch the mind ... like comparing Ronald Reagan with Johnny Cash.
Posted by Chris Wood on from Manchester, England 12/11 at 06:24 PMActually, Mickey, I meant to say good job on the McQueen/McFlightsuit comparison. Excellent juxtaposition—and McQueen pretty much described what’s going on within BushCo right now. I love the image of all of them falling ten floors to the ground....
Posted by Hawk on from Boulder, CO 12/11 at 06:32 PMSorry to so obviously fish for a compliment, but I really liked that one. Can’t help it.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 12/11 at 06:37 PMHey, your house, your rules...fish away, MZ.
Hawk, enjoy the Snow and let me know when Per comes up on the shelf. I’d like to hear what you thought of that one, too.
Chris, I am so reluctant to argue with Ambrose the Great and his Devil’s Dictionary, but I must..."solitude" to me is bliss, an unending pleasure that I must ration out to myself so as not to become “lonely” which is what I define as “alone in bad company.” Outfoxed was wonderful! So glad someone else has seen it! As to teaching, I went to school to become a history teacher, and discontinued schooling when I found out how much I loathed kids in groups. And I love Dennis the Dark, The Singing Detective notwithstanding. HST...blech. Nekkidest Emperor since Gutenberg invented movable type. Bigger fraud than James Joyce, and that’s goin’ some.
The Sirens of Titan as a MOVIE?! My butt’s numb thinking about it! Seven hours long, three intermissions, and most of the book left on the cutting-room floor, inevitably. How about a mini-series on SciFi instead?
Lames the Dame >snerk< I respectfully say pfui on y’all re: Minority Report. Cruise schmuise, it’s an indestructibly cinematic story, and with La Tom in it, garnered a large audience that would otherwise have yawned and moved on...so its important and well-presented ideas of personal liberty seeped a fraction of an inch deeper into a few more heads.
Your brother WOULD be younger, you’re really too young for me. >sigh< My silverware’s older than either of you. Older than me, actually, it’s from 1941. MY GOD!! IT’S OLDER THAN JOE!! And exactly what is this with bringing up death in the fifties, huh?! You tryin’ ta start somethin’?! I’m “waiting,” young man....
Posted by Mudge on from Dear, dead Austin 12/11 at 07:37 PMChris, to an earlier point about literary agents, the best way to find one is to research them. The best research tool I know of is Jeff Herman’s book:
It’s the one that got me most of my good clients. I think it even got me Our Host, but I don’t remember that far back to be honest.
Posted by Mudge on from Dear, dead Austin 12/11 at 07:54 PMSee y’all later, I have to go write a memo to a woman who could, just maybe could, create my dream workplace for and with me.
Send all the positive “volume” ya got, I need good news!!
Out at 8pm CST
Posted by Mudge on from Dear, dead Austin 12/11 at 08:58 PMGood luck, Mudge, opening that “door.” I’m rooting for you.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 12/11 at 09:04 PMSigning off for the “evening” at 9:48 pm. Thanks, everyone.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 12/11 at 09:48 PMWell, I’m late at this site today - hope you sleep well, Mickey!
And Mr and Mrs Helga met Mr Parenti in March 2003 in Berkeley - thought I should put that in.
I’ll be off to Melbourne early tomorrow and won’t be back before Saturday, so no more comments from me until then.
Hope you all have a good week, my dear MZ’ers/expendables! I’ll miss you - and I’ll miss this blog!Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 12/12 at 12:44 AMHave a great trip, Helga.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 12/12 at 05:31 AM
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