Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Introducing the New and Improved "Propaganda Catapult"
Mickey you have got to stop posting photos of Arunhati-- you know I can’t concentrate on the rest of the post after that.
Still, I got yer catapults right here:
http://www.arcadetown.com/catapult/index.asp
(have fun, Mudge)
And--
http://www.neurotoys.com/catapult.html
http://www.thecatconnection.com/Cat-A-Pult.htmlAlso, I needed new bedsheets last week, and the only place I could think of to get them was K-Mart, meaning I had buy Martha Stewart Everyday sheets. (okay, I’ll admit it, there was too much cat-vomit and claw scratches and it was getting out of hand, thus my urgent need for new sheets). And yes, it really bothered me to have a convicted felon’s name on my sheets. What’s next, a Robert Blake blanket? A Charles Manson toilet seat? Damn it.
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 01/15 at 08:11 AMAnd of course, lots of wishes for fun and peaceful/productive times ahead for JOS and anyone else needing them… us James’s have to stick together. Splatter a feline against that virtual wall for me, man!
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 01/15 at 08:31 AMSome ‘propaganda’ from riverbend:
http://tinyurl.com/qiqkPosted by Mew on from England 01/15 at 08:55 AMGreetingS All...A lot of good stuff here today, Mickey. Thanks.
Love that Line in Rage about the yellow ribbons and swastikas.
About Martha Stewart. I agree that she is a Capitalist doing what capitalists do but as far as her legal battle goes, it should be remembered that she was convicted for telling the government a lie about a non-crime. In my view, that was the one most shining moment in her life because it shows what happens to a citizen as compared to an entire government that lies to its people. Maybe she should be given a parade for that one moment. What about Ken Lay????
Speaking about shining moments, I just spent 2 hours watching WC on C-span. I have once again been “Churchillized”. What a bright light he is in an otherwise utterly dark universe. One of the memorable comments he made was when he was explaining his deep appreciation for the Law, and since the group in Washington have committed war crimes, WC said “...according to the Law, maybe it is time to get on the gurney, George...” (referring to the death penalty for war criminals...” I know that we don’t want capital punishment for anyone, but.....)
Also speaking about C-span....John Perkins is scheduled to be on at 10:44 this morning.Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 01/15 at 09:01 AMI turned on C-span at about 6:15 a.m., didn’t see Ward-- are you in a different time zone? Was he on earlier than here?
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 01/15 at 09:09 AMJames, did you try C-span2, book tv ? I apologize for not being clear. In my mind, I always mix up C-span and C-span 2. I am in Vermont, in your time zone.
My captcha word is “PEACE”. Wow, WC and PEACE on the same morning. I hope that means something.Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 01/15 at 09:22 AMOh, that’s what I get for being too cheap/in debt to pay for cable-- both my internet and tv are pirated (forgive me, FBI lurkers!) so I only have C-Span 1. Ah, well, get what you pay for… which in this case is quite a lot, with my free access to Cool Observer. Thanks anyway, Rosemarie!
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 01/15 at 09:26 AMGood morning to Everyone,
James you made me start out the day with a laugh. Thanks.(although the games for purchase are a little disturbing)
Far more disturbing is the way in which today’s propagandists seem to realise that many are aware of their motivations and rather than redouble their efforts, they just keep repeating, keep repeating, keep repeating. I’ve wondered if GWB hasn’t sometimes repeated things simply for the sake of his own comprehension only to be berated by handlers later.
Altogether offensive to my intelligence and maddening how many otherwise relatively good citizens will still lap it up, even if it is with a grain of salt.
Arundhati is a peach isn’t she? India’s ‘progress’ over the past 2 decades has troubled me indeed. Believe it or not at the time when I went there, coca cola and pepsi did not exist there. Thumbs-up cola and Gold spot orange soda were the options available. (consumer marketing worked for them too - I still remember those brand names.) Western clothing was a novelty and certainly not worn by most of the middle class. Today soft drink giants are contributing to horrible living conditions and hoarding the fresh water supplies while poluting the supplies of the local people, and you could transplant any middle class Indian child into any US city and you’d not tell him from the others. Running shoes, brand name shirts and pants and a nintendo in hand.
‘Progress’ SUCKS.
Mew in “England” - I read that same riverbend piece on Friday and was quite affected by it. Her personal accounts of the tragedies that are life in Iraq for the average person leave me at a loss for words.
Rosemarie I’m glad you’ve had a good start to your day. Much needed, I’m sure; and hopefully it’s fortified you for the days to come.
I focused in on the same line about swastikas. But it got me thinking again of the symbol itself. I’ve always been puzzled (perhaps simply from my lack of researching it)as to why and how the Swastika was chosen by the Third Reich and then flipped backwards. It’s a great symbol of power originating somehow or other from the Sanskrit language and is used constantly all over India in every manner of ceremony. Of course it’s now forever linked with Nazi Germany.
MZ, from yesterday...I’m afraid I’ve never seen those movies of yours, but some of the titles and story lines sound familiar. I think I’ll have to remedy that situation now.
Posted by Amelopsis on from Canada 01/15 at 09:36 AMJames, I admire your resourcefulness. For a long time I have argued that cable, especially C-span, internet connections etc should be given to ALL citizens. There can’t be even the illusion of democracy until that happens. You were trying to be a good citizen and your resourcefulness should be applauded.
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 01/15 at 09:37 AMOh, I didn’t even look at the for-purchase games, but glad you liked this one. How’s your score so far? Betting Mudge wins this one…
Yeah, and the swastika symbol is also said to be taken from an early symbol of the god Thor… that’s just wrong, I don’t even know where to start.
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 01/15 at 09:39 AMPeople say how lucky I am, getting free basic cable and internet, which is laughable, what with my high rent and expenses, but hey, I’ll do whatever it takes, because this way I can always say I live in… the coolest named neighorhood in the world. If you can’t stand the heat…
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 01/15 at 09:42 AMHi Mew. Amelopsis...you got me thinking about symbols...there is really no symbol that represents much of my belief system. The peace symbol is OK but I would prefer a symbol that also includes the concept of justice.
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 01/15 at 09:44 AMHere’s a little account of someone’s experience regarding swastikas:
http://tinyurl.com/9nmo5And this one has some interesting trivia about them. It mentions the relation to Thor, which I didn’t know about until you mentioned it James.
http://tinyurl.com/72rlqI actually didn’t know it’d been so widely used - I always thought it was just particular to India.
Another example of how propaganda has like a ray gun to our collective memory and wiped out all but one usage.
Posted by Amelopsis on from Canada 01/15 at 09:58 AMI might have learned about the Thor connection on here, actually-- some article that Mickey wrote or linked to… damn it, perversion of my culture like that. Off to enjoy this beautiful NYC weather today… sort of.
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 01/15 at 10:04 AMI’m on a roll…
Here’s some of our own Canadian brand of propaganda from the Liberals’ campaign. The part about the ‘Canada Corps’ worries me - I dont’ know enough about this relatively new entity but it reeks of military involvement in some way.
It might interest you to know that there’s a liberal campaign ad (negative one) that’s being trashed as a smear tactic: It drew attention to a few facts about our Conservative leader having attended, given speaches to and consulted with US Conservative think tanks.
I find it a little funny that colluding with the US far right is tacitly agreed as being a Negative here. Unless we stop colluding though, it’s just more rhetoric designed to appease.
Posted by Amelopsis on from Canada 01/15 at 10:06 AMgood morning all . its official http://thumpingthetub.blogspot.com has got its first troll! his name is jaakko and he is talking nonsense. anyone that cares to join me in abusing him is very welcome. amelopsis has already helped out.
Posted by michael on from scotland 01/15 at 10:30 AMHello Expendable Nation...from snowy Astoria.
Amelopsis on a roll? Sounds like the lunch special. I’ll take one order with a side of Arundhati Peach. (Sorry...couldn’t resist)
RMJ: I’m happy to hear Ward did not disappoint.
James: It’s mighty icy out there. I just took baby steps all over Astoria...hoping not to fall. How is it in Manhattan?
Hello Mew: Thanks for the link.
Michael: Jaako appears less like a troll and more like an Internet know-it-all. The kind who will never admit error. How did he find you? Btw, I went to his blog and saw him crowing about Saddam’s long history of war crimes. No mention, of course, of the support Iraq received from the U.S. and UK.
Empress: I’m not sure if you saw this, but I had written something on swastikas, etc. here: http://tinyurl.com/bu4v7.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 01/15 at 11:36 AMYeah, damnit that’s where I read about the Thor-swastika connection. So wrong! Thor was a good man-- um, god. Oh well. Leaving again now, will report back on the state of the road. Hope you’re scoring well on cat-a-pult. Supposed to get them in the doors or windows, but more fun the impale them, to be honest.
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 01/15 at 11:45 AMi don’t know how he found the site. he turned up yesterday. he is from this town and i have my suspicions though.
i just posted this quote which he reminded me of…
“The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, but he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them.”
Orwell
Posted by michael on from scotland 01/15 at 12:13 PMPerfect, Michael...and right in sync with my post today.
Good luck with your new friend. Let us know if you want a legion of Expendables to log on and lend support.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 01/15 at 12:22 PMi get the feeling he is going to stick around.
boo.
i am a bit of an orwell nut as you have probably all noticed. i have an orwell quote for every occasion.
would be interested to know which person all of you have that sort of thing with??
Posted by michael on from scotland 01/15 at 12:26 PMThanks Mickey, I don’t remember reading that even thought it wasn’t so long ago that you posted it.
I liked this quote you referred to:
“Like most demagogic religious sects, its rank and file was spellbound with the courage of demented convictions, and its leadership was financed and supported by powerful people whose main interest was accumulating more power. The finely tuned machine of brainwashing, fanaticism, and secrecy is perfect for that purpose.”“Evidence” that we’re doomed to repeat history unless we consciously act to avoid doing so.
Posted by Amelopsis on from Canada 01/15 at 12:39 PMMichael my capacity for accurately quoting almost anyone is as good as my capacity for a good comeback: I’ll think up a GREAT one...the next day.
But my favourite is Ghandi (I’m likely not quoting exactly)
"Be the change you wish to see in the world"
I think it sums it up nicely for me.
Posted by Amelopsis on from Canada 01/15 at 12:45 PMI’d say I’ve probably quoted Bruce Lee more than anyone else. e.g.
"Using no way as way, having no limitation as limitation."
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 01/15 at 12:49 PMMichael, I love your site! Very good indeed, mate. Have just popped by to add my two pennorth.
I love the Orwell fixation. Can’t say - to my regret - I can remember that many of his quotes, but his nuances of language & splendid, far sighted wisdom have been inspiring to me since I read “Down & Out In Paris & London.” Good call, fella.
Posted by Chris Wood on from Manchester, England 01/15 at 01:16 PMMy mistake, my comment didn’t post. Curse all this new fangled technology.
Posted by Chris Wood on from Manchester, England 01/15 at 01:46 PMPS Anyone seen Jarhead yet?
Posted by Chris Wood on from Manchester, England 01/15 at 01:48 PMA fine and sunny good afternoon Expendable beauties,
The sun is shining and our wonderfully unnatural “Spring” in January beckons us outside to walk and see.
I started into a tirade but I realized it is more suited for my own blog update later tonight.
I joining the Empress and heading outside to enjoy the lovely springtime we are experiencing.
She is such good “company” (ha, I used my captcha word!)It is sad seeing all of the squirrels who should be hunkered down, all fattened for winter sleep, trundling about befuddled because winter never came. They are so fat and confused.
(typical Canadians)Empress beckons and I obey. Will propagandize you all later.
Posted by Youngfox on from Soon to be NeoconCanada 01/15 at 02:32 PMArundhati Roy rowr. Thanks for posting that for me yesterday Mickey. I had a lovely Sunday of tai chi and playing with some new musical friends in an old plaza to accompany some clowns making a film, I wish you all one just as splendid.
Posted by Owen on from Barcelona 01/15 at 03:59 PMSunday’s almost over here, and I’m about to turn in (and dammit I missed another Storytelling Saturday). But I might be able to provide a clue to the “troll” at Michael’s blog.
First of all I agree with Mickey, I don’t think of those comments as being so troll-like. I’ve seen worse, and so far no personal attacks---that’s nice.
Trolls abound at the ZNet blogs, where I spend too much time. The other day I made a comment with a link to Michael’s site there (at this post by David Peterson, check the comments...). Michael, perhaps your Jaakko found you this way.
As to your other question, Camus always provides me with excellent quote-fodder.
Posted by Keir on from The Hague 01/15 at 04:09 PMI brought from Ireland a copy of Camus´ The Rebel, which I´ve never read, praps we could all read it together at some point.
Posted by Owen on from Barcelona 01/15 at 04:20 PMGood idea, Owen. One of the most important books I have experienced. For the rest of you, this is how The Rebel starts:
“There are crimes of passion and crimes of logic. The line that divides them is not clear. But the Penal Code distinguishes between them by the useful concept of premeditation. We are living in the era of premeditation and perfect crimes.”
Okay. Now I really am going to bed.
Posted by Keir on from The Hague 01/15 at 04:31 PM<b>Be the change you wish to see in the world<b>
That’s one of my favorite quotes, Amelopsis. I am one quoteless son of a gun, though, so it doesn’t count for much, as evidenced by my other favorite quote:
<b>It was inedible muck, and there wasn’t enough of it.<b>
That Ghandi quote was the theme behind yesterday’s #32 post. There was a bevy of stories chronicling the evil that men do. I wanted to offer a counterpoint.
Posted by Cart on from near Warshington DC 01/15 at 05:15 PMI just remembered this and had to add a note. I saw a car with a bumper sticker of a US flag with “Pray for Peace” underneath it. Is it me, or is that like a bumper sticker that says:
“I hope someone else starts working on this peace thing, cause there sure as hell is nothing I or my government can do about it.”
Posted by Cart on from near Warshington DC 01/15 at 05:30 PMI’m back, it wasn’t too icy outside, depending where you walked exactly, how far in the sun. Cold though, but thankfully not much wind. As for Orwell, did you like Keep the Aspidistra Flying? That one really resonated with me.
MZ, ever been to Old Devil Moon on east 12th St.? Just had the best brunch there, tofu fritatta to rival Kate’s or Caravan… sorry everyone for the NYC-centered chat-- hey, will all of you NYC potential commenters delurk already? Enough with that.
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 01/15 at 06:29 PMCold Sunday night here...but captcha sez: “summer.” Hope everyone is well. Where’s Joe and Mudge?
James: I don’t know Old Devil Moon. Whenever I’m on East 12th St., I automatically go to Angelica Kitchen.
Chris: Yeah, I saw Jarhead. A little long, but still a good anti-war war movie. Did you see it?
How was your walk, Youngfox?
Keir and Owen: I’m down with The Rebel as the next book. Anyone else?
Cart: I agree with you. Religion today is a great way to get the masses to aim their appeals for help and change at the heavens instead of demanding leaders (sic) to do what they’re elected (sic) to do.
Hey, anyone watching the NFL playoffs?
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 01/15 at 06:56 PMAnd where is Helga with her Down Under report from tomorrow?
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 01/15 at 06:58 PMCart re 33 Don’t sell yourself short, man! Better to be eclectically genuine if that’s your bag. Like me & music, I just love whatever grabs my ears. BTW, your favourite quote - not sure where you heard it, but the first time I heard that was from Viv Stanshall’s HUGELY underrated masterpiece “Sir Henry at Rawlinson End.” One of the most piss funny things I’ve ever heard. Anyone who doesn’t know this treat, please get it. Mudge, if you love Lear, this will be one for you. Please send me a mail at if you don’t have a copy, old bean.
MZ, no, not seen Jarhead yet. Am behind on my movies - not even seen Kong yet. Sometimes I go to the movies as soon as a likely goodie comes out; other times, like these, I just swelter the work through & chill after. Must do a full day at the movies soon - I like nothing more than seeing two or three in a day, just veg in front of the big screen with a sandwich. Bliss! I only do that once a year or so, but it’s a great day of mental down time bar the excitement. Cinema is so amazing - I saw Oldboy last year at a little arts cinema, and for the first half hour I was just agog at the energy of it. The camera angles were so amazing! It was like being in a car accident happening in someone’s brain. Staggering stuff.
Hope all the Expendables are in fine form for the coming week. Can I thank the spendid dudes like Youngfox for sharing their good days? It’s great to hear when someone’s had a genuinely splendid, low & lazy time. Been a good weekend for me, a little odd at times (seen a very odd domestic between two friends behaving very unlike themselves!), but nonetheless fine. Soon I will be cheerfully supine & about to face another five days of work mornings. God, how I hate waking up & falling straight into my car! But it’s a good job & I enjoy it, overall. Like Vonnegut says, “if this isn’t nice, what is?”
Peace & big cheeky grins to y’all.
Posted by Chris Wood on from Manchester, England 01/15 at 07:27 PMBTW, what’s Sander up to? Any way I can help?
Posted by Chris Wood on from Manchester, England 01/15 at 08:30 PMChris, you can keep up with Sander Hicks here: http://voxpopnet.net.
G’night, all… from frigid Astoria.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 01/15 at 09:57 PMThanks for posting the Arundhati Roy stuff, Mickey! And is life not fair or what?? Ms Roy has everything - beauty and brains.
And a belated ‘hi’ to all you MZ’ers/expendables - I am a day late because I don’t use the computer on most Mondays.
Bye!Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 01/16 at 03:28 PMA Yellow Ribbon Instead of a Swastika…
The Ironic T-Shirt Corporation created the Anti-Ribbon to express our opinion that the yellow ribbon and “Support Our Troops” slogan is a form of propaganda, and pro-war propaganda at that. We believe that whether they know it or not, people who put yellow ribbons on their car are telling the rest of the world that war in Iraq is okay, and that war, in general, is an acceptable, viable solution to our problems.
We read a Noam Chomsky quote dealing with yellow ribbons as propaganda a long time ago that became one of the inspirations for the Anti-Ribbon:
“Americanism. Who can be against that? Or harmony. Who can be against that? Or, as in the Persian Gulf War, “Support our troops.” Who can be against that? Or yellow ribbons. Who can be against that? Anything that’s totally vacuous. In fact, what does it mean if someone asks you, Do you support the people in Iowa? Can you say, Yes, I support them, or No, I don’t support them? It doesn’t mean anything. That’s the point. The point of public relations slogans like ‘Support our troops’ is that they don’t mean anything. They mean as much as whether you support the people in Iowa. Of course, there was an issue. The issue was, Do you support our policy? But you don’t want people to think about the issue. That’s the whole point of good propaganda. You want to create a slogan that nobody’s going to be against, and everybody’s going to be for. Nobody knows what it means, because it doesn’t mean anything. It’s crucial value is that it diverts your attention from a question that does mean something: Do you support our policy? That’s the one you’re not allowed to talk about.”
Noam Chomsky
From “Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media”, edited by Mark Achbar, p. 79
Posted by The Ironic T-Shirt Corporation on from Boulder, CO 08/08 at 12:44 PM
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