Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
No Child Left Behind...at the Central Intelligence Agency
excellent post. you had me laughing right away with..."We’ll have fun, fun, fun...till your Daddy takes our freedoms away”
the CIA for kids is unbelievably sinister. even the way they have tried to make the little hawk thing have a nice cartoony look to it and it makes it look even more sinister.
i have still not seen good will hunting but if any more of it is like that then i think i will have to.
also, after conferring with mudge about that scotland article, i have decided to give up the caledonian way and go to all things americana.
in a spirit of wild abandon i took the “how american are you?” test and i regret to say i don’t think i would make a good american. here are my results.....
<style=’color:black; font-size: 14pt;’>You Are 18% American</font></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#B2C4FF"><center>
</center><font color="#000000">You’re as American as Key Lime Tofu Pie
Otherwise known as un-American!
You belong in Cairo or Paris…
Get out fast - before you end up in Gitmo!</font></td></tr></table>
<div align="center">How American Are You?</div>Posted by michael on from scotland 01/25 at 06:57 AMthe thing didn’t post perfectly… i amend it here…
You Are 18% American
You’re as American as Key Lime Tofu Pie
Otherwise known as un-American!
You belong in Cairo or Paris…
Get out fast - before you end up in Gitmo!but you can all still take the test as the link is working. i wonder how american mickey is??
Posted by michael on from scotland 01/25 at 06:59 AMMichael, go see Good Will Hunting. You won’t regret it. Fabulous movie.
That “soliloquy” (sp) is absolutely classic - shear genius.
Mickey, I love that bit about “accurate and timely intelligence about National Security threats”!
Ah ... ahem… excuse me, .. but .. ah, where were y’all in 2001?Did you check your cookies after you left the site?
For those out there using Yahoo, they have cute cookies called Web Beacons that track your surfing and they sell it to marketers. You can opt out of it, which I have, but I delete all cookies after using their site anyway.
Just because I’m paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not after me.Posted by Jim on from 01/25 at 07:12 AMGood morning, Michael and Jim. I’m glad you liked the post.
It seems I’m 37% American:
America: You don’t love it or want to leave it.
But you wouldn’t mind giving it an extreme make over.
On the 4th of July, you’ll fly a freak flag instead…
And give Uncle Sam a sucker punch!As a vegan, I don’t eat cheese so I had to wing that question and, believe it or not, I don’t really like wine or beer, so again, my answer there was not accurate.
As for Good Will Hunting, I thought it was an interesting flick...but not nearly as radical as that one monologue would imply.
Jim: No sign of CIA cookies but, then again, they wouldn’t be obvious, would they?
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 01/25 at 07:15 AMMickey,
Monologue. That’s the word!
Yeah, I guess it had a lot of personal value for me.
Nice touch with the apples! Another great line from the movie.Posted by Jim on from 01/25 at 07:23 AMNot surprisingly, Jim, my favorite scene might have been the part that leads up to the apples punchline.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 01/25 at 07:25 AMmorning jim and mickey.
only 37% eh?
and for mickey nd all the bloggers who come here, i found this little tool which could be useful.
the first few i made are over at http://thumpingthetub.blogspot.com - i like the geoff hoon one best.
does anyone watch or like curb your enthusiasm?
Posted by michael on from scotland 01/25 at 07:27 AMYou must be bloody psychic! I was just thinkin that you would! You being an autodidact and all!
Yeah, the public library and a $1.20 late fees. And the arsehole with the good memory, no brains or scruples. Beautiful. We autodidacts ought to get a secret handshake. I mean, how many people have got the brains to educate themselves? We could be persecuted! What am I saying? We are!
Who said I’m paranoid?
I did?
Yeah, OK. I did. Happy now?!!Posted by Jim on from 01/25 at 07:32 AMMickey from last night/this morning-- thanks a lot I’m off to it! And took the test quickly, appear to be 28% American. Yikes, don’t tell my new job! So many questions just didn’t apply, like how do you answer #11, about fave president? Agh…
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 01/25 at 07:38 AMI think McMurphy knew better than we did that our tough looks were all show, because he still wasn’t able to get a real laugh out of anybody. Mabye he couldn’t understand why we weren’t able to laugh yet, but he knew you can’t really be strong until you can see a funny side to things. In fact he worked so hard at pointing out the funny side of things that I was wondering a little if mabye he was blind to the other side, if mabye he wasn’t able to see what it was that parched laughter deep inside your stomach. Mabye the guys weren’t able to see it either, just feel the pressures of the different beams and frequencies coming from all directions, working to push and bend you one way or another, feel the combine at work - but I was able to se it. [Kesey - Nest -]
Isn’t it all just a ridiculous joke any way?
Sorry for the off point posting and clutter, just wanted to drop in. It’s busy here!
I propose eveyone stop, sense the absolute absurd ridiculity and laugh aloud he he.Posted by declan on from dublin 01/25 at 07:45 AMHi Declan,
I think humour is the only way to deal with institutionalised insanity and not join ‘em.Michael,
What an unfortunate name Mr. Hoon has.
I like the hat your lady friend upthread is wearing.Posted by Jim on from 01/25 at 07:54 AMI’ll leave you with this for now, about the CIA and kids:
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 01/25 at 08:06 AMLet us know how it goes, James.
Declan: Long time, no see. Welcome back. Hope you’re here to stay for a while. This one’s for you: “My way of joking is to tell the truth. It is the funniest joke in the world.” (Shaw)
Michael, I’ll check out the links shortly.
Hi Jim.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 01/25 at 08:27 AMHi all, sorry I missed the Fight Club discussion, I usually go onto internet about six a.m. EST. For my two cents, I liked it but preferred the film, for me the fun drained away as soon as they started killing people.
p.s. Declan, what part Dublin you from?
p.p.s. great movie quote, M.
Posted by Owen on from Batcelona 01/25 at 08:57 AMp.p.s. FEMA´s website has a kids page too, with a hermit crab as a mascot.
Posted by Owen on from Batcelona 01/25 at 09:02 AMHey Owen. Feel free to comment further on Fight Club, if you wish. It can continue today.
What’s the FEMA link?
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 01/25 at 09:04 AMJust found this on the FEMA for Kids page:
“FEMA helps people BEFORE a disaster so they will be ready. FEMA teaches people how to prepare for a disaster and how to make their homes as safe as possible. FEMA works with communities to help them build safer, stronger buildings that are less likely to be damaged.”
All together now, kids: Ka-treeee-naaahhh.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 01/25 at 09:06 AMI wonder what they´d call their ´civilian detention centres´?
Posted by Owen on from Batcelona 01/25 at 09:33 AM“Temporary playgrounds,” perhaps?
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 01/25 at 09:34 AMFight Club discussion was fascinating. Good stuff. Now what, and when? I propose we read the new translation of War and Peace for next Friday. CatLady James should be up for that, the new gig can’t be that challenging. (Major mojo, Miss CatLady!)
MZ, your post yesterday about Fight Club being a very male book...hmmm...I don’t know Palahniuk, but is it not possible he wrote the book to counter the unresisted feminization of males in the modern world?
Off to read a book called Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush so as to be able to pitch it to a film company.
Posted by Mudge "Lithium-5" on from Austin 01/25 at 09:44 AMI’d certainly know nothing of the ‘unresisted feminization of males in the modern world’, given my moniker above… pardon while I pick the dander out of my nether region. Yeah, I am so owned by my litter box and cat furniture; Tyler would not approve. Off to do my Little Eichmann thing! Ward can pay my rent next month!
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 01/25 at 09:53 AMI like the cartoon james- can you post the link to what site is it from?
thanks
Posted by kaitlin on from Mass. 01/25 at 10:36 AMI love the “Say No to Drugs” bit. Air America. Iran Contra. Afghanistan. And they tell kids to “Say No to Drugs”. That’s rich.
Maybe they should say, “Say no to drugs until you grow up and join the CIA. Then you can sell drugs to finance your covert operations designed to overthrow democratically elected governments!”
Incidentally, I “aced” the drug test. Hope they don’t put me on any sort of list for that.
Posted by Jeremy on from Taiwan 01/25 at 11:20 AMfrom “how american are you?” quiz:
question #2:
“x,y...”
z as in “zed”
z as in “zee”i chose the metric version. incidentally, that’s how i pronounce your name, mick.
i’d like a tolstoy read-off. “fight club” was a bit too frat-esque, the “feminization of modern males” angle doesn’t really fly for me, as if to imply the women’s movement has entirely succeeded, rules society tyranically and now must be taken down a peg(?) tho t.d. did make some great sociopolitical observations throughout, not my cup of tea overall. and don’t get me started on david “hollywood does mtv” fincher’s film version… oy.
that speech from “good will hunting”, tho, was one of my first intros to radical thought. much appreciated nostalgia, mr. zed.
21%
my security word below is: freedom
looks like the nsa is in the house…
Posted by simon moon on from detroit 01/25 at 12:07 PMhow evil is your website find out here: http://tinyurl.com/qmjj
Posted by tm on from earth 01/25 at 01:24 PMHi All MZ’ers. James, Good luck with the job. My guess is that Ward would understand better than most people about the necessity of earning a little money. Colleges and Universities are a bastion of corporate/military projects. Maybe we are all Eichmann’s and WC is just trying to get all of us out of denial.
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 01/25 at 01:54 PMHello Simon, RMJ, and Mudge. Kaitlin: <b>Long</b? time, no see. Welcome back.
Jeremy: I have the feeling, “perhaps” you’re on a few lists already.
TM: My site is 33% evil, 67% good. I’d say that’s about right.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 01/25 at 02:15 PMGood post, Mickey - and good speech from Matt Damon!
And ‘hi’ to all of the expendables assembled here - on Australia Day, in memory of the landing of the First Fleet on 26 January 1788. Not that the original inhabitants of this wide, brown land have anything to celebrate because they were not treated very well by the convicts/settlers, to put it mildly.
A scorcher ahead (it is 6:33 am): up to 104 F today. But .. some people still doubt that there is such a thing as global warming!Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 01/25 at 02:33 PMHello there everyone (PS cheers Joe for your generous words yesterday ... sorry I was in bed by then - time zones & all that - so couldn’t thank you at the time)
Scary shit today! CIA kids’ page ... yikes! Does that remind you of those crappy, logo & trademarked character intensive play sheets they have for kids at chain restaurants? That sort of “indoctrinate the puppies” approach is one of the most freakishly prurient aspects of today’s “apply the blinkers at the womb” mentality.
Luckily I also aced the drugs test. Can I have a job whacking ‘unsuitable’ people now? I promise not to tell anyone about fiddling the stock market
promise >wink wink<That “say no to drugs” page has a great byline - “get high on intelligence.” Jim, I believe that answers your question in re 2001! The CIA were locked in bathrooms and talking 2000 words a minute.
The website verification page was a hoot:
“Experts consider the mathematical patterns in the text of the Holy Bible as God’s watermark of authenticity. Thus, the Gematriculator provides only results that are absolutely correct.”
Holy crap! (no pun intended)
An excellent post, MZ. I’ve never seen Good Will Hunting, but after that speech excerpt - even if the rest doesn’t hit the same high standard - I think I’ll have to rent it.
Best to all!
Posted by Chris Wood on from Manchester, England 01/25 at 02:34 PMHi Chris,
Thanks Mate. That clears things up a bit.It just struck me what the CIA/FEMA kiddie stuff reminds me of - the grooming process used by pedophiles.
Why would anyone give any credibility to an organisation whose main functions includes putting out lies and all manner of deception?
I think that’s bizarrePosted by Jim on from 01/25 at 04:07 PMYes, thanks, I understand, RMJ, I just like to tease the guy… and myself. So far so good.
Kaitlin, it’s the main post today on http://www.toothpastefordinner.com Lots of good stuff there. Gotta go, see ya later,
Posted by James on from NYC 01/25 at 04:22 PMHi again. There is an interesting controversy going on about a Joel Stein column in the LA Times about Support of the Troops.
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060125/3/2emvs.htmlAlso, I am definitely NOT an Oprah fan but tomorrow she will do a program about people trying to survive on the minimum wage. Maybe this will be worth watching. Too bad one of the richest in America will be asking the questions.
Also, radioactive water in Chicago and more US contaminated beef.
Also, Harry Belafonte is still speaking up....I’m just wild about Harry....
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 01/25 at 05:08 PMJim, that “grooming process” notion of yours has an eerie & unsettling ring about it. One of those things which are hard to ignore and harder to accept.
No doubt you are right about accepting the word of people who are skilled in spin & disinfo: but it takes open eyes to see that. As many adults can’t (the majority, I believe) most kids don’t stand a chance. Another notch of grievance against CIA policy & their disregard for any standard of fair play.
Not being sure how well English phrases have travelled, can I mention the phrase “playing with a straight bat”? It’s a cricket term (I know, not the most exciting of games) meaning, basically, to play the game with sportsmanship, integrity & with a decent approach.
If any Expendable can give me an example of the CIA “playing with a straight bat,” I will cheerfully write them a grovelling letter of apology for my many years of thinking harsh thoughts about them. However, I doubt I’ll be troubled!
Simon re 24 - much I agree with there, but not sure about the “feminisation” of modern males. I know there’s that stuff about “we’re a generation of men raised by women / another woman isn’t the answer”, which is fair enough, but I believe a lot of men truly love the relatively new attention to grooming that advertising demands - the Calvin Klein ads etc. I think that’s a mixture of ego & libido on the consumer’s part, & the regular dollop of straight greed from the marketeers.
You know, I once thought about getting work in marketing ... I thought maybe I could get a good income for being “creative” there (pause for vomit). So glad I had the decency (& if I’m being completely honest, laziness) to pass it up.
A (quite, for me at least) chilling duality - shortly after getting a brief from an ad agency, a school friend of mine died. I’d already decided not to do the brief (luckily Bill Hicks nuked advertising so well I just couldn’t have gone through with it) when he died, but when everyone who knew him gathered & talked about what he’d done in his short life (25, poor guy), some time later, when the grief had died down a little, I was so glad that a) I was alive, & b) if I’d died instead of Mike, for all my many failures, at least nobody could’ve said I laboured to find new & inventive ways of flogging tat.
Small mercies!
Helga re 28 - of course there is no such thing as global warming! That’s nonsense made up by noisy, piggy faced troublemakers who can’t afford great big cars & object to their smaller, more environmentally friendly transport being viewed as so much roadkill waiting to happen.
I hate SUVs, sorry to anyone who drives one but I do. Round my way, NOBODY at all has any need of one - it’s flat as a pancake & the terrain is as smooth as new bedsheets. BUT all the SUV drivers seem to regard people in piddling cars like mine as ants waiting to be squashed by (clearly better) people in the higher income bracket. Fuckers.
Returning to the kiddy friendly CIA page - here’s a nightmare scenario. Do you suppose that, when Langley employees take little Topsy n Tim into reception en route the creche, they have little activity sheets with a maze where Dickhead Jr can guide the assassin to the subversive?
Those Orwell passages about the Spies in 1984 leap to mind. Yet another boundary of innocence flattened, & an opportunity for brainwashing taken.
Anyone remember Supersize Me, when Morgan Spurlock talks to the shrink who analyses how McD’s et al aim at the kids? Hard to believe anyone actually thought of doing that, much less acting on it. But then I’m retarded. I have family who are aged 3 & 4, yet I have still to sell them anything! What’s with my thinking?
Posted by Chris Wood on from Manchester, England 01/25 at 05:11 PMHello Gang...welcome Helga and Chris. I’m just popping in to let everyone know that Rosemarie (RMJ) has a new must-read piece here: http://urlsnip.com/215790
Captcha sez: Value. Believe it.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 01/25 at 05:41 PMGood Expendable evening All,
I’ve not been able to comment much, simply not enough time, but I’ve been in to read and lurk.
Hope the first day went well, James!
Hi and thanks to everyone for all the interesting and useful / entertaining links.
MZ, After reading the excerpt from Good Will Hunting I think I’ll have to see it again soon, you reminded me of how much I enjoyed it. Funny how Hollywood is clearly capable of presenting ‘good’ ideas without cheezing them up unnecessarily, but does so only seldom.
AND>> Thanks for the link to RMJ’s latest.
VALUE - Rosemarie your are an invaluable and uniquely special woman. Balls of solid brass, and more brains in them than the Vermont Judiciary combined, by the sounds of things.
More power to you and I shall be meditating on this later.
I can’t tell you enough how inspiring I find you to be...It’s all fine and well for me, or anyone, to talk the talk, but I could only hope to exhibit half of the personal fortitude that you do in your many experiences if I were to be faced with any similarly organized challenge to your very existance, let alone just treatment under the law.
Posted by Amelopsis on from Canada 01/25 at 07:55 PMEmpress: I emphatically echo your sentiments about Rosemarie.
Also, I’m glad to have spurred a Good Will Hunting revival of sorts. Hollywood has set the bar soooo low, we should support any flick that even hints at social conscience.
Any thoughts on what book we should “read” next?
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 01/25 at 07:58 PMNext read....I’m still fond of my initial suggestion of Farley Mowat’s ‘A Whale for the Killing’ http://tinyurl.com/8bqex (the book description does it no justice btw) , but it’s not striking me as one that would be a “strong” populist choice: it’s more of an autobiographical account of reality.
No, on second (or fifth) thought I think it really would be a good choice. More exemplary than analytical, but motivational to be sure. Farley’s reasons and efforts as described in the book can easily be transposed to many other facets of life.
What do you think of it?Posted by Amelopsis on from Canada 01/25 at 08:17 PMChris,
I was going to mention Ray Crock’s seemingly obsessive focus on kids but then thought “Naaahh .. better not”Rosemarie,
Can’t say how sad I am to read of your appalling experience. I wouldn’t worry about embarrassing the truck driver. He’s letting you twist in the wind.The State is going to an awful lot of trouble for something they should be insured for.
There’s something else going on here and I bet it will make their past behaviour seem mild and what you and others have experienced is the tip of the iceberg.Advertise for other victims and get together with them with the idea of “what’s behind this?” (expect a ring-in).
See if you can network through a sympathetic lawyer (yeah, I know ...) for other victims.Someone high up is making big money. Look for who handles their insurance and the go-betweens.
Rattle their cage and see what falls out.
And get some encription on your email.Oh, and good luck plus I’ll get on my personal hot-line to God for you!
Posted by Jim on from 01/25 at 08:26 PMHi Jim. Thanks for being around so much these days. You’re one of the originals here.
Empress: You have me curious about Mowat. I’d second your vote.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 01/25 at 08:31 PMJim - yikes!
Before I #### off to bed, can I point people to yet another Agency obscenity:
How DARE the CIA invoke a Hendrix lyric? I feel real fury at this & have had enough for one day. Especially when you consider the swine caption above.
Great good luck & blessings to all, but that closes today for me.
Posted by Chris Wood on from Manchester, England 01/25 at 09:04 PMMickey...thanks for posting the link to my latest. I have been hoping that I would get some feedback from MZ’ers. It is really important in a situation like I am in, to get the perspective of such an intelligent group of comrades.
Amelopsis...You are the greatest, “...balls of solid brass...” A nicer compliment no one could ever receive.
Jim...You have touched on a whole new area of the problem. I have been told that the State dropped its insurance in 1989. I also have been told, but never verified it, that the State has 5000 uninsured vehicles on the road. I have had to tell a few members of the legislature about this insurance situation because some of them were not aware of it. It is a gigantic mess. A real scandal is brewing. Your idea about getting together with other victims is wonderful. I have been hoping that enough pressure can come so that an 800 hotline phone number will be set up. I can’t do it all by myself. It is possible that I will be going to prison any day on the conviction.
My captcha word is “freedom”Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 01/25 at 09:27 PMDoes any Expendable have any suggestions as to how we might collectively help to further Rosemarie’s progress with this battle? I’d like to contribute in some way to the required effort but genuinely do not have a clue as to how, not least because I’m not a US citizen and therefore not immediately familiar with the proprietary machinations that would need to be engaged.
And here I am once again wishing I had lottery jackpots at my disposal...We’d have 800 numbers and newspaper ads coming out the wazoo then...not to mention an electric car, doctors, lawyers, and water pumps, Oh my!
In the meantime, it’s bedtime; but I hope that tomorrow’s board will have some ideas that may prove fruitful, I’m certain that they will be insightful. Tomorrow will be busy for me again, but as usual I’ll be lurking at least, and will be looking forward to the post and to seeing what ideas are conjured up for RMJ.
Posted by Amelopsis on from Canada 01/25 at 10:26 PMAmelopsis mentioned Farley Mowat. I read “And No Birds Sang”, which I think is by that author, if I recall. I also recall thinking it was a great book.
Good Will Hunting is a great movie.
“How DARE the CIA invoke a Hendrix lyric?”
And Pink Floyd, too!
Back to the topic of books, I’ve got some recommendations on my website (mostly relating to US foreign policy--MZ is in there). Haven’t updated it in a while, though:
As for novels/fiction, I haven’t read any in a while, so I don’t have any recommendations for y’all.
Posted by Jeremy on from Taiwan 01/25 at 10:29 PMtalking about books and movies just saw Capote (the movie) yesterday after finishing up Fight Club (the book)...both were excellent...I wish I had read Fight Club before seeing the movie. I think I’ll pick up In Cold Blood next. Good to see RMJ here and everyone else...is Joe around? How about Mudge? I’m sure they’re around somewhere.
My theory on Fight Club is that some of it was inspired by the NArcotics Anonymous program...which is a great example of an anarchic fellowship...throw in the self-help groups and rules (steps) and there are a lot of similarities...he actually mentions NA in the book. Anyway...I’ll have computer access for tonight and tomorrow morning so I’ll be around. Later.
captcha: military, huh?
Posted by JOS on from Chicago 01/25 at 10:35 PMHello one more time, everyone. Great to see you, JOS. You sound great. Feel free to comment all you like on Fight Club.
Thanks for the plug, Jeremy. I’m honored to be in such company.
Empress: I’m adding RMJ’s article to the post I had planned for tomorrow...along with a request for ideas to help.
Good night, all…
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 01/25 at 10:40 PMI’m back - at 4:32 pm local time. A cool change has just come through and the temperature has dropped from 104 to about 86 or so.
Chris, I fully agree with you re SUV drivers.
Re the next book to read - what about ‘The Great War for Civilisation’ by Robert Fisk? That’s what I am reading at the moment, so I’m half joking. It is a mere 1,282 pages long but good to read!
Here is an Australian connection to the Canadian elections, Amelopsis:
http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2006/s1554747.htm
Can’t say I am proud of it - and Canadians have shown more sense than Australians as Mr Harper, unlike our PM Howard, did not get a majority in his own right.
Good night all!Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 01/26 at 12:36 AMNice one mz, another unconnected Shawism: The world does not become any less funny when somebody dies, any more than it becomes any less serious when somebody laughs.
Jeez Rosemarie, thats awful. Here in Dublin there is a statue of lady justice atop the gates of dublin castle the seat of British power here up until independence, the point about her being that she faces into the castle with her back to the people and of this I am reminded.
Nice on e Jim, And I’m in south central Owen. Oh and well done chris for avoiding being on the receiving end of this:
“By the way, if anyone here is in advertising or marketing, kill yourself.Kill yourselves, seriously. You are the ruiner of all things good. Seriously, no, this is not a joke. “There’s gonna be a joke coming...” There’s no fucking joke coming, you are Satan’s spawn, filling the world with bile and garbage, you are fucked, and you are fucking us, kill yourselves, it’s the only way to save your fucking soul. Kill yourselves, kill yourselves now. Now, back to the show.” Hicks he hePosted by declan on from dublin 01/26 at 08:20 AM
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