Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
There once was a woman who really wanted people to stare at her chest
Good morning Mickey, and everyone who’ll be here soon.
I agree with you on the counter-productive nature of the t-shirt message; the only really good thing is that at least the woman has AN opinion. It seems so many don’t think about ‘politics’ at all - best leave that to someone who ‘knows what they’re doing’. (those are the people who should have dumb & dumber on their chests, sans picture)
I remember last summer hearing that the first ever wasp was spotted in Innuvik. People were all a-buzz (sorry) about the new strange insect, those who’d never been south had never seen one before. I imagine the polar bears might
Can’t watch Ani until later.I hope you’re also enjoying an unoppressively sunny summer day in NY.
Posted by Amelopsis on from Canadia 08/08 at 08:26 AMHello Empress. It is indeed a beautiful day here in NYC. About time. If this keeps up, maybe I can sell my AC to an Inuit.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 08/08 at 09:38 AMI just realised I didn’t finish my sentence in #1, and of course the thought’s gone now...polar bears and air conditioning the ice floes was where I must’ve been going.
In a place ideally suited to the use of solar power, I truly hope they are taking advantage of it to power these ac units needed only because of computers....but I’m doubtful.
Posted by Amelopsis on from Canadia 08/08 at 11:29 AMI thought this commentary on the middle east might be of interest: http://tinyurl.com/gysoo
Posted by Amelopsis on from Canadia 08/08 at 11:39 AMThanks, Empress. Interesting angle. I think people often neglect the purely human aspects of these conflicts...always looking for the larger meaning when we humans are capable of terrible acts for the most trivial reasons.
Hey, remember how Mudge labeled my posts “anti-Israel”? Well, I just got an e-mail from someone with the diametrically opposed viewpoint. To him, I am nothing less than a co-conspirator:
was grossed out by your tribal silence towards YOUR state’s nazi war. Israel now is a total nazi state. in your name Mr Mikey cool guy. do you care that there is a state over there in the middle east using your logo to start an atomic holocaust against muslims?
you and chomsky should be both ashamed of yourselves, the soft fucking zionists who love to confuse the stupid goy about Israel, your beloved state. you two are part of the problem. you two’s hands are dirty with arab muslim blood. you do not use your power to warn people about the nuclear holocaust that the fucking jewish state is in the midst of starting. how many times do i need to say this for it to sink in your one sided and dishonest and passive aggressively pro israeli mind?
does that Z in your last name stand for Zion?
shame
Captcha sez: “faith”
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 08/08 at 11:59 AMWell, that’s quite an email. Can’t please all the people any of the time.
I can’t quite see how you are ‘passive aggressive’ about anything.
The idea here (in my humble opinion) is to generate a thoughtful exchange of opinions about all sorts of issues.On the purely human aspects of this conflict...I think it’s quite fair to say that the leaders of the aggressive nations (US & Israel) can be described as exhibiting classic psychopathic behaviour (now and historically), so reaction on a purely personal basis is not at all out of character with their historical reactions to other instances/circumstances.
It is only that their aresenal of weapons with which to respond to these real or perceived playground insults are real, not metaphorical.Posted by Amelopsis on from Canadia 08/08 at 12:17 PMI also think being lumped in with Chomsky for company should be taken as a compliment!
Captcha says “research”, as in The sender of the email needs to do some
Posted by Amelopsis on from Canadia 08/08 at 12:19 PMJust you and I commenting today, Empress. It’s a busy traffic day here...but everyone has clammed up. I’m out the door now. I’d love to continue our conversation when I get back unless something, as captcha sez: “changes.”
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 08/08 at 12:23 PMA bientot then, I’ll try and keep an eye on the door (for “persons") while you’re out.
Posted by Amelopsis on from Canadia 08/08 at 12:42 PMHi Amelopsis and Mickey. I don’t think I would wear a shirt with images of the Bush’s for or against them.
That letter was something. the Z could stand for zinfandel, ziggurat, zephyr, zenith, zither, Zen, Zippo, zebra, zeal, or Zarathursta. Let’s take one of these words zinfandel. So if someone got drunk at a party and made an ass of themself, they may fire off an e-mail to you. “I got drunk and made a fool of myself and lost my girl and my job! does the Z in your name stand for zinfandel?”
the following links are related:
Musician uses bombs as backdrop: http://tinyurl.com/qsylh
a sample of the song: http://tinyurl.com/eurf7
the musician’s blog: http://mazenkerblog.blogspot.com/ from here if you click on his offical website there is more samples of his music, under sounds.
Posted by TM on from 08/08 at 12:47 PMHi TM,
I came across that musiciana about 2 weeks ago but I’m really glad you posted the links...I lost it and was wanting to go back and see if he’s still there, still alive, and still recording. Eerie.
This offers a similar feeling for the viewer, although completely different work. http://tinyurl.com/rsmuz
It’s a ‘Message from Beirut...’Posted by Amelopsis on from Canadia 08/08 at 12:59 PMThanks Amepolis.
here is George Galloway’s interview on Sky News: http://tinyurl.com/pgk8o
Posted by TM on from 08/08 at 01:19 PMI saw that Galloway interview yesterday, it’s quite brilliant. I love that he doesn’t pull punches when approached in that way; and just spits out irrefutable facts to watch them squirm in response. I wish more politicians could be that way.
Posted by Amelopsis on from Canadia 08/08 at 01:47 PMHello Empress and TM. That Galloway video is lined up to be posted here tomorrow...along with some other good stuff.
Thanks…
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 08/08 at 02:51 PMHello TM, Amelopsis, Mick and all…
Hey Mickey - The Yanks are in Chicago and I will be at 2 out of the three games (Tonight and Thursday).
Wang pitches tonight...if he keeps going like he has we might have a Cy Young winner on our hands.
Posted by JOS on from Chicago 08/08 at 03:15 PM200 Palestinian children organise non-violent protest: http://tinyurl.com/hqa62
(young people would likely be more accurate - it seems as though many age groups of students were involved)http://tinyurl.com/ec2cl
The above story is hardly conclusive reporting, but jeez I hate comparing real life to movies, but it’s like a scene in Cold Mountain. (yeah, I saw it on the idiot box and missed the first half)Posted by Amelopsis on from Canadia 08/08 at 03:19 PMHi JOS, happy baseball watching.
Posted by Amelopsis on from Canadia 08/08 at 03:20 PMBig series, JOS. Yanks are hot...even with all those injuries. Enjoy. Have you been to many Sox games?
Hi again, Empress.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 08/08 at 04:29 PMThese will be the first games I have been to all year...can’t wait.
Posted by JOS on from Chicago 08/08 at 04:44 PMI’m psyched for you, JOS. I think Cano is back at second base tonight. If they get Sheffield and/or Matsui back, I like the Yanks’ chance.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 08/08 at 04:50 PMHi JOS, Amelopsis, TM, Mickey, and everyone peeking in here today.
I have been working outside. It is one of the magnificent days here...crystal clear air, blue-turquoise sky, singing birds, hopping rabbits… All of the little animals are even happy. They were very rambunctious during all of the extremely humid weather but today even the “no see em’s” were not biting.
About the e-mail that Mickey received… Am I the only one who sees some truth in it. I’m sorry he was mean spirited and off the mark in his thoughts about Mickey but I am not so sure that he meant it personally. If I received an e-mail like that I would not be offended. I would probably reply, that I agreed with much of what he said. We DO have blood on our hands. I have been saying that all along. We continue to fund the killing. The USA could have stopped the killing in Lebanon before it started just by ending the funding of the Israeli war machine. Besides that, I, too, am grossed out by our national tribal silence about the war. Even the so called anti-war groups are silent. Where is the outrage. Ever since I saw my first Robert Fisk photos of the bloodied bodies of children and others who were obviously civilians I have wondered why the streets are not filled with protests, and why workers continue to do their jobs (I know, its for survival). It just seems that life is going on for so many like if nothing is happening, while all along the killing continues and we continue to accept it. No matter where I start my thought process, I always end up thinking “By any means necessary” and “Whatever it takes”. And Yes, I include myself in the group of totally ineffective outraged people, who is not going all the way and doing whatever it takes.
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 08/08 at 04:54 PMSee, no empathy…
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 08/08 at 05:09 PMI appreciate your point, RMJ...but I’m not sure my new friend was thinking that deeply. The reason I even posted it was to demonstrate how the same exact posts that offended Mudge as “anti-Israel” can be viewed by someone else as being pro-Israel. Makes you feel that attempting to win over people is essentially hopeless.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 08/08 at 05:18 PMHi all. Also: gimme a break. I don’t think you can compare your two email responses Mickey. Posting the one from your “new friend” (comment #5) was frivolous; it doesn’t reveal anything more than unfamiliarity with your work, or Chomsky’s for that matter. A drive-by, I suppose, and possibly by a minor.
But Mudge’s mail, since you bring it up, merits serious attention. I don’t get why so many uninvolved people (i.e. all of us cozied up behind computers far enough from the violence to digress on sports or film or whatever) have so much difficulty applying basic morality to the whole situation. You can’t compare your new friend’s response to Mudge’s response because while New Friend is too uninformed to gauge the moral affrontery going on, Mudge rejects universal morality consciously.
Fair enough; lots of people are openly embracing judeo-christian notions of vengence, and that is just fine with the weapons manufacturers, who are laughing deep and maniacally all the way to the bank. But Mudge, who certainly derives no pleasure from the bloodbath we witness virtually, seems to reject universalism in favor of one previously oppressed group’s right to vengence, directed against another group not responsible for their original oppression. He ain’t the only one and that freaks me out. Because if you carry the idea logically forward, it suggests that not only did chickens come home to roost on 9/11, but righteously so. Or what?
Posted by Keir on from The Hague 08/08 at 06:33 PMThanks for the blunt reply, Keir but I’m not sure how frivilous it was. Sure, we can’t know how seriously my “new friend” meant any of what he said and I agree that it’s a casual comparison at best (he and Mudge)...but I believe most Americans have drive-by opinions. Most humans, in fact. Whether he or Mudge gave their opinions years of thought or one milli-second of thought, the reality remains that they based those opinions on the same exact evidence (a few recent blog posts). That truly was my only reason for even mentioning it. Personally, I’d rather talk about what I posted about today.
Finally, even those in the most horrendous war zones (or on death row for that matter) “digress on sports or film or whatever.” That’s not merely a symptom of comfort.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 08/08 at 06:45 PMA fine example of those living hell who find time to “digress”:
http://tinyurl.com/fezhtPosted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 08/08 at 06:48 PMUnrelated: Castro and Chavez to merge countries?
http://urlsnip.com/383171Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 08/08 at 06:53 PMSure, Mickey: most Americans have drive-by opinions, but murderous policies are often years in the planning and come from people who think their violence out. So considered positions deserve, if not more, then at least different attention to drive-by positions. You can’t help your drive-by friend; he’s already watching Nascar or playing on his XBox or checking his stock portfolio. But the more entrenched---maybe?---can be unentrenched.
As for digressions, I want to say that I don’t take issue with the digressions here; the Expendables are far too dedicated to be admonished for that. But, again, I think there’s a difference between digressions (or escapism, perhaps) in our world of comfort and the same in war zones. To a certain degree, everything is escapism in the red-handed West…
...anyway, see you at tomorrow’s post...!
Posted by Keir on from The Hague 08/09 at 02:28 AM
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