Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Relaxed mussels
Prozac in the drinking water? Must be why everybody is sooo happy! Glowing testicles? Do these people know? Clinton racing to the defense of George Bush? I need a glass of water.
Unrelated: for Mudge, I reported on a US domestic issue this morning.
Posted by Keir on from The Hague (Jackowski election hdqts) 09/21 at 05:05 AMChief Seattle said “Your time of decay may be distant but it will surely come”
Posted by David on from Louisville KY 09/21 at 06:13 AMGood morning Mickey, Keir, and David.
Keir...that is a good connection that you make between the lack of health care and the enforcement of maryjane laws.David...this morn the tv commentators seem to be surprised and confused about the going-on at the UN yesterday. They never heard about “encirclement” and how it has been predicted for a long time now. It is happening and I must admit that it is fun to watch.
Mickey...Glow-in-the-dark sperm, hummmm maybe that is to go along with the fire retardants in breast milk. A long time ago in New Jersey a friend of mine ran for office on an environmental platform. He lost. One day when I saw him he said that people don’t care about anything that is beyond their own skin. Now people don’t even care about what is inside their own skin.
Mudge...thanks for the kind words last night. I have one advantage that other candidates don’t have. I know that I won’t win and I don’t care. That gives me a lot of freedom.
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 09/21 at 06:57 AMHi all...Keir, thanks for the link to the article. Scandal, and no one cares. Like the whole glowing balls of fiery death not mattering to us...or the Prozacking of the planet.
David, Chief Seattle was a prophet. Too bad the species doesn’t listen to its prophets, but its profits speak loud and clear.
RMJ, what if you DO win....
Posted by Mudge on from Austin, Texas 09/21 at 08:37 AMYou know why that person next to you is so indifferent? He’s on prozac.
I am not trying to put down people on anti-depressants. I have been on them myself, though they never seemed to work for me. Some made me crazier than I already am.
There are other ways to help people with depression. Some extreme cases need chemical help. But we (especially I) need to stop being so destructively selfish. You feel depressed, take something for it, piss it out and #### up the reproduction of an entire species. No, find other ways to battle the disease.
Jensen’s book is great. He beats the truth into you. Every stream in the United States is polluted. Every mother’s milk has toxic chemicals in it. A baby born in Los Angeles breathes in more carcinogenic pollutants in the first trwo weeks of its life than the EPA (The EPA!) considers safe for a lifetime.
Posted by JOS on from Chicago 09/21 at 09:11 AMWell, so long as we’re talking about the domestic issue of plutonium in our gonads, I’m going to go ahead and bring up the foreign policy issue of the uranium we’re responsible for putting in other peoples’ gonads, lungs, and elsewhere. Here’s my own addition to the anti-nuclear argument:
Posted by Jeremy on from Taipei 09/21 at 09:22 AMMudge #4...If that happens, I would have a job that actually paid real money and I would buy every book that Mickey has in his inventory. Then I would distribute them where they would do the most good. Then I would clear out all of the corruption and cronyism going on up here. That would be on the first day. On the second day, I would be assassinated.
JOS...I agree completely. If there was such a thing as a good “happy pill”, I would be taking it. I really need one right now.
Jeremy...you link to usa war crimes. DU is a constant topic of VFP up here. At one recent meeting it was suggested that we call upon the state legislature to test all returning vets for DU. I and some others objected unless the testing also included the Iraqis who have been exposed due to our use of it.
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 09/21 at 10:23 AMHi everyone.
Not playing Devil’s Advocate with this. In fact it was the one point I disagreed with James Lovelock on.
However, in his book. “Revenge of Gaia “ he makes the argument that nuclear power is the only way we can get off the fossil fuels and fulfil the large scale energy needs of our culture. He finds the other alternatives to energy as being technically to far off or to ineffectual or even potentially dangerous with unforeseen consequences.
Unfortunatly he also states that at this point in time even if the world governments all made a tremendous push towards nuclear power right now. We won’t be able to stop the effects of global warming and will still suffer through an environmental collapse of epic proportions.
More on wiki…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_LovelockPersonally I always felt the best way to solve our energy needs was to decentralise it and develop ways for the individual to generate enough power to take care of there own requirements. From what I understand most people who are off the grid are able to generate enough power through alternative means to enjoy all the blings we enjoy now and still have enough leftover to sell back to the utility companies.
Posted by Luna_C on from the Delta 09/21 at 10:34 AMHello Expendables. It’s starting to feel like fall around here. Has everyone had their glass of water today?
Choosing nuclear energy over fossil fuels doesn’t change the collision course our culture is on.
Vote for RMJ.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 09/21 at 10:46 AMLuna...I agree that it should be decentralized. I believe that that is part of the answer. Also, windmills. Also, very simple things that don’t cost any money at all. When I built my house I put most of the windows on the south side. It did not cost one penny more and has made a big difference. I would have gone completely solar, but did not have the money to do that. Also, how about making it socially unacceptable to indulge in recreational activities that eat up resources - boats, airplanes, NASCAR, wars fought just for the fun of it, etc.
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 09/21 at 10:53 AMI don’t have time to respond to this now, but do you think it could be ‘Steve’?
http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/grp/210253440.html
Um, mnake a change…
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 09/21 at 12:22 PMRMJ: because you realize you have nothing to lose in your (our) campaign, we all have everything to win. It’s similar to the point Jensen makes in an article Mickey linked to a few months ago (Beyond Hope). If only all political campaigns went that way---simply a platform for disseminating views and advocating for a certain set of (worthy) values instead of consolidating power through hyper advertising and fear mongering---maybe they wouldn’t nauseate us so.
Jeremy (speaking of prophets), I only had time to skim your article but it’s wonderfully researched and I’m sure will prove a useful resource. Just substantially addressing the issue seems to put people on the lunatic fringe. Welcome.
Yes on decentralization of energy resources and control. To change the collision course it won’t be enough to cut back a bit here and there, or diversify a little. There has to be a paradigm shift and that will happen one household at a time. I think making sane lifestyle choices contagious is essential (and as David and I both mentioned the other day that is one of the tangible effects of MZ’s work).
Posted by Keir on from The Hague (Jackowski election hdqts) 09/21 at 12:50 PMHeard the BBC mention that is was International Peace Day today. So I did a Wiki search and found out it was indeed. Sucks how we’re told to remember all the dates of attack and War. Or at best a treaty that ends a War. We celebrate those dates. I also found out that H.G. Wells was born on this day in 1866 for what it’s worth. Blue skies today in o-HI-O. later
Posted by dw on from 09/21 at 01:58 PMPaul Street has written a fantastic blog entry today that relates to the domestic/foreign policy discussion going on here the last few days. Check it out. By the way JOS it looks like he’ll be giving a talk not far from you.
Posted by Keir on from The Hague (Jackowski election hdqts) 09/21 at 02:03 PMAnother great post - what can I say, Mickey! Here’s an excellent article by Joan Didion on one of the warmongers, Cheney, from the latest NYRB:
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/19376A warm ‘hello’ to Keir, David, Rosemarie, Mudge, JOS, Jeremy, Luna_C, James, Keir and dw from a Daylesford which has pleasant temperatures at the moment: around 68F, sunshine and a light breeze.
Ciao from down under ...
Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 09/21 at 02:19 PMdw #13...yes, there are candlelight vigils all over the place tonight, even here. I don’t think I’ll go.
Keir #12...thanks for calling it “our” campaign and also pointing out the similarity to Jensen’s point. I am still thinking about the topic here from a few days ago, HAPPINESS. I have come to the conclusion that that which interferes with happiness most of the time is wanting something that you can’t have. Otherwise most people would be happy most of the time.
MSNBC is still talking about the “el diablo” in the blue suit. In one of the speeches at the UN yesterday the point about the unfairness of the Security Council was made. Finally, somebody said it out loud.
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 09/21 at 02:20 PMOh, and I quite agree with the building of windmills and wind farms to generate energy, Rosemarie! One wind farm is going to be built not far from Daylesford, so we are on the way - not that our federal government does much to help with this project.
Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 09/21 at 02:22 PMHelga (#15): Hello. And hello. RE #17: the US fed isn’t into alternative energy either .
Posted by Keir on from The Hague (Jackowski election hdqts) 09/21 at 02:35 PMThanks for pointing out Street’s talk in Champaign, Keir. I’ve always enjoyed his writing, especially when he writes about blacks in the US. This is a good article of his:
http://www.blackcommentator.com/127/127_oprah.html
Posted by JOS on from Chicago 09/21 at 02:48 PMHello again, Expendables. In case anyone is interested, I am right now listening to “It’s My Fault, Baby” by the greatest blues guitarist in the world: Johnny Winter.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 09/21 at 03:40 PMsearched several U.S. progressive web sites and still no mention of Int’l Peace Day, no where...imagine that. It’s a Wiki entry, after all! I don’t mean to be preachy but isn’t this very weird, ironic?! What this tells me is that the idea of peace gets passed over and neglected. We use the concept of peace and its meaning only when it’s convenient to do so. This isn’t to say there’s not a tremendous amount of concern. We’re not as “indifferent” as it may seem. The fervor and yearning for change is still there. Idealism still has a lot of followers. But I go back to the thought of why we have people in control of our lives that exhibit a very limited consciousness. How did this happen and why do we allow these people to have power over us? That’s more or less a statement I’m making btw, so maybe I AM being preachy.
Don’t we have “the news” pretty well covered by now? If one isn’t already curious enough to search for answers they never will be. Maybe we’re always complaining and disagreeing because we’re always listening to “reports” and writing critiques. Thoughts, ideas, concepts, experiences, what are they for if we don’t actually exercise a collectively clear definition of them? Is this not an exhibition of a very limited consciousness? Shouldn’t we stop sometimes to smell the roses? Seems as if we’ve stopped doing that. Hence, we’ve got this imbalance. OK, I’m finished, you can all go back to your diet books and music, bah hum bug,
.
Posted by dw on from ohio 09/21 at 04:22 PMIf anyone is interested I am currently listening to some crap that a fellow worker is playing nearby. I would much rather be listening to Johnny Winter.
Posted by JOS on from Chicago 09/21 at 04:24 PMYou know, DW, I wouldn’t sweat it. Just the mere idea that we have to accept a single day allegedly set aside for peace is infuriating enough. Like Earth Day. Everyday should be Peace and Earth Day.
JOS: I saw J. Winter in concert way back in the 70s. Amazing.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 09/21 at 04:28 PMMickey Z., I noticed you said “..that we have to accept...” Wuz up wit dat? Must be just another occupational (hazard) misunderstanding. Or, you’re not an “old dog that can’t be taught new tricks” are you?
Posted by dw on from ohio 09/21 at 05:02 PMCNN is reporting that Rep. Rangel and Rep. Pelosi are outraged over Hugo’s comments. I’m getting just as outraged over the conduct of the so-called opposition party as I am over that of the NeoCons. Maybe that’s why I’m registered with the Green Party.
Meanwhile I’m not listening any music as I’m still in my office.
And the captcha word is “office” go figure.
Posted by The CultureGhost on from Concord CA 09/21 at 05:04 PMP.S. I saw Johnny Winter in the late 70s/early 80s do a tribute for/with Muddy Waters. I believe Clapton played,too. It was at Radio City Music Hall and started at midnight. Does anyone else remember it; I was tremendously “impaired” that night.
Posted by The CultureGhost on from Concord CA 09/21 at 05:07 PMGhost: I didn’t see that show but I did see Winter at the old Felt Forum (anyone remember that place?) with Bobby Blue Bland in 1975 and then in Hollywood, FLA in 1977. “Impaired” is a fine description of how I attended those performance.
DW: This old dog still has a few tricks up its sleeve...even when I’m wearing a tank top.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 09/21 at 05:11 PMThat ("tricks") was figure of speech. I was sure I spelled it out in #21.
Posted by dw on from 09/21 at 05:16 PMCultureGhost… I was especially disappointed with Rangel’s statements today. In the past, I sometimes agreed with him.
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 09/21 at 05:59 PMOf course, we are doomed to 4,400 jolts per second of gamma radiation from the Potassium 40 inside our bodies. This is about the same as the radiation received from all other sources combined.
So, at best, we can cut down the damage by 50% or so if we clean up everything else and create cosmic ray shields, too. And I haven’t even factored in Carbon 14, another source we cannot escape.
That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try, but don’t expect a perfect environment if we do everything right henceforward. Just better.
I like the Six Nations view of considering the effect of an action on the next seven generations instead of trying to beat the numbers for this quarter.
Posted by Dick Pilz on from Portland, OR 09/21 at 08:13 PMOh yes, the Felt Forum. Saw Zappa there on Halloween (’74 and ‘75). Actually saw Uriah Heep with Suzie Quatro as the opening act. The 70s were odd.
Posted by The CultureGhost on from Concord, CA 09/21 at 09:38 PMI saw General Public and the Cult there in ‘87. The 80s were also odd. I think that place is called “The Theater at Madison Square Garden” now. Good night!
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 09/21 at 10:01 PMKeir, thanks for the welcome to the lunatic fringe. Glad to be here!
Re: Chavez and Ahmadinejad. The NYT coverage tried their very best to present these two as a pair of clowns who very rudely crashed the party, while failing to relate any significant thing they actually said to their readers. They did let slip, however, that their speeches were met with thunderous applause that went on so long UN officials had to request it end so they could carry on with their speeches. Oops. Don’t know how that one got through the filter.
Posted by Jeremy on from Taipei 09/21 at 10:56 PMGhost, I was at the 1975 Zappa Halloween show. I don’t recall seeing you though.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 09/22 at 05:15 AMIt’s hard to believe that you’re not curious as to why we have people in control of our lives that exhibit a very limited consciousness. Tricks are for kids, silly.
Posted by dw on from 09/22 at 07:01 AMI took your suggestion and told people in the cubicles around me about Prozac and mussel larvae. Sure enough, a couple of people made jokes, and one said it sounds like bullshit. But they all had this bewildered look about them as to why I would even KNOW such a thing.
Posted by Brian Howard on from Manhattan 09/22 at 07:51 AMBrian: Long time, no see.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 09/22 at 07:56 AMIt’s not just the Prozac. There’s estrogens and progestins from menopause treatments and birth control prescriptions. There’s excess antibiotics, busily evolving superbugs.
Americans have the most expensive urine in the planet, making life more difficult for microbes and filter feeders.
Posted by Dick Pilz on from Portland, OR 09/22 at 12:16 PMMickey, I was the long-haired, drugged out fifteen year old smoking Marlboros...you don’t remember?
Posted by The CultureGhost on from Concord CA 09/22 at 01:06 PMLine of the day, Dick: “Americans have the most expensive urine in the planet.”
Ghost: That was you?
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 09/22 at 04:44 PM
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