Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Picking up garbage at LaGuardia Airport
I really liked this story...how many times I’ve been in situations like that I can not even count.
Great murals...the artist reminds me of an American Diego Rivera.
Posted by JOS on from Oak Park 02/24 at 10:38 AMThanks, JOS. I feel that the way America treats the world is like this story taken to its extreme and, of course, we’re just supposed to silently accept it. Wouldn’t be polite to make a scene.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 02/24 at 12:04 PMMZ, this reminds me of being on the “youth group” speakers’ bureau at the JFK presidential library (sic) in Boston. In ‘96, John Kerry faced a challenge from another Brahmin scumbag, William Weld, and the library hosted a small gathering to watch a debate on TV. During the on-air Q&A session, a community leader nicknamed Pancho hosed down Weld on his Iran-Contra days as US attorney. Some super-lilywhite yuppie in training (I being merely white and rough around the edges) giggled and snickered “Pancho...” as he ignored the question. I leaned over and said as plainly as I could “I think that’s his nickname.” Didn’t make a dent. I needed to pick a bigger weapon. http://tinyurl.com/yww9bj
Life is rather fucked on this end. Hope it’s going better for y’all.
This makes two plugs in one day, but I’d rather close with some good news: my pal Joe Bageant’s “Deer Hunting With Jesus” will be out in a few months. http://www.joebageant.com/ He’s skated to a small village in Belize, which makes me alternately jealous and overjoyed.
Posted by Zen Prole on from Urth 02/24 at 01:44 PMA late note on yesterday’s list: there’s a video of citizens reading Senator Patty Murray (WA) the riot act on her failure of Constitutional responsibility.
http://tinyurl.com/2pfqjhAs at least one of MZ’s respondents on Smirking Chimp noted, without some form of force to restore basic observance of law or humane norms (I think rendition to a safe house for a few days would have been appropriate for her), this is all an exercise. I’m iffy on generals, so brainwashed and careerist are they. Citizens would need to show up in force, prepared for more disobedience than any eighteen things they’ve ever read about. I don’t see it happening. Please pass the spuds.
Posted by Zen Prole on from Urth 02/24 at 01:58 PMYeah, Mick...no scenes, please. Well, if you do make a scene, you’re the crazy one.
Hi Zen…
I’ve got a plug, a poem and a story rolled into one:
http://www.cerebralcatalyst.com/oshea01.htm
Posted by JOS on from Oak Park 02/24 at 01:58 PMJOS: Your poetry is excellent. Please continute to provide links when something goes up.
Zen: “Rather fucked” is apt description for my life lately, too. (And I’m equally happy and jealous, re: Mr. Bageant.)
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 02/24 at 02:30 PMBtw, it’s likely that I won’t post something here tomorrow (Sunday). Judging from the dearth of comments, it’s probably a good idea.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 02/24 at 05:23 PMYou deserve a day off Mickey!
So, 9 years ago this month our son Zachary was born. We had already been married for 12 years and had given up hope as to having children. We were very fortunate that we had connections to an unfortunate young lady who was pregnant and wanted to give up her child for adoption. Having a child really turned our world upside down and there’s usually never a quiet moment in this house. We wouldn’t trade it for the world but we do enjoy when he spends the night at a friend’s house on occasion, as he is tonight. However, tonight is different. The quiet is unsettling and I sit here thinking about the time when most nights will be like this. The time will come when we’re not the most important thing in his life and although I know it’s the natural order of things, tonight it just makes me sad. But I know he’s just 9 and for now we still have plenty of time before that happens. I’ll try to enjoy each moment even when he kicks his soccer ball too hard in the house and knocks things off the walls.
That’s my submission for Story Telling Saturday. Hope you liked it.
Peace!
Posted by David on from Louisville KY 02/24 at 09:11 PMYour story hit the spot for me, David. On the other end of the natural order spectrum, I’m trying to spend as much time as possible with my parents and appreciate them even when things aren’t going well. Life can be very, very bittersweet.
Even captcha sez: blue
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 02/24 at 09:50 PMThere’s so many times I’ve been in such positions, and never spoken up. At least, like you mentioned in your story about your own growth, I’ve become more mature and willing to confront people in such situations rather than remaining silent.
Posted by Jeremy on from Taipei, Taiwan 02/25 at 06:30 AMGood morning, Expendables. What time is it where you are, Jeremy?
Anyway, I thought I’d stop by with the NY Times quote of the day:
“There is great anxiety. There is no outstanding conservative and they are all looking for that.”
- Paul Weyrich, on how conservative Christians view the Republican presidential fieldBtw, how’s the new deck chair arrangement for the Titanic going?
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 02/25 at 07:32 AMthey’ll keep rearranging the chairs, Mick, but the ship’s going down all the same.
Posted by JOS on from Oak Park 02/25 at 08:10 AMJOS: I think the ship has been resting on the ocean floor for quite some time but we’re too occupied with the deck chairs to notice.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 02/25 at 09:25 AMWell, I think we’re 11 hours ahead of mi casa en Michigan. Right now it’s 10:27 pm, so compare with the time of this post below. 9:27?
Posted by Jeremy on from Taipei, Taiwan 02/25 at 09:27 AMYep. Guess so.
Posted by Jeremy on from Taipei, Taiwan 02/25 at 09:29 AMMickey...your parents are very lucky to have a son like you.
David...I like your story. It will be a sad time when Zachary leaves home but you will have a lot of happy memories. My daughter has been gone for years and I still miss her. If I could, I would adopt someone.
JOS, Jeremy and Zen...The best part of my day was watching Malcolm X. It is 4 hours long. It should be shown in schools.Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 02/25 at 04:14 PMThanks, RMJ. I see it differently. I wonder what I ever did to deserve such great parents.
On another note, entirely:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article17170.htmPosted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 02/25 at 08:51 PMThanks for the link Mickey. The enemy of your enemy is your friend or some shit like that.
RMJ, You are a treasure! Really!
Posted by David on from Louisville KY 02/25 at 10:16 PMThat’s quite a story there, Mickey! I have had similar experiences at work: colleagues who seemed really friendly on the face of it came out with the most incredible statements.
Have been away from the computers for a couple of days - and on returning, your blogspot is my first stop as always.
‘Hi’ to JOS, Zen Prole, David, Jeremy and Rosemarie.
And you deserve at least one day a week off, Mickey! I don’t always comment and if I comment, do not sound too coherent at times, but I much appreciate what you are doing on this blog. That much can be said with certainty.
All best, Helga
Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 02/25 at 10:46 PMAnd thanks for the Information Clearing House link from me as well, Mickey!
Seymour Hersh was interviewed on our national broadcaster earlier today, and he made very similar points regarding Iran. He also claimed that a special Pentagon group has been set up to launch an attack against Iran with 24 hours’ notice. Here’s the (audio) link - hopefully you can listen by clicking on the micro:
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/breakfast/stories/2007/1856645.htm
Darker days ahead ...
Captcha ‘problems’. You can say that again ..
Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 02/25 at 10:57 PMOh, and one last thing:
You deserve your parents, Mickey, and your parents deserve you!
Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 02/25 at 11:00 PMMoments like that reflect many obstacles we face in trying to really change the world. Yes, when protest activity or radical writing/conversation is our business-as-usual, many of us are right there, reliably, down for the cause. But it is those unexpected moments when we may not be in our “political head” or when we aren’t among fellow radicals/free-thinkers: that is when it’s harder to stand up, and to even know the best way to do so. We’ve got to consider Thinking On One’s Feet to be one of the primary tools and talents of being truly for change.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the times when I wonder why no one around me speaks up; why a friend can march in the streets but on the way home let’s a yuppie’s racist remarks on the train go unopposed. Here’s last week’s story like this: http://tinyurl.com/yt58ja
Posted by Mars on from Chicago 02/26 at 12:34 AMThanks, David and Helga. And Mars, that is an excellent story. Thanks for sharing. I hope you’ll be back.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 02/26 at 05:02 AM
Next entry: Top Ten Reasons Why Activists Shouldn't Be "Too Radical"
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