Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Britney Spears: Shaved
and making many many peoples jobs insufferably boring and pointless.
Posted by michael on from scotland 02/27 at 07:13 AMI feel bad for the rats. We know what fate awaits them.
Great articles, Mickey. I think you could add in “exploitation of people” to the ethical argument for veganism, based on what I read in “Diet for a Dead Planet.” From what I’ve heard “Slaughterhouse” goes into some of it too, but I haven’t been able to convince myself to read that particular book!
I like Britney Spears’ new look. Reminds me a bit of V for Vendetta.
We got just 3 or so inches on Sunday. Came down hard and fast, and stopped in time for plowing and melting, so the roads were clear and easy yesterday. I don’t mind snow when it behaves like that! Assuming I don’t have to be on the road during the worst of it. I’d driven a friend to chinatown to grab the bus back up to nyc, and between when we left my place and when I was halfway back (all of 25 minutes) the roads got fairly treacherous, and I saw 2 cars driving stupid and end up on the side of the road. Meanwhile I cruised slowly on by them in my sled/truck.
I have been trying to figure out what I want to do for a desk past couple of days, and it is rather tempting to just go into a store and point to something that looks nice. But I was re-motivated to get something second hand after reading some of the comments from yesterday. I don’t think that voting with our wallets is all that needs to be done, but I do think that the choices we make are powerful.
Bob Torres is writing a book right now that is going to deal with why leftists should logically incorporate animal rights into their ideology. I’m really looking forward to it.
Captcha says “medical.” I think captcha read your go vegan article, mickey!
Posted by Deb on from NoVa 02/27 at 07:36 AMThanks for the mention and images of Britney Spears-- her continued evolution/devolution is one of the most intriguing stories the tabloid media have presented us with lately and yes, there is a Nathalie Portman appeal to her now.
Anyway, about veganism here in reference to the ‘Bell, and when you’ve mentioned it in those cynical satrirical lists lately… I’m obviously with you on it, veganism in general and the cynical lists, but on the other hand, I don’t know. I don’t mean I’m gonna throw the vegan thing out the window and start eating at KFC OR buying lots of organic free range sausages from Whole Foods, but still… in the spirit of these recent lists of yours, I’m losing track of the point of it. I mean, other than the alleged heath benefits (I mean, I’ve as yet to see any of them) of being vegan, it’s really just a boycott, right? As far as protesting the ethical and eco- devastation of the animal agriculture world.
So really, why go vegan? Why exactly? Isn’t it a little like asking, why vote, why go to anti-war protests? To make ourselves feel better, or to make any real difference in all the suffering out there? To meet girls?
Ehh, just had to get some of that off my mind, now it’s frustrating I can only lurk and not comment from work all day. Which I have to get ready for now, and feed my cats their factory-farmed food.
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 02/27 at 08:30 AMAlso, this is hilarious:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6399267.stm
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 02/27 at 08:33 AMGood morning michael, Deb, James, and Mickey…
About the bald look for females, maybe it is a good move for anyone who wants to hide their drug history?
DN today has a full hour with Chalmers Johnson. He explains very clearly how the National Security Act of 1947 led to 9/11. No question about it. It is crystal clear, and no one can call him a radical. He just tells it like it is. His new book, “Nemesis”, sounds like must reading.Also Farrakhan’s speech on C-span was worth hearing. Most of what he said sounds like things said here all the time. Maybe he is a closet Expendable.
The white stuff is STILL falling from the sky. Unfortunately these days, I spend more time with a shovel than I do with books.
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 02/27 at 08:59 AMThat Sophocles quote says it all.
Moring all.
Posted by JOS on from Chicago 02/27 at 10:38 AMslip an ‘n’ in that Moring.
Posted by JOS on from Chicago 02/27 at 10:39 AMThe last female singer to publicly shave her head actually had some talent: http://tinyurl.com/2ugx9f
MZ, #19 yesterday was rare praise. I’ll need to get a second opinion.
Sophocles needs some class awareness. Like the zen fisherman said, “Individual responsiblity without collective support is like one hand clapping.” And filosofs can try turning that Sophocles around to see how grotesque it is: we are the only ones responsible for our greatest achievements(?). If I want a one-way ticket to Ayn Rand Land, reading Sophocles is too much work. I’ll just hit myself in the head with a hammer several times.
Captcha sez “corps.” I say have a look at “Jarhead” by Anthony Swofford. The movie is quite good, too.
Posted by Zen Prole on from Urth 02/27 at 12:16 PMHello Expendables. It’s warmed up considerably in NYC today. Lots to respond to so I may do it in increments. For now:
Zen, I agree with you about the Sophocles quote. I like to use it as a reminder that many of our “problems” are self-imposed and thus we hold more answers winthin than we imagine we do.
James: I can only speak for myself but I’m a vegan primarily for ethical reasons. That doesn’t mean I haven’t seen and felt health benefits. I definitely have. I’m just not deluded enough to view myself as immune or anything.
Deb: In longer articles, I’ve touched on the human exploitation angle of veganism. But you’re right...I need to keep it in the mix at all times.
Hello Michael, RMJ, and JOS. I’ll be back shortly.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 02/27 at 01:04 PMJames, there are so many reasons to go vegan. Like mickey, I’m vegan for ethical reasons. And to me, the environmental issues have become wrapped up in my ethics. But I can always boil it down to this: we can make the choice to be more compassionate, to not exploit and not inflict harm, and therefore we should. The longer explanations are out there, like Mickey’s article, and the many books (I think “Rain Without Thunder” is one of the best when looking at the logical analysis of why animals should be included in our moral community), but really...for me it is that we have a choice, and the only ethical thing to do is the one that does not exploit, kill, cause harm, etc. That’s why the environmental concerns and the human issues are included in veganism to me.
captcha says “water”, and I do need to drink more of that essential stuff. we need to protect it as well.
Posted by Deb on from NoVa 02/27 at 01:40 PMCount me in as one of those who criticized because I didn’t understand. Not Good.
Posted by Fiona on from 02/27 at 01:54 PMI saw a cockroach in the bathroom of the Burger King (I use fastfood restaurants for waste output only, no waste input) a while back and said to it, What are you doing in here little man? Run!
Posted by owen on from schmarcelona 02/27 at 03:18 PMOwen...your mention of “a Burger King bathroom” brought me back to 1989 and Digital Underground’s hit “The Humpty Dance.”
James from Hell’s Kitchen might know what I am talking about.
Hey Mick...I have been having some back and forth with one of the editors over at http://www.pemmicanpress.com/ concerning a poem they may possibly publish and I noticed that they have a link to your site. Very cool.
Posted by JOS on from Chicago 02/27 at 04:29 PMHey Mickey. Because of you I can’t even kill bugs in my own house anymore. I usually transport them outside when I see one. Today I saw a small spider climbing up my bathroom wall and just let it go. It wasn’t bothering me so what the hell. Anyway, I loved the post today. Thanks!
Posted by David on from Louisville KY 02/27 at 06:23 PMThanks for reminding your readers what KFC-Taco Bell stands for, Mickey - and for everything else in this post.
Hello to Michael, Deb, James, Rosemarie, JOS, Zen Prole, Fiona, Owen and David from a cooler Daylesford.
Re rats: is it not a commonly held view that they would be the only survivors of a nuclear war? What does that say about us humans?
Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 02/27 at 06:36 PMRosemarie #5, Chalmers Johnson’s books are ALL must-readings. Sorry to hear that you have to spend so much time with a shovel.
‘The last female singer to publicly shave her head actually had some talent’: I could not agree more, Zen Prole (#8).
I so enjoy the company of you expendables and - of the ‘cool observer’. Here’s hoping that I can meet at least one or the other of you in person one day.
Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 02/27 at 06:43 PMYeah JOS-- “even got busy in a...”
But Mickey and Deb, maybe you missed my point, or thought it was no big deal. I don’t need to be convinced of the ethical reasons for being vegan, for how horrible animal agriculture is now, or that you could say it was always bad from the dawn of time. But my questions were in the spirit of your recent lists.
You said “these things won’t prevent the U.S. from invading Iran: ... going vegan.”
Couldn’t you just as well have said “these things won’t prevent animal cruelty”, and included veganism in that list? I mean, has it been an effective boycott… at all? Is not the meat industry doing better than ever? I mean, I know we all have to eat something, so it might as well be vegan, but I just wish I could feel like there was some point to it.
Whatever; now I have to go decide who to vote for in ‘08, right?
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 02/27 at 08:07 PMJames: trust your own compassionate instincts. They are the best reason to do good.
Hi everyone.
Posted by Keir on from the hague 02/27 at 08:49 PMTangent warning. It’s fortunate that there’s lots of McDonald’s in Taipei, because there aren’t any public restrooms and when you gotta go, you gotta go; and McD’s usually has comparably nice poopers.
Speaking of which, it’s not uncommon for restrooms to have “squatters”, which are basically a porcelain hole in the ground. I try to avoid them at all costs, but sometimes it can’t be helped.
Of course, that’s not so bad as what my sister described about Tanzania after she came back from there. They don’t use toilet paper. In lieu, they use their hand. Left hand, I think (or is it the right?) So next time your pampering your ass with some double-ply TP, try not to take it for granted.
I suppose that’s about as good a moral to the tangent as can be expected. Carry on.
Posted by Jeremy on from Taipei, Taiwan 02/27 at 10:30 PMI had forgotten until I read the BBC link about fast-food places and noticed another link at the bottom of the page; today is 2/28:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6400879.stmPosted by Jeremy on from Taipei, Taiwan 02/27 at 10:38 PMYes, it’s okay, I’ll just take comfort in Voltaire’s saying, “we’re all guilty of the good we didn’t do.”
Or something like that.
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 02/28 at 01:41 AM
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