Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Friday, April 20, 2007
Dream Vacation: Sea, sand, and depleted uranium at Vieques
Heres a story you may be interested in: Puerto Rican fisherman actively resisting the US navy. They actually stopped the landing of 45 amphibious craft in a coordinated navel manuvuer of their own! http://tinyurl.com/yudppe
But its a long sad story of futile opposition.
Thank you for the post, Mickey.
My family lived at that base for 6 months in ‘65.
I have looked for but not found (until now) any info about nuclear testing in that area.
My folks died of cancer 14 years ago. Because they passed over so close to each other I have always suspected some enviromental exposure was responsible. This may be it. But then I also just read how chemotherapy is so radioactive it can make close partners sick. My moms chemo was very radical and she actually had to sign a waiver to protect the hospital.
Its not just the weaponry that needs to be banned. Nuclear industry has to stop. It is not safe. Uranium is everywhere in the soil and in its natural form is readily digestible and excretable with no problems. The problems only start when it gets mined out and played with.
Ban the mining of uranium and the use of nuclear fuel for energy. Thats the place to start to change peoples myths and misinformation about uranium.
Thank you for writing, Mickey. And thank you providing this space to share.Posted by Frances on from bc 04/20 at 06:27 AM“Don’t get me wrong: I love nuclear energy! It’s just that I prefer fusion to fission. And it just so happens that there’s an enormous fusion reactor safely banked a few million miles from us. It delivers more than we could ever use in just about 8 minutes. And it’s wireless!”
---William McDonoughPosted by Keir on from the hague 04/20 at 06:47 AMJeremy, from last night: you can call me what you want, a pessimist will do, I’ve heard worse. The substance of what I was saying, that you should find what you care to protect and protect it...well, you missed that part, although I think you are protecting what you need to protect, which is your optimism. That’s fine. I need to protect my grip on reality, and the reaility is there is nothing to be optimistic about. If that leads to inaction for some, shame on ‘em.
“There’s no need to talk, because the truth of what one says lies in what one does.”
---Bernhard Schlink, The ReaderPosted by Keir on from the hague 04/20 at 06:54 AMHello Expendables...from a sunny, warm, Astoria. Spring has returned and it’s a perfect day to wallow in gloom, doom, pessimism, and being unconcerned with the plight of others. What have you guys got planned?
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 04/20 at 09:39 AMThe other living god, Caligula, our Emperor’s spiritual ancestor, was famous for cruelty and insanity too. The medical reasons for his depraved behavior were cited as brain fever, encephalitis, epilepsy or meningitis, “falling sickness” [remember the pretzels?] and “mental infirmity.” In the case of our emperor, mercury poisoning cannot be ruled out [remember the Mad Hatter?]
What would Caligula do, if he had DU shells, or bunker busters?
Posted by phil-o-sofa on from the beatiful blue but DU dusted 'arEth' 04/20 at 09:56 AMI am planning on recognizing that all of us puny humans are operating on assumptions (both large and small) and that the sooner we start to become aware of that fact and begin operating on the KNOWN versus the ASSUMED the better off all of us will be.
The last one hundred years of nuclear science is basically garbage. There is more evidence to support an electro-magnetic solar model than a nuclear fusion solar model.
I made an error in first post… the fisherman stopped 10 landing craft not 45. They stopped 2200 marines from landing.
Good morning Mickey, Keir.Posted by Frances on from bc 04/20 at 10:06 AMMorning all…
I was on the island of Vieques the week after my wedding in Puerto Rico (3/6/99) when the US military admitted firing a couple dozen DU bullets “by accident.” Those things disinegrate into microscopic radiated dust, one grain of which can lodge in the lungs and guaruntee and early death.
Imagine what Iraq must be like after ‘91, and 2003 to today.
Posted by JOS on from Chicago 04/20 at 10:27 AMI swear, if Roddycat doesn’t stop vomiting in my kitchen…
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1534821.html?menu=
http://grist.org/news/maindish/2006/12/14/weird_fuels/index.html
Posted by James on from work 04/20 at 11:11 AMhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UszX_NkkOk
Posted by Old Doom and Gloom (JOS) on from Chicago 04/20 at 11:14 AMWhere’s RMJ lately?
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 04/20 at 11:46 AMLet’s have a huge round of applause for stupid white people who have no regard for any life form on any planet in any universe! On March 29, 2007, the Department of the Interior removed federal protection for Yellowstone’s grizzly bears under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). On April 29th this ‘de-listing’ will take effect. Only a challenge in federal court can stop this final ruling.
FROM Counterpunch Today
Posted by joe of maine on from 04/20 at 01:35 PMjoe, we are back to that old joke about better than the right to bear arms is the right to arm bears
Posted by michael on from scotland 04/20 at 02:55 PMYeah Michael, I like Bears and I can fully appreciate if a Bear does not like me…
Posted by joe of maine on from 04/20 at 03:10 PMIt’s too bad the Bears lost the Super Bowl.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 04/20 at 03:14 PMYeah Mickey, I don’t like competition, but the bears have pretty uniforms…
Posted by joe of maine on from 04/20 at 03:18 PMThe Bad News Bears?
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 04/20 at 03:24 PMthis bear looks like it could do with being armed… seriously - there is a bear that has bodyguards…
also, i am having a bit of fun today.
Arachibutyrophobia- Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth.
Caligynephobia- Fear of beautiful women.
Cathisophobia- Fear of sitting.
Consecotaleophobia- Fear of chopsticks.
Dextrophobia- Fear of objects at the right side of the body
Dutchphobia- Fear of the Dutch.some of them seem perfectly rational…
Atomosophobia- Fear of atomic explosions.
Ballistophobia- Fear of missiles or bullets.i have only looked up to the letter ‘d’
check it out http://www.phobialist.com/
Posted by michael on from scotland 04/20 at 03:33 PMI’d click on that link, Michael, but I have a fear of phobia lists.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 04/20 at 03:35 PMits just as well keir doesnt have dutchphobia
Posted by michael on from scotland 04/20 at 03:39 PMzoos, prisons, walls, Guantanamo...holy horse feathers, it’s time to evolve...!
Posted by Joe of Maine on from 04/20 at 03:51 PMSome more edited highlights. how can you get thru the day with a mortal fear of chins?
Geniophobia- Fear of chins.
Hellenologophobia- Fear of Greek terms or complex scientific terminology.
Ideophobia- Fear of ideas.
Ithyphallophobia- Fear of seeing, thinking about or having an erect penis.
Nomatophobia- Fear of names.
philosophobia- Fear of philosophy.
Symbolophobia- Fear of symbolism.Posted by michael on from scotland 04/20 at 03:54 PMIs Noamohphobia a fear of linguistics?
Posted by James on from work 04/20 at 04:06 PMHere’s a chin to fear:
http://www.ganglandnews.com/column39.htmPosted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 04/20 at 04:17 PMmickey, i know you like the marx brothers (or at least quote them from time to time) and i do as well…
i was just watching something and apparently zeppo marx after he left the marx brothers left to become an agent (they dont specify in what) and to set up an engineering and design company. one of the things they designed was the clamp that held the atomic bomb on the enola gay
and also… they came up with a wristwatch that detected your pulse and sounded an alarm when you were having a heart attack! as if you wouldnt notice!
Posted by michael on from scotland 04/20 at 05:37 PMJOS… What is it like in Iraq today?
hellish
Posted by Frances on from bc 04/20 at 06:04 PMhttp://tinyurl.com/36pr
http://tinyurl.com/3rm9captcha says ‘problem’
Posted by Frances on from bc 04/20 at 06:11 PM“In Iraq we say that there are four fingers between reality and falsehood.” Placing his hand on the side of his head, his four fingers lying on his temple between his ear and his eye, he continued, “the distance between what one hears from others and what one sees for himself.”
Posted by frances on from bc 04/20 at 06:15 PM#26 the first link is 2002 sorry I thought it was more recent.
the second link is also old but still relevant, I think.
Thanks for the laugh JOS...thats sums me up today the ‘downer’.
But at least I am staying on topic.Posted by Frances on from bc 04/20 at 06:33 PMMichael: Zeppo became a talent agent but I had no idea about the Enola Gay connection.
Thanks for the links, Frances. As Emma Goldman sez: “The most violent element in society is ignorance.”
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 04/20 at 07:02 PMI just dont understand how people can know about depleted uranium but choose to ignore it. Its heartbreaking. Its criminal.
That people could willfully use it is beyond my ability to comprehend. Its unhuman.
I used to be a very angry person.
I can no longer justify adding more anger to the world. All that is left is grief.
If it was just ‘our generation’ thats bad enough.
But its hundreds of generations of all species.
Even if we started clean up today the impact will be around for a long time to come.
And the people I know and talk with express concern but dont connect the dots. They are more interested in whats for dinner or whats entertaining. I dont get it, and at times it makes me feel like the crazy one. Its like there is this unspoken rule of ‘dont look, dont tell’.
Does anyone else experience this? And if so, any advice?Posted by Frances on from bc 04/20 at 07:43 PMSome interesting reflexes.
Frances (#6), it is difficult to commit mass murder with the electromagnetic solar model, or at least it seems so compared with the nuke model!
James (#22), isn’t Noamohphobia fear of gatekeepers?
Here is something to make your eyes moist…
http://tinyurl.com/348zduPosted by phil-o-sofa on from The beautiful blue Earth filled with melancholic s 04/20 at 08:43 PMHello, everyone. Haven’t had much to add lately… been spending much of my time online working in some very bizarre directions. Along those lines (I think), I have a question.
There generally seems to be a lot of discussion about Derrick Jensen here. Now, I haven’t really had the time to check out his work (I know I will eventually), but a quick biographical check on the man raised a question in my mind. It says that he had previously taught creative writing at Pelican Bay State Prison. Now, a quick search for information of that facility will reveal that it’s quite the place (to put it lightly). Has Derrick mentioned in any of his work his experiences while teaching there?
I might repost this again tomorrow, since it’s in the wee hours of the morning and this thread may not be checked again. Thanks in advance for your help.
Posted by Banta on from 04/21 at 01:21 AMThis post reminds me of Diego Garcia - and like you, I have been wondering where RMJ has been, Mickey (#10).
And have a good weekend, Frances, Keir, phil-o-sofa, JOS, James, Joe of Maine, Michael and the Cool Observer of course. We had some rain earlier today - at long last.
In case you don’t believe me when I say that Australia is fast becoming the 51st state of the US (captcha says ‘states’ btw), here’s proof (from lefti.blogspot.com)
Jaw-dropping story of the day: U.S. and Australia to swap refugees
I’ll let WIIIAI tell the story:
The US and Australia have agreed to a refugee swap: Australia will take in Haitians and Cubans who have been captured at sea trying to reach the US and are currently held at Guantanamo, while the US will take refugees from Burma, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and elsewhere trying to reach Australia by boat (Australia has been bribing Nauru to operate as Australia’s Guantanamo). Both countries thus get to prevent refugees reaching their shores and then claiming asylum, while deterring refugees by treating them like shit (think how badly you have to treat people to stop them leaving hell-holes like Haiti, Burma and Afghanistan) in places where there will be little scrutiny of the conditions under which they’re held. It’s extraordinary rendition for refugees.Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 04/21 at 01:28 AMJOS, you asked me, “when did I write the words peaceful coexistence anywhere?” Forgive me for assuming that when you were speaking of humans coexisting that you meant peaceful coexistence. In my mind, that was a basic assumption of the conversation. I didn’t even consider that you may have meant any other type of coexistence when I read your response to Jason. I certainly didn’t mean to put words in your mouth, so I beg your pardon.
Keir, you said, “you can call me what you want, a pessimist will do, I’ve heard worse.” I meant no offense or insult. I hope none was taken.
MZ, I realize I implied you were unconcerned with the plight of others. I apologize because I didn’t intend to imply that when I said I thought you were concerned with the plight of others and wrote to affect change. When I said I was disappointed to learn otherwise, I meant that to apply to the second half of that statement, not the first.
It was indeed a beautiful day today. Took a bike ride with a friend up the mountain. Good to get out and get some exercise and some fresh(er) air. Nothing gloom and doom about it.
I’m sure I’ve linked to it before, but my own contribution to the DU issue can be read here:
Posted by Jeremy on from Taipei, Taiwan 04/21 at 04:28 AMJeremy: none taken, none intended.
Posted by Keir on from the hague 04/21 at 07:21 AM
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