Mickey Z

Cool Observer

Thursday, June 14, 2007

"Without thoughts of progress"

Posted by Mickey Z on 06/14 at 08:20 AM

I agree with Charles Bukowski.

Posted by joe of maine on from 06/14 at 09:42 AM

If doing nothing much was valued I would probably have earned a phd by now…
whats beautiful for me? Picking and eating wild black berries on a hot sunny day, especially if it hasn’t rained in couple of days and the berries are spicy.
wandering on the beach, ambling through the woods, playing backgammon are also nice.
Reminds me of BTO...taking care of business…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-KepL8gRXA
wild hair ‘dos’

Posted by frances on from bc 06/14 at 10:33 AM

Morning all...you are the man, Mick. I appreciate the help.

Posted by JOS on from Chicago 06/14 at 11:26 AM

JOS...more thoughts and prayers are coming your way. My phone line is open 24/7 and I am a very good listener.

joe...you are in the perfect location for doing nothing. What I would give to just hear the ocean now.........

frances....walking on the beach...my constant daydream…

Mickey...when I think of your surroundings I think of Gershwin music - not exactly Rhapsody in Blue but the piece that sounds like a street scene.

Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 06/14 at 01:45 PM

RMJ..4..I spoke to a lady from Blue Hill, Maine. She’s moved here from New York.

Blue Hill, especially in areas in sight of the Bay is very beautiful and the place to get away from ordinary thinking. Of course, this also might require some money, which is too ordinary, unfortunately.

Posted by joe of maine on from 06/14 at 02:22 PM

joe...your comment reminds me of a line from “The Perfect Storm"..."the money, it’s always about the money”. That is one of my favorite movies because most it happens while out at sea. (I’m sorry for the fish though.) I will find Blue Hill on my map.

Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 06/14 at 04:02 PM

joe… I just received this in an e-mail. “...Last night, residents of the small, Maine coastal town Arrowsic came together for their annual town meeting. Among other town business, they voted 71-17 in favor of a resolution asking President Bush and Congress to immediately stop all war funding, to end American occupation in Iraq and to bring the troops home now....”

Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 06/14 at 04:43 PM

Hello RMJ...I’m smiling...only 71-17? only the occupation of Iraq? only to stop war funding?

Some activists who are influencial, and paid for by someone?......have people focusing only on Iraq. One word activism. I’m suspicious.

They, he, never speaks about Afghanistan, Palestine, America, and wherever else the U.S. is stirring things up and fueling war in progress, in Africa, the Philippines, etc.

Posted by joe of maine on from 06/14 at 05:02 PM

joe...Yes, I agree. It is not about the war in Iraq. It is about a long history of wars, war crimes, crimes against humanity....You are closer to the folks in Arrowsic than I am. Straighten them out (please)....

Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 06/14 at 06:16 PM

RMJ..9..It appears, locally, there are many people who think stopping the war in Iraq is all that is necessary. A number of these people are WWII, Korean, Vietnam Veterans.

They know about poverty, sweat shops, no health care for millions. They know about the saturation of violence, murder, corruption right here in our back yards, the oppression, etc., etc.,......and it appears very clearly, their only concern is stopping the war in Iraq, only?

They know about no jobs in their neighborhoods, people working multiple jobs just to get by, they know of the alcohol problems and among teenagers.

If the 500 year war against america is not focused on, if the planning station for expansionist wars elsewhere is not addressed......?

You said, “Straighten them out (please)....” That’s delightfully cute...(<:

Posted by joe of maine on from 06/14 at 06:43 PM

joe...I dedicate today’s article to you, my friend.

http://tinyurl.com/2c8ytu

Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 06/14 at 06:54 PM

RMJ...That’s very kind...Thank You...a very sad story.

Posted by joe of maine on from 06/14 at 07:27 PM

I agree with Charles Bukowski, too. And you ask what is beautiful, Mickey: for me, it is walking into the town centre of Daylesford and admiring the views on a sunny day, whether in winter or summer. Look here:
http://www.travelvictoria.com.au/daylesford/
It is also beautiful to visit your blog every day btw. And then listening to music by Handel and Vivaldi.

Kindest regards to Joe of Maine, frances, JOS and Rosemarie from a cold but sunny Daylesford. Take care of yourselves.

Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 06/14 at 08:50 PM

Hello Expendables. Thanks for all the comments. I always enjoy being a fly on the wall when RMJ and Joe get to talking. Thanks, Helga, for sharing what’s beautiful to you.

Again, JOS, my thoughts are with you and your family.

On another note, I found this passage in a New York Times article today:

While the United States has expended enormous effort in fighting terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan, it has neglected the fight for the hearts and minds of young radicals in Internet chat rooms and other places where they cluster, experts on radicalization told a House panel yesterday.

“Unless we can impede radicalization and recruitment, then we are condemned to a strategy of stepping on cockroaches one at a time,” Brian M. Jenkins, a terrorism expert from the Rand Corporation, told the House Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing and Terrorism Risk Assessment

Captcha sez: same

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 06/15 at 05:07 AM

Hellos to all…
Apparently C-Span is under some weird attack because they did not air some speech by one of the extreme right wing hate mongers. Some of the e-mails that C-Span has been receiving were read on air this morning. In the interest of solidarity, below is my reply.

“To Brian and all C-Span staff:

Thank you for what you do. Please do not allow the incoherent e-mails that you sometimes receive change what you do. Some of them that you read on air this morning showed a remarkable level of misinformation and vulgarity. I am sorry that you were subjected to that.

I have been a C-Span fan for a long time. I am very grateful to all of you for what you do every day for all of us. I have just one request. Please have MickeyZ on. He is a brilliant young writer and blogger. Also how about William Blum. He is probably the most gifted historian/author of our time”

Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 06/15 at 08:17 AM

Helga..13...Thank you Helga for the link. I enjoyed the photos. The Royal Hotel on Vincent St. looks interesting. I hung out at a place years ago, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania that looks much like the Royal.

The only time I was in Australia was during my sentence in the military, late 60’s. We went to Sidney from the war zone for about 4 days. Didn’t have time to see a great deal, but simply the feeling of a new country was/is always interesing.

Posted by joe of maine on from 06/15 at 09:16 AM

Afternoon all.
Terrorism expert from the Rand Corp? Get away. I like his strategy though. “Cockroaches! Give us your hearts and tiny insectile minds! Or we’ll step on you!”

Summer rain is beautiful (and its been extremely beautiful in these parts of late.)

JOS, is there some electronic means of contributing money, for those of us who have no cheque book (or dollars)?

Posted by Mew on from clophill 06/15 at 09:56 AM

RMJ: Young?

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 06/15 at 09:57 AM

Michael from Scotland...just wanted to share this.
Just received an email from Ben, at Kinetics Bicycle Shop in Glasgow. Do you know this shop?

Seems like a very serious bike shop, sells very interesting, bicycling equipment. Ben says has relatives in Portland, Maine. In my opinion, in the states, the typical bicycle shop caters to the bicyclist who pretends they are always racing$

Posted by joe of maine on from 06/15 at 10:51 AM

By Jeff Nygaard, from Zmag online:

http://zmagsite.zmag.org/June2007/nygaard0607.html

Holy Crap! “United States conducting an average of 75 to 100 airstrikes in the 2 countries every day.” 75 to 100 airstrikes! Every fucking day! Oh my god, this is no way to win over any hearts and minds! Just what is being bombed every day? What’s left? Could I possiby have read this incorrectly in my haste here at work?

Um, I was going to describe something beautiful but couldn’t think of anything that didn’t involve cats or legos or my philodendrons… well the view of Times Square from my roof is pretty cool.

Posted by James on from work 06/15 at 11:22 AM

Hi Mew...right now we don’t have a Paypal account set up or anything like that, but I will let you know when one becomes available. Thanks,

JOS

Posted by JOS on from Chicago 06/15 at 11:48 AM

joe, i know one or two bike shops but not by name. i think i know which one that is.

on another topic… some things really make you think that there isn’t enough vomit in the world…

Posted by michael on from scotland 06/15 at 12:33 PM

Mickey #18...I apologize. I know that it is never appropriate to comment about any one’s age but I was comparing you to Howard Zinn and Bill Blum. Besides that, to be young and brilliant is much better than to be old and brilliant.

James...I saw that about the air strikes....really sick !

Hi Helga, Mew, joe, JOS, michael, and all…

Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 06/15 at 03:27 PM

I guess, compared to Zinn and Blum, I am young.

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 06/15 at 03:45 PM

Mikey..24...Hey Cosimo...the number, gotta have a number...(-:

Posted by joe of maine on from 06/15 at 04:18 PM

HELLO ALL - Just got back from an overnite stay in the site of next election’s National Republican Convention - St Paul - brother city to the wild west locale of Minneapolis..(west of the Mississippi). Senator Norm Coleman’s former mayoral haunt - St Paul is a special kind of place - the Capitol City. Lots of greenspace, yards, parks, public grounds - home of the MN State Fair in late August, with over 1.1 million visitors. Twin Cities situated on two banks of the Mighty Mississp’ - peaceful if one takes the time to ponder and listen! Just down the road is Fort Snelling and adjoining National Cemetery, complete with hundreds of grave markers neatly aligned covering multiple acres. This place is also a space for reflection and the final rest for persons of all ages and backgrounds. I make a point to frequently visit both Fort Snelling locales, dating back to before MN became a State, in 1858. Though I tend to find peace during these sojourns, the following thought breaks the silence on the drive home. Some of you may remember singer Edwin Starr’s message to we/ya’ all… http://tinyurl.com/344zba .. The truth hurts. Time outs and away .. listenin’ to the Twins on a steamy summer’s nite on my AM portable can do for me what Mickey so eloquently describes in his reflection.. Thanks buddy… Thank ya’all richie ps JOS .. you and the family continue to be in my thought and prayers ! Peace be with you!

Posted by Richie on from st cloud / n ft myers 06/15 at 04:24 PM

#25...I’m sorry Mickey for leaving out the ‘C’...but, I’ve gotta have a number

Posted by joe of maine on from 06/15 at 04:47 PM

sorry dudes, having a strange brainstorm of an evening. these lyrics etc…

I’m not going to talk about doubts and confusion
On a night when I can see with my eyes shut
I’d never been to ayrshire
I hitched down one saturday
Sixty miles to kilmarnock
To see hibernian play
The day was bright and sunny
But the game I won’t relay
And there was no kilmarnock bunnet
To make me want to stay

But I’m not going to talk about it
On a night when I can see with my eyes shut
When I started walking at wishaw
My eyes obscured my vision
After five miles on my way
I began to learn to listen

I walked through the country
I walked through the town
I held my head up
And I didn’t look down
The question doesn’t matter
The answer’s always ‘aye’
The best view of all
Is where the land meets the sky.

Posted by michael on from scotland 06/15 at 05:40 PM

To my mind, a military cemetary should be antidote to any amount of political warmongering. For some weird reason, it works the other way round.
If you could get people to understand why that is, you’d be a long way to breaking the militaristic spell. Basic logic is what it is. Even jingoistic propaganda can’t counter a mind trained to question. Thats why we’re not, and have to make do with the blessed lunatics and visionaries through the centuries.

Michael, my shame (one of them at least) is I’ve not seen any of the countries ‘my’ country dominates. My guess is thats the Proclaimers (who I bloody missed at the last Isle of Wight festival). Whoever it is, it probably should be me. It is at least, on cloudless nights.

Posted by Mew on from round my mates 06/15 at 05:47 PM

Hello again…

What number do you need, Joe?

Thanks for the lyrics, Michael. By odd coincidence, I was planning to post some offbeat lyrics here tomorrow.

Captcha sez: friends

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 06/15 at 06:41 PM

Mickey..30>>Mickey..24..."compared to Zinn and Blum
I am young”...what’s young?...I gotta have a number, only a number will do it...I gotta have it......(<:

Posted by joe of maine on from 06/15 at 07:50 PM