Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
a cycle (poem)
great poem!
Posted by JOS on from Chicago 08/29 at 10:14 AMHi Mickey,
I wanted to comment on your previous post on Rush. I like them a lot too. One of my favorite Rush songs happens to be The Trees. However, recently I’ve learnt that Ayn Rand has had influence on them philosophically and Peart’s lyrics sometimes reflect that. If that’s the case, then I don’t know what to think of them anymore. I thought the lyrics of The Trees was great, but now it seems I misinterpreted the idea of the song. I guess you guys can shed some light on this point.Cheers.
Posted by Ehtesham on from Canada 08/29 at 11:55 AMHi Mickey and everyone...yes, I like your poem a lot Mickey…
Ehtesham...2, due to a hearing problem, I guess I’ve had most of my life, I’ve hardly ever been able to hear enunciation of music lyrics...so, I’ve heard the voice as simply another instrument creating sound, vibrations...when I have read lyrics of music I enjoy, not hearing became a positive...because I never know what anyone’s talking about.
Sister Ray supposedly was Lou Reed’s symbol for heroine and he “couldn’t even hit it sideways.”
Posted by joe of maine on from 08/29 at 12:26 PMi have a hearing problem with music too.
anytime someone starts talking about pop music i automatically can’t hear what they are saying.
Posted by michael on from scotland 08/29 at 12:43 PMMZ, the poem is spot on, and it brought to mind the parallels between malls and prisons. I watched another Paul Mooney DVD last night, “Analyzing White America,” which was excellent. In many ways he’s the equal of Bill Hicks, except race is his beat. Outside the comedy field, he’s been relatively unknown for decades, and I’m starting to view this as a crime.
Ehtesham, I’m a longtime Rush fan and was similarly shocked when I learned about the Ayn Rand’s influence on their lyrics. I find their music kinda spotty until “Permanent Waves,” so don’t pay much attention to the earlier period when that philosophy was prominent. Neil Peart is definitely an individualist but in his travel books he shows that he, and by extension they, aren’t one-dimensional and have evolved. In them Peart mentions Eric Schlosser’s “Fast Food Nation” (along with an oath to boycott of the subjects of the book), refuses to name the corporations that have bought naming rights to venues, calling such places the Cellular Phone Service Arena or the Cheap Office Supplies Coliseum, etc, and deflates religion and fundamentalist America. He’s got very strong humanist leanings, but the Order of Canada isn’t given to anarchists, either. At the end of the day I’m still a huge fan and appreciate that they have a lot of talent and don’t take themselves too seriously. And they are outstanding live. MZ has never seen them play and I’m gonna try to hook him up at some point.
I’ve run long here…
Posted by Zen Prole on from Urth 08/29 at 01:05 PMHello Expendables. Sorry I’m late to this shindig but, for some reason, I’m not getting notification that comments are being made. Thanks for the positive feedback on my poem and thanks to Zen for his excellent reply to Ehtesham...to which I’ll add that if I only listened to music by artists with whom I completely agreed, well you know the rest.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 08/29 at 02:10 PMHi Zen, michael, joe, JOS, Ehtesham, and Mickey
Mickey, the book just arrived. Thank you for the kind words. I will treasure that book forever.The poem on the front page here today reminded me of the execution that is scheduled in Texas. The accused never killed anyone, but was some distance away driving the car. I don’t know if he even knew that a crime was being committed.
joe and others, you are right. I don’t think that the pope ever mentioned depleted uranium, but he has said that the war is wrong. I agree that all organized religions have been too silent. That’s one reason I don’t go to church anymore. Also, the fact that there are priests, ministers, rabbis, etc in the military implies a condonation of war. The same can be said about doctors and other medical personnel.
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 08/29 at 02:35 PMHello guys, thanks for all your comments. Zen, I guess I wasn’t informed of how they evolved. Besides, as Mickey pointed out, one can still listen to what one likes without completely agreeing with the artist. Anyways, talk to you guys later.
Cheers.
Posted by Ehtesham on from Canada 08/29 at 02:41 PMSorry...I’ve hated Rush ever since the day I was dropped off at boarding school when I was 14. My dorm neighbor blasted the same god damn Rush song over and over, day after day doing air drums until he sweated like some sort of farm animal. No every time I hear that distinctive voice I get nauseous.
Now I looked up the spelling of nauseous while writing this comment and found that some say I used it incorrectly, yet Merriam-Webster online says I did not:
“usage: Those who insist that nauseous can properly be used only in sense 1 and that in sense 2 it is an error for nauseated are mistaken. Current evidence shows these facts: nauseous is most frequently used to mean physically affected with nausea, usually after a linking verb such as feel or become; figurative use is quite a bit less frequent. Use of nauseous in sense 1 is much more often figurative than literal, and this use appears to be losing ground to nauseating.”
Here endeth the lesson…
Posted by JOS on from Chicago 08/29 at 02:46 PMRMJ, I’m glad you’ve already gotten the book.
JOS: If one didn’t like Rush or Geddy Lee, I could see how his voice could sound abhorrent (as in #1 below):
1.causing repugnance; detestable; loathsome
2.utterly opposed, or contrary, or in conflict
3.feeling extreme repugnance or aversion
4.remote in characterPosted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 08/29 at 04:01 PMJOS..9...I don’t laugh much these days...thank you, I love your rant in its entirety...your energy in the first paragraph is GREAT!
RMJ..I went to church very little...I had no choice in the matter...but if there is a reason not to go...I have never known of a minister, who after preaching, asked anyone if they had an opinion on the matter…
Posted by joe of maine on from 08/29 at 04:04 PMHey Mick...yeah, that’s a good word for how I feel about Geddy.
Hey Joe...thanks!
Posted by JOS on from Chicago 08/29 at 04:08 PMHere is a link to a petition in support of Troy Davis. He was within 24 hours of execution but a stay was ordered. 7 out of 9 witnesses have now said that their testimony in the original trial was not true.
http://tinyurl.com/ypzxjfjoe...I had no choice either about going to church when I was very young. I don’t think that it did me much harm. It was just part of life back then. When I became an adult, I believed that religion or non-religion or anti-religion is such an important a part of one’s global view, that everyone should make up their own mind about it. That’s how I raised my daughter. She made up her own mind - as everyone should. I kind of like the way my broader family handled religious views - one sister is a Sikh, one a devote Catholic, one not sure of, and then there’s the agnostic.
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 08/29 at 05:39 PMRMJ...thank you for the link and sharing your family experiences...It is said, many native people’s worshiped all things that are part of the planet, knowing they too were part of all things on earth...which is part of the larger universe. I substitute showing respect in place of worship. I believe we’ve missed something...?
By the way, I’m still laughing about JOS, god damn roommate sweating like some farm animal from playing airdrums...that’s a real knee-slapper!
Posted by joe of maine on from 08/29 at 05:56 PMHey JOS—MZ—Zen—Michael—E-Lovely --RoseMarie—and rest of Expendable Family --- Just got a call from Hospice Nurse at Oak Hills Senior/(Nursing) Home -this afternoon- that mama Frances—(my ma—) .. (89’ on 7/13/07’)—is passing—ie gaps between breathing are now 17-23 seconds w/ 3-4 long breaths in between—All 5 kids have now seen ma during the past 36-72 HRS-- My papa Stan—91’ visits by Heartland Express seniors bus for 45-59 minutes per M-F ( no bus on week-ends ) --STAN SAW HIS WIFE OF 68 YRS 3 HOURS AGO ....- We live --( 2 boys )-- 2 hours away (current flood zone in Southern MN is where my parents reside—see National News)—1 sister on the North Shore of Lake Superior—6 hours from parent’s home—1 sister on western shore of Lake MI—7 hours away—lil sis—Twin Cities—15 minutes from collapsed I-35 Mpls bridge—2 hours away ---- At my parents age—there is only 1 bro-in-law—age 87—ex-Marine—w/ severe emphesema—his wife—81’ just had heart valve replaced—and they r’ resting—post surgery—6 minutes away from I-35 Bridge collapse—in their own flood zone—MN set record for 9” of rain in TC’s and southern part of state since—8/3/07’ ...... Point being—CHAOS is our state’s middle name right now—we’re also in a Natural Disaster area—declared—by GWB—for—severe draught !!!!!!!!!! ... and we had MAJOR FOREST FIRES UP NORTH IN JUNE (National Newz) ........ and the TWINS ARE LOSING TO CLEVELAND—SO WE HAVE TO START PULLLING FOR THE YANKEES ...( ouch) ..... oh ..... and the VIKINGS JUST PULLED OUT OF ANOTHER MPLS LAND DEAL --- SO R’ CONFINED TO THE HHH METRODOME—TILL 12’ ..............THANKS RED McCOMBS AND ZIGGY WILF (a New Jersey team owner of the VIKES -------))))) Point being -----------we’re having record attendance at the MN STATE FAIR IN MY OLD ST PAUL NEIGHBORHOOD—100,000 plus persons a day --- even though they at the fair—faced straight line wind damage and two floods on the grounds—thus far on their 12 day run to LABOR DAY ----- NO POEM --- ONLY RHYMING SIMON TO KEEP ME SANE ---------A) “Sounds of SILENCE “ http://tinyurl.com/2qtgpg (brought solace to me when I turned 17—in 65’)—GO FIGURE ---- http:tinyurl.com/2c526j -------MOBILE ALABAMA STATE FAIR VIDEO ------ http://tinyurl.com/yrdmey—MONSTER TRUCK RALLY AT THE 06’ STATE FAIR HIPPODROME --- (we are a whacky folk—in SCANDAHOOVIAN LAND—MN )-- and last but not LEAST—a clip from ROBERT ALTMAN (of LATE—deceased)—and GARRISON KELLIOR’S “PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION—THE MOVIE—“ featuring COWBOY WOODY HARRELSON ------ a true whacko—kindred spirit of all MINNESNOWSTANS -------- ( now go get some rest R*I*C*H*I*E* ------- for tomorrow we RIDE—(I’m the POA and funeral Master/Arranger—and the Lucky one who WILLL BREAK PA THE INEVITIBLE NEWZ **FACE-TO-FACE**-- http://tinyurl.com/32yvqf ........................AMEN --peace out!!!
Posted by Richie on from st cloud / n ft myers FL 08/29 at 06:50 PMRichie, my heart and thoughts and sympathy are with you and your family. Your devotion to your family is an inspiration.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 08/29 at 07:08 PMI’m sorry Richie
Posted by joe of maine on from 08/29 at 07:18 PMRichie, please accept my condolences.
Posted by Ehtesham on from Canada 08/29 at 07:29 PMRichie, your commitment to your family is humbling to observe. Go in peace, bro’.
Posted by Zen Prole on from Urth 08/29 at 10:37 PMGeddy’s got an inimitable voice, and he’s acknowledged as one of his influences Chris Squire of Yes. Geddy’s guitar interludes on “2112” are unforgetable; not to speak of his other guitar work.
I owned the first Rush album before the second was released thank to the Ear Wax’s editor’s column of my high school paper’s recommendation of it. “Caress of Steel” is sublime, and Rush went out of the stratosphere with “2112.” I’d seen them seven times by then, all in small arenas. By this time Rush [Queen, Aerosmith, and sundry others like Lynyrd Skynyrd] had replaced baseball as my religion - unbeknownst to me.
I read almost everything, with the exception of the incomprehensible “Introduction to Objectivist Epistemoly” Rand wrote after hearing “2112.” “Anthem” first, which to this day I greatly admire. I read “Atlas Shrugged” twice, if you can imagine it being a 1084 page book, advocating capitalism as the highest moral good - pass the anti-emetic. And no less, the only viable solution to racism. Rand deserves a lot of mud slung at her, but no one can take away from her that she advocated a man’s own happiness as his highest moral obligation, and the primacy of reason [at the limits of which, said Nietzsche, philosophy begins].
Peart is widely-acknowledged as one of the greatest drummers in the world. He writes most of Rush’s lyrics; and much has already rightly been said about his evolution. Anybody who likes “Trees” would certainly love “Closer to the Heart”; indeed, I think they were on the same album.
I just read Richard Dawkins book “The God Delusion” in which he points out what an absurdity it is to make a child of say seven, make a decision on the validity of Christianity, or any other religion for that matter, for him- or herself.
There’s no need to fear up there in MN Richie. Al Franken is fixin on ridin in on his Democratic Horse to, like Underdog, save the day. In his case, it’ll probably be the planet.
I think Cheney and Crue blew up the UN Building in Iraq in ‘03? After all, cui bono?
Everybody’s highly recommended to see the Iraq war doc at theatres now, “No End in Sight.”
Hey Hey. Talking ‘bout Shaft, er Harrelson; watch yer mouth.
Sorry about your family problems Richie.
Posted by Tracy on from 09/02 at 08:17 AMOop, forgot Mickey. Great poem!
Posted by Tracy on from 09/02 at 08:18 AM
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