Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
"No Heroes"
Mickey...I like your drama. “All we need to start a revolution is...”.
This from Chalmers Johnson should start a revolution…
“...The world’s top 10 military spenders and the approximate amounts each country currently budgets for its military establishment are:1. United States (FY08 budget), $623 billion
2. China (2004), $65 billion
3. Russia, $50 billion
4. France (2005), $45 billion
5. Japan (2007), $41.75 billion
6. Germany (2003), $35.1 billion
7. Italy (2003), $28.2 billion
8. South Korea (2003), $21.1 billion
9. India (2005 est.), $19 billion
10. Saudi Arabia (2005 est.), $18 billionWorld total military expenditures (2004 est.), $1,100 billion
World total (minus the United States), $500 billion...”Posted by RMJ on from Mickey Z 4 Prez Hdqts 01/23 at 02:57 PMGreat drama, MZ. Your scriptwriting has great timing. And Gina Gershon makes me weak in the knees.
Leaders/Followers: This has been on my mind lately (more great timing). Cults of personality large and small are problematic, but there is a huge difference between aggressive, self-seeking leaders and those who are more organic in origin and ends. The care and feeding of revolution doesn’t always conform to political ideals or timing, and the safety of numbers matters. In this large-scale reckoning that rapidly approaches, my bet is on practical and hard-nosed stuff. Directness about why, when, where, etc, is what’s needed, come what may.
That said, Hillary Clinton in the Oval Office scares the fertilizer out of me. In the face of organized demands for change, she won’t hesitate to crack down, and will develop a flair for it. Even if the entire Bush Administration were executed for treason tomorrow, there’s still the follow-up to consider.
Homer Rules: I’m not really a fan, but “The Simpsons Movie” was really funny.
Posted by Zen Prole on from Urth 01/23 at 04:31 PMHi, Rosemarie, Zen Prole and Mickey, of course! LOVE this “As someone very wise once told me, there are no heroes. Just people. Real people.” The word ‘here’ is bandied about far too often.
And I really, really like Chalmers Johnson - have got ‘Blowback’ and ‘The Sorrows of Empire’ but have not got around to buying ‘Nemesis’ yet, so thanks for your comment, Rosemarie.
Now it’s off to do some work ..
See you later, expendables - take care!
HelgaPosted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 01/23 at 05:13 PMWaiting for a hero reminds me of Derrick Jensen’s take on Pandora’s box.
(By the way, Mickey, thanks for reviewing Derrick Jensen’s ‘Endgame’ books a while back, you put me on to a great thing).
In the myth, Pandora is told to not open the box, but her curiosity gets the better of her and she opens it. Out come the evil things of the world - greed, vanity etc. She shuts the box, but one thing remains. Thinking that one more bad thing couldn’t make the world any worse, she opens the box, releasing hope.
In the standard telling of the tale, hope is a good thing. However, if there was no hope then the only alternative would have been for Pandora to get up off her couch, hunt down the evil things, and put them back in the box.
Hope and heros are excuses for inaction.
Hope belonged in the box with the rest of the evil stuff.Posted by Chris Cheer on from New Zealand 01/23 at 06:29 PMHello Expendables. Thanks for all the great feedback and comments. I love screenwriting and such mini-scripts give me a chance to indugle...and propagandize, too.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 01/23 at 07:50 PMMe again. I’ve added a new link to the main post, re: autism.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 01/24 at 11:58 AMUpdated Radio Curious link (Temple Grandin)-- one of the strangest and most fascinating interviews I’ve ever heard One has to suspend a lot of judgement and marvel.
http://tinyurl.com/2o4ljd (mp3)
Mickey-- I might go back to the movies if they filmed your screenplay!
I like your concept of heros-- but I still believe there is a place for heros and hope-- in perspective, and without illusions....
...hope, in the sense that Goethe advocated for it; heros, in the sense that Zimbardo advocates for it (in his recent book the Lucifer Effect).
I think that is what you are driving at-- a better society where everyone makes a positive contribution.
UNICEF just reported that “more than 27,000 children under the age of five die each day, most of them from preventable causes. (Try war: a leading cause.)
Imagine the loss to our world… and all the possiblities that will never be. A cure for autism?
Posted by Robert B. Livingston on from San Francisco, California 01/24 at 03:52 PMRainy day here…
out soon, though.
Surfing the web, followed a few trails to Hollywood-- pretty disappointing.
Except for one tip: Richard Gere is making a film with a dog story.
That makes me happy-- think I’ll go see that when it comes out.
Best to all.
Posted by Robert B. Livingston on from San Francisco, California 01/24 at 05:43 PMRobert: I might check out a film or two here this weekend
http://www.movingimage.us/site/calendar/index.htmlPosted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 01/24 at 05:51 PMhello everyone.
seems like an age since i looked in here but just wanted to say that i saw this and thought about visiting again…
” target="_blank" >http://www.ImageShack.us"[/img][/url]
Posted by michael on from scotland (but in exile again) 01/24 at 05:53 PMRe catching up on films, Mickey #9, have you seen ‘The Illusionist’? Hired it the other day from a local video store - simply brilliant. Also, any film that has Johnny Depp in it is good - so ‘Sweeney Todd’ should be worth seeing.
And I meant ‘hero’, not ‘here’, of course (#3)
Hello, Chris Cheer, Robert B. Livingston and Michael from Scotland. Was trying to provide a Derrick Jensen link - he was interviewed on our Radio National not that long ago - but am unable to find it.
Beautiful day here - a slight breeze and about 80F.
All best for all of you, Helga
Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 01/24 at 06:23 PM-
Posted by 89 on from bro 02/13 at 02:59 PM
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