Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Let's start with Bush's finger...and go from there
strictly speaking mr lama designated himself i think - by being reincarnated and all that. he has had a history of making ridiculous statements. Free tibet? of course. free tibet to this dude? hmmm. its should be no one else’ choice other than the tibetans and the repression still goes on but aside from a couple of hollywood films that rejoice in the spiritualism aspect of tibet how much do we really know? i would not claim to be an expert but it would interesting to know how much poverty and how repressive or otherwise tibetan society was before the chinese came along. don’t get me wrong, china should not be there and are brutal occupiers etc etc but i think its an interesting question. i met a few tibetan refugees when i was abroad tho, and they seemed to like him.
in short, i dunno
Posted by michael on from scotland 09/13 at 06:08 AMThe “Doctrine for Joint Nuclear Operations,” which was last updated ten years ago, makes clear that “the decision to employ nuclear weapons at any level requires explicit orders from the president”, according to the Associated Press news agency.
Are your kidding me?
Posted by James on from Puerto Rico 09/13 at 08:31 AMThe doctor story is incredible...I couldn’t imagine having to make a decision like that, but in the end, I think they did the right thing.
Posted by James on from Puerto Rico 09/13 at 08:33 AMthis is all to do with the new generation of ‘tactical’ nuclear weapons or ‘mini-nukes’ as they are sometimes called. whats the difference between a ‘tactical’ weapon and one that isn’t ‘tactical’? that always confused me.
maybe thats the next thing at protests - instead of plastic bullets the police will be firing plastic nuclear weapons.
as for the hospital thing, horrible as it is these decisions are being made all the time, everywhere.
Posted by michael on from scotland 09/13 at 08:41 AM“decisions are being made all the time, everywhere.”
True, Michael. It’s just a small taste of what hospitals and clinics in war-torn nations endure day after day. What a sobering thought.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 09/13 at 09:02 AMits not even just wartorn countries. surgeons and docs have to make decisions like that every day to a greater or less extent. ie is it worth operating on someone if they are not likely to survive it and stuff like that.
i know a couple of (young) surgeons and occasionally see them after work when they are still upset about what has happened during the day. i wonder as they get older if they learn to switch it off or come to terms with it and get on with it.
i suppose that if they don’t find a way to do that then they can’t carry on with the job.
Posted by michael on from scotland 09/13 at 09:14 AMThat is true...in war-torn nations these decisions must be being made everyday. I am sure they are being made in this nation as well for those that are suffering.
Still, you’re working in a hosipital, a hurricane hits, supposedly “gangs of rapists and looters” are “rampaging,” no help is coming… it is a pretty incredible story.
Now that I think about it, I wonder if they had access to news reports exagerating about “gangs of thugs,” code for “blacks with guns”, “rampaging and raping” everyone. That would have made a horrible situation even worse, don’t you think?
It’s kind of like yelling “fire!” in a building that is being evacuated for a suspected explosive device...or something like that. Journalists who report third-hand stories about shootings and rapists should be charged for inciting a riot.
I am not saying that rapes didn’t happen and I am not saying that the doctor’s did the wrong thing, in fact I think they did the right thing....I am just saying that it makes me extremely angry thinking about the atmosphere of fear generated by our “news” media.
Posted by James on from Puerto Rico 09/13 at 09:20 AMMichael, I was writing while you posted...I think they must turn off something...a lot of people do, for one reason or another I guess.
Posted by James on from Puerto Rico 09/13 at 09:24 AMI think what I was trying to say is that those in the media are a bunch or MORANS.
Posted by James on from Puerto Rico 09/13 at 09:28 AMbunch OF...oh forget it, you get what I mean.
Posted by James on from Puerto Rico 09/13 at 09:30 AMThe doctor story disturbs me, not the least because it comes from what is (I think) a relatively sub-standard paper. But worst of all is the popular acceptance of the concept of people having to make “split-second” decisions. Kind of like in London July 24, wasn’t it? Or the decisions to torture people for what they might know now, and might forget later. That FOX show “24” (which, I’m sorry to say, I did watch the entire first season of...) is always presenting these kinds of dillemas--do horrible things now to prevent horrible things later.
James, maybe the docs did the right thing, and maybe this article just sensationalizes something doctors do all the time, still: I wouldn’t be too happy if it was me or my brother or sister at the wrong end of a doctor’s needle. But I suppose these “victims”, unburdened now of being alive in a miserable world, were victims partly of the criminal negligence that allowed the flooding to be as bad as it was and the evacuation to be as poor as it was (not to mention a healthcare system as non-existent as it is).
Posted by Keir on from The Hague 09/13 at 10:30 AMYou’re right, Keir...about the paper and “split-second” decisions. But if these people were really in their last hours or days to leave them there with nothing would be torture, I wouldn’t want anyone to suffer through something like that. However, there is no real way to know what the actual situation was.
Posted by James on from Puerto Rico 09/13 at 10:46 AMas an aside i think the democracy now coverage of the whole N.O. thing has been excellent. i get it every afternoon on the net (i am about 5 or 6 hours ahead of you over here - thats why stop posting each day at this time - need to pay broadband bills before i can get back on at home)
the stuff yesterday about blackwater security was nuts
also, we might not be able to have these little conversations soon if things carry on the way they are going http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2005/09/13/the-net-censors/
he is a real quality journo (been on democracy now a few times too!)Posted by michael on from scotland 09/13 at 11:27 AMFrom yesterday’s postings, thanks to Rosemarie and each of y’all for the kind wishes. It’s very helpful to get support from people one actually admires.
Tibet’s never been rich, MZ, and theocracy is (to my mind) an evil unto itself and not to be borne under any circumstances. Enllightened despotism is never good government. Of course, niether is anything else, the way I feel right now. And frankly, I can’t work myself into a state of high dudgeon over the misgovernment of others when we have Repulsivecans here at home. Eradicate conservatism for the scourge and menace it is here and then let’s talk about how other nations should do anything.
Posted by The Mudge on from Texas 09/13 at 04:11 PMMichael, I forgot to clear up your confusion! “Strategic nukes” are huge, region-destroying WMDs that require planning and forethought to use against one’s “enemies,” and provide a chain of command to blame for the horrors so inflcted at the war crimes trial.
“Tactical nukes” are smaller, city-destroying mobile WMDs that merely require the field commander to have the launch codes to deploy as he or she deems fit at that moment, in the event command-and-control functions have broken down and he or she is left to his/er own devices. The COC is understandably a little fuzzier and so war crimes trials, in the event we can rouse ourselves from grubbing radioactive worms for supper to have them, are a little hazier.
Print and save as a handy reference in the event the green hills of Scotland begin to glow a slightly off-green all on their own!
Posted by Richard the Curmudgeon on from Lowish Dudgeon 09/13 at 04:30 PMMickey, this post ROCKS! I have been wondering about the Dalai Lama for some considerable time, and the ‘morans’ placard is priceless. Thanks!
Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 09/13 at 05:38 PMArms Fair Criticized for Using War to Market Weapons by Terry Kirby:’The exhibition is run in conjunction with the Defense Export Services Organization (DESO), the arm of the Ministry of Defense that promotes the sale and licensing of British-made military equipment. Yesterday’s press preview day included a catwalk-style show organized by DESO, with soldiers in full battledress posing with weapons. These included the British L96 sniper rifle used in Iraq as well as chemical detection equipment, airfield illumination systems and light anti-armour weapons.’ (http://tinyurl.com/786ju)
announcer:our solider is wearing the latest battlefield uniform in a breatheable fabric designed for comfort in the desert heat. his flack jacket is made from the latest spaceage technology designed to protect him from any terrorist bullet. notice the rifle in his hand? it is an L96 sniper and notice its sleek design. the telescope on top allows the solider to see at long distances, it has a magazine capacity of 5 rounds (whatever that means, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L96) and can be used effectively to kill any terrorist who demand their rights in any nation around the globe. (while the announcer speaks the solider/model walks down the runway. at the end of the runway there is a bipod the solider places the sniper there, looks through the telescope and mimics the action of discharging the weapon. a moment of panic followed by laughter and applause. the solider/model gets up, slings the sniper over his shoulder and reverses down the runway and exists the stage, another solider/model begins to walk the runway...)
heard this song yet? George Bush Doesn’t Care About Black People by the Legendary K.O.:
Five damn days, five long days/And at the end of the fifth he walkin’ in like..."Hey!" http://tinyurl.com/dmhzx
If you had a picture of salvador dali along with the dalai lama and dolly parton you could’ve had a ‘one of these things is not like
the others’ contest.Posted by tm on from the catwalk 09/14 at 02:33 AMrichard, unfortunately, a lot fo those green hills are stuffed with military bases!
Posted by michael on from scotland 09/14 at 04:51 AMAll I’d need then is Dolly the cloned sheep. Thanks, TM...and Helga. Michael, the review will go up here tomorrow.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 09/14 at 04:51 AMhow early do you get up? its 11 am here which must make it 6am over there
your sick mickey. get up at a reasonable time like everyone else!!
Posted by michael on from scotland 09/14 at 05:15 AMYeah, I’m up between 5 and 6 most days. I do most of my training and kick-boxing work in the early morning. But...if everyone buys two or three copies of my book, I’ll be able to stay in bed longer.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 09/14 at 05:18 AMouch! must be the vegan and fitness thang!
never been to a gym in my life. not that i don’t keep fit but who needs to go to sweaty gym when two hours in any direction and i have my choice of a hundred mountains (even if there are occasional bases - they put them where you can’tsee them so it doesn’t spoil the view).
Posted by michael on from scotland 09/14 at 05:23 AM
Next entry: Run, Humans, Run (and happy birthday to The Mudge)
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