Mickey Z

Cool Observer

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

State of the Union: Either brain-damaged or something to conceal

Posted by Mickey Z on 02/01 at 05:44 AM

morning mickey and all else

they broadcast the state of the union speech here believe it or not, but it was on at 2am so i didn’t see it. i will have a look and see what pinocchio had to say for himself later on.

loved the Ibsen quote but unfortunately, one does need money. in the last year and a half i have sold all my books, my vinyl collection (in a past life i was a funk dj) my videos, my dvd’s -all to continue doing other work which i see as more socially valuable. now though, i have nothign left to sell and am frantically looking for a job. but, i still won’t take an office job so its off somewhere else for me. don’t know where yet. i have applied for jobs in three different countries so far this morning!

Altogether now…

“trailer for sale or rent
Rooms to let, 50 cents”

etc

will see what f*ckface had to say for himself later and am sure will be suitably outraged to post something about it.

In UK news - the 100th soldier was killed so there is lot of vigil things going on. 100 seems small compared to US losses but it is proportional to the amount of troops UK sent in relation to US.

both figures are obviously as nothing compared to the iraqis

Posted by michael on from scotland 02/01 at 06:42 AM

Bloody Hell, Mickey! Was it twelve months ago I read that article? And what a good one it is.

“He (Ronald Reagan) does not speak good prose,” Emily D. told Sacks. “His word-use is improper. Either he is brain-damaged or he has something to conceal.”

What a beautiful line to which I can only add “Or both”!

You ought to give Dr. Sacks another try, Mickey.

Michael, you might like a quote attributed to Keith Richards:-

“If you don’t pay enough attention to money, there’s never enough. And if you pay too much attention to it, there’s never enough, either”

(That’s probably a slight paraphrase as I’m quoting from memory)

Posted by Jim on from 02/01 at 07:04 AM

Mornin’ All...I watched as much of the Bushspeak as I could. Are we all feeling a bit toxified this morning? And about the Cindy Sheehan arrest there, what does everyone think about that? She had a clothing violation. They did not like the message on her t-shirt. Is there any doubt in the mind of anyone that THERE IS NO FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN THE USA!!!!!! And another thing, did everyone notice political puppets who jumped up and clapped right on cue. The Dem/Repubs are Stepford politicians who think so far in the box that there is no hope for any one

Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 02/01 at 08:28 AM

Right now Drudge has a photo of Cindy Sheehan being removed from the Capitol by the men in black uniforms. Reminds me of Nazi Germany in the 1930’s.

Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 02/01 at 08:44 AM

The President of the War on Terror said, “Hooray for your chains!”

Posted by Shimmy on from Chicago, Amerika 02/01 at 09:35 AM

Coincidentally, Sacks’ “Island of the Colour-blind” is my train-book this week. I’ve always found his work fascinating, in a different universe to almost all “popular psychology”.

Love Chris Morris’ alternate address Michael. The last TV series he did was pretty dreadful though wasn’t it? Hope this marks a return to his “Jam” and “Brasseye” form.

Posted by mew on from Airstrip 1 02/01 at 09:47 AM

yeah alternate state of the union address at

http://thumpingthetub.blogspot.com

captcha is “freedom”

someone is taking the piss

Posted by michael on from scotland 02/01 at 09:50 AM

Good morning, Expendables. RMJ, here’s Cindy’s side of the story: http://urlsnip.com/945989.

Michael and Jim: I agree about $$$. That’s why I juxtaposed Ibsen with my plea for funds.

Mew: I’m a big fan of Sacks.

Shimmy: Welcome to the site. (Cool blog, btw.) How did you find this place?

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 02/01 at 10:23 AM

If I were not an atheist, I would believe in a God who would choose to save people on the basis of the totality of their lives and not the pattern of their words. I think he would prefer an honest and righteous atheist to a TV preacher whose every word is God, God, God, and whose every deed is foul, foul, foul. -Isaac Asimov, scientist and writer (1920-1992)

Substitute “dissident” for “atheist” and “President” for “preacher,” and I think we have a go.

Michael, from last night: Cynical is only the beginning of the problems with the SNP’s muzzling in 1974-5. It was mooted in The Economist at that time as well. It wasn’t so much a secret as it was a shameful cover-up. In the USA, Mother Jones offered a little coverage of it as the UK version of Watergate. Should Scotland be a separate nation? I have no opinion beyond “ask the Scots.” In Alternate History-land, I wrote a scenario for a Scottish union in ~1400, with the Scots taking over England instead of England the Scots.

I was booed and catcalled by a few, and roundly ignored by the majority. I took this as a good sign. I think I’ll dig up that storyline...could prove interesting now.

Posted by Mudge on from Austin 02/01 at 10:58 AM

Good morning dear RMJ! I am yet again amazed at your fortitude...I took the CatLady approach to Bush’s speech. I went out for dinner with my friend Jason, and introduced him to Persian food. Even got his vegetable-hatin’ self to eat dilled lima beans...and like ‘em! It was easier than the misery of watching a man I dislike and disrespect bloviate platitudinous pablum for pusillanimous poltroons.

MZ: Last night in writer’s group I asked of the younger set, “Whatinahell is a ‘metrosexual’?” The response was from Fight Club! A young woman said, “Y’know how Tyler Durden asks ‘Why do we know what a duvet is?’ The guy who knows what a duvet is, is a metrosexual.” >>!<<

Empress, Mew, Shimmy: Howdy do from the great state of Texas, where Bush LIVED but where he MOST CERTAINLY is not from. Born in Conecticut, as I recall...the last slave state in the North. What tobacco planting does to morals is simply shocking.

Posted by Mudge on from Austin 02/01 at 11:10 AM

Apropos Ibsen’s comment, here’s interesting info on and from the country that came out on top in a recent “Happiness Studies” survey:

http://tinyurl.com/8h3t2

http://tinyurl.com/cdu3y

Posted by sk on from 02/01 at 12:35 PM

Hi Mudge.
What is it about the Elites and drugs?

I take great heart at Cyndie’s arrest (I assume Cyndie knew what she was doing). It shows how afraid “they” are. Afraid of someone telling the truth. And well they might be.

Rosemarie, they are afraid of you, too.

Posted by Jim on from 02/01 at 12:42 PM

re $$$: http://tinyurl.com/cbscs

Posted by mew on from Airstrip 1 02/01 at 12:48 PM

Thanks for the links, sk.
Happiness is, indeed, dependent largely on social inclusion. While the poor in western countries may have more money pass through their hands in a given year, they suffer far more social exclusion than in third world countries, it seems to me.

Why people spend hours watching television being told they should buy this and that with their non-existant disposable income and seeing images of lifestyles they are denied, is beyond me. It reminds me of the men in the mining camp I used to live in once who would read pornography. Talk about taking a beating to nowhere!

Picking up on a comment in one of the articles, if western countries have a “guaranteed minimum’ living standard, how come we have homelessness?

Posted by Jim on from 02/01 at 12:59 PM

Thanks to you as well, Mew.
George Monbiot is very insightful. Economists tell us at every opportunity that Capitalism is the most efficient means of meeting a societies needs. But the fact is that it is the ones with the cash who are the focus of capitalism not the ones with the needs. The Law of Supply and Demand “demands” it!

So much bullshit and so little time to learn and assimilate it. Thank goodness we have television!

Posted by Jim on from 02/01 at 01:12 PM

“If I were not an atheist, I would believe in a God who would choose to save people on the basis of the totality of their lives and not the pattern of their words. I think he would prefer an honest and righteous atheist to a TV preacher whose every word is God, God, God, and whose every deed is foul, foul, foul. -Isaac Asimov, scientist and writer (1920-1992)”

Actually, this IS the God of the New Testament in spite of what the televangelists say. If you read Romans Ch 2, you’ll be able to bring most fundo preachers undone.

I hesitate to bring in religion, but just couldn’t resist it. Yes, I am weak, a sinner!

Oh my God. Captcha says “bad”

I had been going to comment on previous captchas saying that I think the FBI Cointelpro team are fooling with them to amuse themselves. But now I think it might be Someone a bit higher up!

Posted by Jim on from 02/01 at 01:22 PM

Speaking of George (Monbiot, that is), I just read this over at Common Dreams. Seems very apropro.

http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0131-26.htm
or try this, http://tinyurl.com/a49gk

And with this post, I have reached a new personal best. (OK, I can’t sleep and am in a perculiar mood!)

Posted by Jim on from 02/01 at 01:42 PM

Hello Expendables. Excellent, excellent links today. Good to see you back around these parts, SK.

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 02/01 at 04:05 PM

Like the heading of this post, Mickey! And you are very modest when asking for a donation of a mere one dollar (or more). You deserve more - and I would give more if Mr and Mrs Helga weren’t in such a precarious state as far as their finances are concerned.
And all the quotes really hit home - as always. I haven’t read your piece on the 2003 SOTU speech yet but I’m sure it rings true in 2006 ..
A very warm welcome to Michael, Jim, Rosemarie, Shimmy, Mew, MUDGE and sk - hope I have not forgotten any member of the ‘expendables family’commenting here.
Am listening to the Michelangelo Signorile show at the moment - he interviews some reverend who threatened a boycott of Microsoft because of their support for gay rights - just heard that he believes in the BIBLE which seems to say that homosexuality is a SIN. Apparently it is not a sin to launch illegal, immoral wars. Mike will give him some hell, I’m sure!
Ciao amici ..

Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 02/01 at 04:39 PM

And best of luck with your job search, Michael! You are soo right - one needs money. My husband is self-employed and there are real cash flow problems (no bad debts, though). As for Mrs Helga, she has applied for quite a few jobs in the last 18 months but without success. She is nearly 55 which does not make it any easier - never mind the experience she has ‘acquired.’

Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 02/01 at 04:43 PM

Oh, and here is Eli Stephens of lefti.blogspot.com on the Cindy Sheehan arrest:

“American “democracy” on display

The mother of a soldier killed in an ongoing war cannot attend the State of the Union address as an invited guest of a member of Congress, wearing the clothing of her choice, without getting arrested.

This is the country that is going to teach Iraq, or Palestine, or Iran, or anyplace in the world, about democracy?

Update: Sheehan explains “What Really Happened?” Here’s the conclusion:

“I have lost my son. I have lost my First Amendment rights. I have lost the country that I love. Where did America go? I started crying in pain.

What did Casey die for? What did the 2244 other brave young Americans die for? What are tens of thousands of them over there in harm’s way for still? For this? I can’t even wear a shirt that has the number of troops on it that George Bush and his arrogant and ignorant policies are responsible for killing.” “
Nothing to add to that ..

Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 02/01 at 04:47 PM

Hi Helga. There are far too many Expendables with money and/or shelter issues...if I say so “myself.”

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 02/01 at 04:50 PM

I missed the State of the Union last night, thankfully. I see that all charges have been dropped against Cindy Sheehan’s t-shirt.

Catch you all later.

Posted by JOS on from Chicago 02/01 at 06:07 PM

I wonder if Cindy’s t-shirt will wind up in the Smithsonian. A couple of years ago there was a t-shirt caper in Albany NY. A man went to the mall, bought a “peace” t-shirt there, put it on, and was arrested. They arrested the wrong guy. He was a person with some influence, a lawyer, I think. Anyway, they soon regretted that they had arrested him.
Helga, there is a lot of age discrimination when it comes to getting a job. Once when I was 40, I was told that I was to old to even get an interview.

Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 02/01 at 06:32 PM

Check out what this guy said about the state of the union:
http://mcbourniescolumn.blogspot.com

Posted by Pirate Pete on from 02/01 at 09:30 PM

Good night, dear Expendables. I’m taking my niece’s dog out for a final sniffing of the grass. She’s goung into heat soon...Blanche will not, as she’s been spayed, and I am more than ever glad that I made her an it. Poor Molly (who is Alfred and Blanche’s mother, BTW) is going bananas.

(I’m feelin’ her pain, no place of my own and Punkin in Houston until the end of March!!!)

Reunion with my own puppies soon!

Posted by Mudge on from Austin 02/01 at 09:38 PM