Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Toys and the addict
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Right on re your “Why i hate amerika”; also, while I can’t navigate around cyberspace,I did appreciate the issue of how many birthing and how many dieing on spaceship earth at any one time.
As a character in a Flannery O’Connor novel put it, “This world was created for the dead. There’s a thousand times more dead than living, and the dead are dead a thousand times longer than the living are alive.” (Not sure if that is literally true, since Catholics and others breed like fruitflies). Venceremos! Subcommandane Bernardo.
Posted by Bernie Berg from Easton, Pa. 18042 on 09/17 at 07:24 AM -
Yeah, what Bernie Berg sez. I can dig it.
What the hell is going on? I can’t fucking stand to watch these “leaders” speak for my countrymen and me anymore. It’s like a bizzaro world, my good god! These people are serious too. But it’s just an adolescent war of words comedy.
Posted by dw from ohio on 09/17 at 08:36 AM -
Anyone with a curiosity for the graffiti artist Banksy, who lives in England, should check out today’s Observer for a good profile.
MZ, think you may be overreacting a tad about the toy chainsaw. I bought a similar one for my 4 year old nephew but he loves nature and has yet to deplete a single rainforest. The characterisation of the banker dweeb was beautifully done, on the other hand.
Posted by Chris from Manchester & the classroom. on 09/17 at 09:04 AM -
My favorite toys as a kid (1980’s) were Matchbox cars, G.I. Joe, and Space Lego, encouraging me to embrace the car culture, American imperialism, and the militarization of space. I also spent a fair part of my youth burning young brain cells in front of Atari and the first incarnation of Nintendo. I played Monopoly for the first time in years and years recently. Aggrevating beyond words.
Lovely Tom Robbins quote.
Posted by Keir from The Hague (Jackowski election hdqts) on 09/17 at 11:02 AM -
Hello Expendables...and welcome, Bernie. Another beautiful sunny day in NYC.
Bernie: I plan to post my “hate” article here tomorrow. I’m happy to see it has reached so many folks. I hope you’ll return here often, spread the word, and join in on the discussions.
I’ll be back later...I think I hear a chainsaw in the distance.
Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria on 09/17 at 11:49 AM -
What I think most chainsaw users don’t consider is the accompanying sound of breaking tree when your chainsaw’s big enough, or you make a living using it.
Just a thought. It’s quite a horrible sound, in my opinion.I too, love the Tom Robbins quote, one of my favourite books.(glad he “wrote” it)
Posted by Amelopsis from Canada on 09/17 at 11:55 AM -
Saw “Why I hate America” at Counterpunch. Nicely done.
Risk is still my favorite board game!
Some personal tragedy in our part of the world: my wife’s father was killed in a car accident on Friday.
Posted by Jeremy from Taipei on 09/17 at 12:17 PM -
Jeremy, I’m so sorry to hear such tragic news. My heart goes out to you, your wife, and your family. You all will be in my thoughts.
Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria on 09/17 at 12:28 PM -
Mickey You have had an effect on me. I live smack dab in the middle of suberbia and part of that entails cutting grass. Today I cut my grass with a Reel Mower. It took a little longer but that’s ok. I got a lot of weird looks from the neighbors too. I am looking for earth and people friendly products in stores now also. It takes some work but it matters i think. I’m not bragging but I never thought that the things we buy and consume could have such far reaching implications across the globe. We’re taught early on to consume as much as we can and what we can’t afford is available to us via a plastic card. Thanks Mickey for bringng this stuff up and not backing down. You have enlightened me about things the TV and paper media never discuss.
Posted by David from Louisville KY on 09/17 at 02:33 PM -
Thanks, David. I have been fortunate enough and open-minded enough to be influenced by so many people in my life. It’s a real kick to pass some of that along. Working together and sharing ideas is the only way we have a chance.
Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria on 09/17 at 03:18 PM -
Just calling in briefly - thanks for another enlightening post, Mickey! I have finished reading ‘The Seven Deadly Spins’ and enjoyed it so much. You ROCK!
And ‘hi’ to Bernie Berg, dw, Keir,Chris, Amelopsis, Jeremy and David - a few new expendables there.It has been unseasonably warm in Daylesford over the last few days: although spring is only 18 days old, we have had temperatures hovering around 75 F. Not that I am complaining ..
All the best to the expendables family,
HelgaPosted by Helga Fremlin from Daylesford, Australia on 09/17 at 04:35 PM -
Good Sunday evening, Mickey, and to one and all.
Sincere condolences, Jeremy, on the tragic death of your father-in-law.
DavidI also cut my lawn today, using my trusty second-hand push mower. Bought it some years back at a garage sale for $5.00 CDN and it works like a charm. Our neighbor across the street also does his grass without motorized help so I don’t feel so out of place in a neighborhood of gas & electric lawn mowers.
Enjoyed this beautiful day in Montreal outdoors for the most part. Don’t know how many more we will get like this before the cold weather sets in so better take advantage while we can.
Posted by Canadian Observer from on 09/17 at 04:38 PM -
Hi everyone...I just arrived home after a week with my Mom who was in the hospital in Pennsylvania. Thanks for all of the kind words. I will have have a lot to say about the usa style of health care in the near future.
Meantime, I want to send special thoughts to Jeremy and his family. I am VERY sorry to hear about your loved one. If you ever are up to it sometime in the future, I would be interested in hearing how the accident happened.About toys, most of them are awful. A walk through any toy store shows how sick our culture is. My 2 year old grandson loves all of his little cars. I am not so sure that is a good thing. I encourage him to like tractors and farm type toys, building blocks, toy musical instruments, and books. He has had a favorite book and author since he was a year old and has already worn that book out and needed a replacement. He is not allowed any toy soldiers or toy WMD’s - not even a plastic water pistol.
Posted by RMJ from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts on 09/17 at 04:49 PM -
Condolences to Jeremy. I’d like to echo Rosemarie’s thoughts: if writing about it helps then here’s one more Expendable reading. I wish you and your family strength.
Posted by Keir from The Hague (Jackowski election hdqts) on 09/17 at 05:20 PM -
Hey everyone, great posts and comments as always… man, that’s rough about your father in law, Jeremy, really sorry to hear that. Best wishes to all concerned!
Posted by James from Hell's Kitchen on 09/17 at 06:39 PM -
Jeremy - so sorry. You and yours are in my thoughts.
RMJ - glad to hear your trip went safely, and I assume your Mom’s relatively well?
David from Louisville - I’m glad you shared your lawnmower switch with us! (I agree: it does matter)
Posted by Amelopsis from Canada on 09/17 at 08:22 PM -
Jeremy, my condolences to you and your family.
Posted by TM from on 09/17 at 08:46 PM -
I like this line—“Yep, it’s all about setting the parameters for expected and accepted human behavior.” So what games should our children play with if there are no “good” toys/games out there? I like RMJ’s suggestion- a game where we think of all the things in which the people and the planet would be better off without.
And I also send my condolences to Jeremy and family.
Posted by Fiona from San Diego on 09/17 at 10:01 PM -
Thanks y’all for responses. Since it seems I’m welcome tell me if you agree with my friend Joe DeRaymond re this: He, I and 7 others were arrested last January in our congressman’s office (Exxon Charlie Dent, $10,000 from Tom DeLay, $200,000 raised by draft-dodging worm Cheney when he visited district, etc.) We wanted to meet with him re Iraq War, to redress grievance, get him to at least sign Murtha Amendment). He was baby-sitting, refused to come in to office, refused to talk with us, refused to do anything to stop the bloody violation of a dozen international treaties signed by U. S.. So we continued to read names of U. S. and Iraqi dead until closing time (5pm-his staff all watch Fox News from 9 to 5, then go home), and when we continued to read names after closing time Exxon Charlie instructed staff to have us arrested. We went to trial (initially a misdemeanor 3, down graded to summary so there would be no jury), were found guilty and fined $300 plus $366 court costs (note the symbolic number in the total!). Since that time I have been standing on street corners with signs throughout the district (15th, Pa.)expressing appropriate sentiments. My latest is: Charlie Dent Grovels b4 Mendacious Oligarchy. Joe thinks it over the head of the thousands of cars that pass by. I say, if I can understand it anyone can. What say y’all? (I’m not from the south, born and raised in Pittsburgh, but used to work in New Orleans a long time ago. With apologies for the length of this but would welcome input for signs. No longer than 42 letters, please.
Posted by Bernie Berg from Easton, Pa. 18042 on 09/18 at 04:52 AM
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