We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
Where is OWS hoping things wind up? Given some of the recent pictures in the blogosphere, one calling for a "Cultural Revolution", it's likely that these nitwits have a hankering for the recent past and all the wonderfulness others in Russia and China experienced. In a sense, a very bizarre sense, we could call them 'conservative', because they want to return to the way things were - even if those things were in another severely degraded country. Lord knows they are not progressive.
I was watching a boring football game and began to glance around other channels, and noticed "Dr. Zhivago". I'm a fan of David Lean, and in particular this film. Beautifully shot, well crafted, magnificent characters and storytelling.
As I watched, I couldn't help but think "this is what OWS dreams about - the chance to expropriate the property of others so they can misuse and destroy property."
Get past the capitalistic commercial to see the arrogance of the OWS, as exhibited by Tom Courtenay playing Pasha (Strelnikov). He is the embodiment of OWS - insisting he knows better, that he will live life on his own terms while also demanding that others live on his terms as well.
Unfortunately, I was unable to find a clip for the following exchange. Yuri arrives home after his time on the WWI Russian Front. He finds the house to have been divided up among several families and the local Communist Party Delegate.
Delegate: When you've started to work, you'll get a ration book. Yuri: I've always worked. (climbs stairs) Whatever's the matter? Tonya (quietly): You are. Janitor (shouting up the stairs): There was living space for thirteen families in this one house! Yuri (looking down the stairs, as an orator): Yes, Yes this is a better arrangement, Comrades, more just. (he has difficulty saying Comrades) Delegate and Janitor stare up disapprovingly.
This clip has been found since I posted originally, but like "The Private Life is Dead", does not allow embedding. I had found a workaround for that (which has since failed), but can't for this.
Sorry for the off topic, Bulldog. But I just invested a lot of time through comments in another post here that has now disappeared. I mean like in the last five minutes. That's two today.
No need to apologize, BD. I always delete 'topical' posts that are only of interest at the moment. For example, I always delete the pre-debate posts once the debate occurs. Yesterday's post 'Rats!' was in the same category. I let it run until about midnight and then it was toast. Implying that's 'censorship' is just silly.
Hey! The comments may remain of interest to your readers even if the original topic has lost its momentary relevance. You don't want to sound like Janeane Garofalo's bartender: "OK, people, it's two o'clock. You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here."
BD, I figured it wasn't a screw-up but still appreciate your apology.
The post itself may have been considered stale by the author but the comments on any post are always timely in my opinion. It's most of the reason I stop by here. Besides, if that policy, topicality, were followed to the letter there would be little reason to stop by here at all as it would be a very short front page.
Anyhow, my time and effort may seem trivial and non-topical to some but to have my comments deleted with such cavalier disregard does rankle as some form or level of censorship.
And of course, my above comment will be unseen. That's okay.
In which case though... Heh.. Mercury, up to your old tricks but with a new MO. Clever thinking on your part I'll admit. Topical, the new and improved asscovering.
I regard Michael Savage as a bit of a crank and a nutcase to say the least, but he does make some insightful points from time to time, and he's been making the comparison with Dr. Zhivago for at least two years now. I've not seen the whole film, but I've had it in my Netflix queue for a while, and it's near the top of the list now, so I should be getting it in a week or two.
He's partially correct, except that OWS is only 2 months old, not 2 years.
I've always referred to Zhivago (I've only been part of Maggie's for 2 months) when discussing the left. While it's a love story, it's also a terrific indictment of the left.
I should have been clearer. I meant that Savage has been making the Zhivago reference for two years in discussing the aims of the Obama administration. My comment is symptomatic of my tendency to see little difference between the aims of the Obama administration and OWS; I agree with those who have said that OWS is an early stage of the Obama 2012 re-election campaign.
Being of feeble mind, I do not understand all the attention that has been directed at the OWS demonstrations. They are a rabble incapable of effecting any type of political change. Even lefty politicians are cracking down on them. So why is all this energy and rhetoric being wasted on them? Much ado about nothing in my book.
They are important because of what they represent. These types now feel safe enough to come out of their hidey holes, leave the cover of night and openly proclaim their bloody intentions. Their actions have been facilitated by politicians at the highest levels and on down and they have been given false cover by the mass media. Their lawbreaking has been allowed to continue for months now at the expense of those who abide by the law. At one time the police would have dispersed their protests posthaste, today protesters defecate on police cars with impunity. Their actions, and the actions of authority provide a very clear, tightly focused picture of the cold dread peril now actively abroad in our country.
Nicely summed. I'd only add that the MSM was probably desperate to have a counterpunch to the Tea Party and prayed OWS would turn into a cohesive movement. Wrong again, MSM.
I'd add that if you're in a major urban area (I'm in NYC), it's hard to miss them. They don't limit themselves to Zucotti Park, they stink to high heaven, and they create press by being utter assholes.
Generally, if I could, I'd ignore them. But the MSM has mistakenly given them credit for something the Tea Party started, handled better, and was more well organized around. The MSM doesn't take them to task over their general lawlessness, but is quick to call the Tea Party "terrorists".
another angle is, your question is the answer --you ask it looking for the missing puzzle piece. YOU are the missing puzzle piece, and as soon as they get hold of you, you will be whittled down to fit.
A beautiful movie that every student should see and understand. Revolution is glamorized but the reality is inhuman. I can't vouch for the accuracy of the storyline but whatever artistic license was taken didn't stray far from the truth. Another movie people should see is "Gone With The Wind". To understand them to their fullest you need to look at them from the standpoint of the sufferring, death and survivalism and not as a purely fiction for entertainment. If history goes down the road we are on there will be another book/movie about this time in our life and it will show death, destruction, suffering and loss of our great country. What language will that book be written in?
BTW, excellent post, Slobber Jaws. If someone had asked me to relate OWS to a movie, I wouldn't have thought of 'Zhivago' in a million years, but it was spot on. Great movie, too. I remember seeing it when it came out and was very impressed. I remember thinking at the time, "I can't wait until I grow up so I can be an OWSer too!" Ah, the dreams of youth!
Unfortunately, I was unable to find a clip for the following exchange. Yuri arrives home after his time on the WWI Russian Front. He finds the house to have been divided up among several families and the local Communist Party Delegate. Here:
Nuanced petty-bourgeois comes back home
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwoUFEI7VBs
Muchas Gracias.
I've been looking for that FOR YEARS!!! Seriously.
It's one of my favorite scenes, and a scathing attack on the communist system.
I spent tens of moments (actually close to an hour) last night looking for it, and just couldn't find it. So pleased the interwebs are good at sharing information.
The scene where he comes home to his subdivided house is one that has stuck with me since I saw the movie when it came out. I've been thinking about Dr. Zhivago with regards to OWS in particular and Obummer in general recently. Interesting how great minds think alike.
I'll have to get Mrs. Mudbug to Tivo it for us (hopefully somebody in one of the movie channels thinks like we do and plays it soon).
I very nearly started watching it last night when I saw it come on TMC. The only thing stopping me was that it's about four hours long and I've probably already watched it ten times. The clip when Yuri comes home to a subdivided house is exactly the one I thought of as I began to read your post. There's always someone who wants to confiscate the wealth of others instead of trading for it.
Well, the doctor interrupted me just about then
Sayin’, “Hey I’ve been havin’ the same old dreams
But mine was a little different you see
I dreamt that the only person left after the war was me
I didn’t see you around”
Well, now time passed and now it seems
Everybody’s having them dreams
I linked to a You Tube clip of the scene of Yuri returning home to find his home "occupied" by multiple families in a Tea Party forum a couple of years ago. It was instantly disabled - as has been your You Tube embed.
This site is a must-save, feeblemind --its the handiwork of
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_Caplan
...who shows how a very small group, 'holding onto the belt' of the Czar, caused capital 'C' Communism using one thought:
The scientific concept, dictatorship, means neither more nor less than unlimited power resting directly on force, not limited by anything, not restrained by any laws or any absolute rules. Nothing else but that.
(V.I. Lenin, A Contribution to the History of the Question of Dictatorship)
...and with it, slowly invading the minds of a people to the point they walked willingly into hell.
PS, this Nyquist column from last January makes a good bookend for the Caplan site. Especially the second half, the info regarding the Tambov 'pacification'. There's more info on the web concerning the Red methods in the countryside, where the disabling of the people's minds was not as successful as in the cities, so that their bodies too needed disabling.
((worth mentioning that the Nyquist archive is a superb collection of three to five minute reads, each of them built upon linked sources right there for you to judge for yourself as to importance:
Without Pakistan there is no winning strategy in Afghanistan. The only alternative would be Russian support, as noted above. But that is unlikely to prove viable, especially when we consider recent statements by Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, who spoke last week to the Russian people about placing Russia’s Kaliningrad radar station on combat alert because of NATO’s defensive missile plans. Medvedev says Russia has been snubbed by NATO, and Russian concerns are not treated seriously. Medvedev made it clear that Russia is prepared to “take out any part of the U.S. missile defense system in Europe” if necessary, and to forgo key disarmament measures. “We are not closing the door to negotiations,” Medvedev added. But NATO must change course. While Russian paranoia may be sincere (or maybe not), Medvedev’s speech has implications for NATO’s policy in Afghanistan. Now that Russia is aligned with China in Central Asia, and China is aligned with Pakistan, it seems that NATO’s position in Afghanistan is about to become hopeless.
Undoubtedly, Washington hopes to resolve all these difficulties through diplomacy. But all disagreements cannot be resolved in this way, especially when the actual intentions of the state actors are taken into account. The governments of Pakistan and Russia do not want NATO to dominate Central Asia. They do not prefer the triumph of Western values. Russia and Pakistan are nuclear powers with regional interests of their own.
(close quote)
Uncle Sam, break those, no trace those, marionette strings --AQ Khan must've had friends in high places in DC --gimma a 'C'! Gimme an 'L' ...gimme an 'I' ...gimme an 'N' ...
