Saturday, November 08, 2008




HUGE ELECTION VICTORY FOR KEY!!!! VIC AND RICH VOTE!!!

I STUDY A GAME BY KERES THE GREAT ESTONIAN CHESS GM PLAYING THE NIMZO!!

PEOPLE ENJOY THEMSELVES!!

MAORI TRY TO BURN DOWN MT WELLINGTON!!!

POLICE IN DRAMATIC BUT ABSURD "GOODIES' -LIKE PURSUIT...!!!!

IS OBAMA A GOOD GUY OR NOT???? !!!!!!!!!

PEEKSKILL USA - 1949 - HOWARD FAST, PETE SEEGAR, PAUL ROBESON - CHANGES IN THE US OF A!!!!!

YOUNG MAORI ASKS ME FOR A LIGHTER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Maungarei - the "watchful mountain" the top and roadside flowers (above) - on better days!


























Images of the attempt to burn down
Mt Wellington on Election Day (NZ)

8/11/2008



















The glorious NZ Police, in a heroic but clearly hopeless search for the perpetrator go in what is obviously the wrong direction!! Soon with great courage two burly coppers search Vic who reports to them:


"My father saw a Maori bloke with a hooded jacket -he asked for lighter and then skulked off - soon after that - the fire started."

It is not known what effect this event had on the NZ Elections.

A few minutes prior to this historic fire, I was studying Tolush v Keres, selected from my book of all three volumes of Paul Keres's book of his games acquired for NZ$16 on Trade Me - a great chess game by Keres, featuring an exchange sac by Keres and an interesting var of the (Spielmann var of) the Nimzo -meanwhile a slightly eccentric Chinese ham or engineer-hobbyist was experimenting with his parabolic aerial ... Others were pretending to "enjoy the day"

(we saw through that one!!)

...but of these facts and dramatic and mysterious happenings -

it is not known how much they affected the National Party landslide victory.....



........................................


Anti Room 125.001

..................................... OBAMA


Civil Rights Vietnam War Politics Hope Progress? Race Issues War


The election of Barack Obama -the first black President of the United States - marks a huge historical point of progress towards human rights and general enlightenment.

There is a sense of hope, not only in the US but in the world. If Obama acts quickly to end wars in the Middle East -to replace the fascistic, immoral, and illegal bombing, of poor countries with positive aid etc - there is hope for the U.S. and the World.

The financial crisis is merely a symptom of Capitalism, caused basically by massive overproduction throughout the world. Not just in the U.S.

If Obama acts strongly for the people of the US and the World there is hope. But he needs the support of the people of the US and the World

But the world has changed - perhaps not structurally -but there are definite changes since the days of civil rights abuse and paranoia. There is even change since Bush took office in 2001.

This event reminded me of the 60s struggles for Civil Rights and the iniquitous and barbaric Korean and Vietnam wars of US aggression -and a book in particular I read fairly recently, called "Peekskill USA" by Howard fast -author of "Spartacus" (also made into a film) and many other books -he was a radical as was the great black American Paul Robeson who was at Peekskill with Pete Seegar and Fast and others - especially white unionists who put a shield of their own bodies between snipers and Robeson. This courageous action, and the ensuing riot, and the vicious rock fights after the concert between angry right wingers with police support and the left - was recalled by Fast and Robeson's son ...

Here is my response ["comments"] to "tertius" and a YouTube of the Peekskill events of 1949 where Robson and Pete Seegar perfomed.

tertius said...

Congrats to the left in USA all hail President Oprah and VP Dr Phil!


...I said...


Yes! Some strange events today (two days following the historic and dramatic US Elections) - the day of New Zealand's General election for 2009 -
We voted today - and then we walked up Mt Wellington where there was a grass fire deliberately lit (the perpetrator - a young Maori fellow - asked me for a lighter then soon after the fires started... ) police, and the fire brigade etc, were soon there (they searched Victor!)

Not sure of the motivation...but all is not well in the State of Denmark. Not sure of the significance if any... we also saw a young man slumped on a seat in seeming state of despair or maybe just a hangover...

It was a beautiful warm and sunny day today in Auckland -unusually - as it has been mostly cold and wet for months.


Re Obama etc

Lol! Actually I like them (Dr Phil and Winfrey) both [in small doess!] - but - they are what they are - huge cash gets poured in the mix and then the rot starts.


[The 'satire' on my last post re the good Dr etc -"hidden" in the mass of text - is not meant to signifyanythng per se... nor is it very "passionate" ... I am really working with the texture of texts there - rather than any overt simplistic realist meaning per se..]

But - relatively speaking -this election of a black President is a sea-change in the US - I recall the turmoil of late 60s, I read "Black Like Me", "An Autobiography by Malcom X", a book by the Black Panthers, about 5 books about the Chinese Revolution, some about the Vietnam War particularly "Rape of Vietnam" by H Slingsby and books by Steinbeck and so on...I remember Muhammed Ali preparing to fight Liston - I read his autobiography - his opposition to the war (he went to prison for it) and identification with the Muslim creed earnt him death threats etc

I recall vividly the time of Kennedy's assassination (John and Robert's) and the Cuban Missile crisis when we thought there might be World War...

I more recently read Howard Fast's book "Peekskill USA" [1949 when Pete Seegar and Paul Robeson performed and the people were attacked by right wingers - it was like a battle)] @

So the U.S. has changed dramatically to elect a black President - of course they are still paranoid about "terrorism" and "communism" etc

The psychic and historical effect of Obama's election cannot be underestimated... it is a great thing for the US and the World.

@ I sold a first edition of "Peekskill..." for a reasonable sum.




Posted by Richard Taylor at 4:15 PM

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Richard Taylor you abused me on Reading the Maps then fled to this corner of the internet.

Why?

Scared to debate an sixty-one year-old man who fought for his country in Southeast Asia?

You are a coward, a shit, and a motherfucker. I oughta break your balls.

Ed Masset
Oklahoma (currently in NZ)

PS What the hell kinda fool blog is this anyway? You must be more 'out of it' than me, and I'm on medication for cancer!

1:54 PM
Richard Taylor said...

We'll Ed me old mate when you say things such as:

"You are a coward, a shit, and a motherfucker. I oughta break your balls."

This tends to shut down the communication channels!

As it is - I don't recall that I attacked you personally. (A bit hard to do if we have never met...).

But if I did or I have offended you I apologise, as that wouldn't be the point of any debate.

BUT - abusing me is NOT on BTW - please don't threaten or abuse me on here or elsewhere again or I will have to take action as is appropriate...

You will well know that politics is often or can often get very heated and it is often a good idea to flag it after a few exchanges...otherwise the debate - such as it is - goes on forever.

We have to accept the many different views everyone has.

As to being a coward may father had a great and deep saying:
"Better to be live coward than a dead hero" a maxim I follow assiduously.

This (desire on your part to "break my balls"!!) (is this testeronic violence a part of some some kind of coming of age ritual enacted in Oklahoma?) is not very conducive to an intelligent debate - and I'm not sure what else one can say...

What specific issues or problems do you want to discuss? (Other than me being a piece of faeces, a coward, and a copulator of Mummas etc?)

You're not Maps pulling my leg again are you? Oh dear oh dear!!

I'm sorry to hear that you have cancer (if you are Ed and not Maps!!) -

In the case that you are NOT Maps or someone else I give my sympathy and hope you get through it or deal with it...

12:58 AM
Anonymous said...

Richard Taylor:

forgive me. I was tired and emotional yesterday and didn't mean to threaten only to convince. And don't worry I give those people at Reading the Maps shit too! Those little assholes put links to their crap on my sister's blog, which is supposed to be about Catholic education not their shit.

Just let me ask you Richard Taylor a couple of questions which patriotic Americans (congratulations for knowing what an America actually is) ask themselves and each other ecery day. Have you, or any of your family, been blown out of a tall building since 9-11? Have you, or any of your family, had to worry about sending your children to school, going to work, riding the subway or working in a high rise building?

The answer is no. But again, bash Bush. It is what you do so well. It’s a damn shame you can’t seem to direct your anger at the jihadist who don’t give a damn you don’t like Bush or that you never supported him. You are an infidel and you must submit or die.That's their attitude. Are you more scared of them or me?

End of story. I am pretty sick so have to go to bed now. I am in Wellington for three more days visiting my friends and will not be posting a comment until after I get to LA.

Ed

2:02 PM
Richard Taylor said...

"Richard Taylor:

forgive me."

That's o.k. - I've "lost it" myself on the net...

"I was tired and emotional yesterday and didn't mean to threaten only to convince."

You feel strongly about these issues and you are not well also.

" And don't worry I give those people at Reading the Maps shit too!"

You feel strongly but it is better to give a reasoned argument - once you can keep anger out of the equation - but Maps etc are good people although I don't agree with everything they say. [Maps can be a bit mischievous though (which is why I thought you were Maps pretending to be Ed!) - but at heart he means well so don't take offence too much.]

"Those little assholes put links to their crap on my sister's blog, which is supposed to be about Catholic education not their shit."

She can delete the links. But they are not "assholes" - can you not accept that people can live together despite strong political differences? BTW even Maps and his girlfriend disagreed on issues re our own election - even if you feel Maps is quite wrong - his Blog is very informative - it can be at times.

"Just let me ask you Richard Taylor a couple of questions which patriotic Americans (congratulations for knowing what an America actually is) ask themselves and each other ecery day. Have you, or any of your family, been blown out of a tall building since 9-11? Have you, or any of your family, had to worry about sending your children to school, going to work, riding the subway or working in a high rise building?"

"The answer is no. But again, bash Bush. It is what you do so well. It’s a damn shame you can’t seem to direct your anger at the jihadist who don’t give a damn you don’t like Bush or that you never supported him. You are an infidel and you must submit or die.That's their attitude. Are you more scared of them or me?" ***

This is rhetorical - I don't buy into this anti-terrorist stuff (I can understand the fear a person might feel - but in relative terms the US has suffered lightly compared to the damage it has inflicted in many many wars and also by way of "Imperialism as Aid" etc - more on this later) ... It seemed to me that Bush and his backers were looking for an excuse for war and the reasons were not much to do with protecting the US or the "free world" than they were and still are about gaining power in certain key strategical areas in the Middle East also in states in what was the Southern USSR such as Uzbekistan etc),especially but not only where there is a lot of oil, heading off the Russians, the Chinese even potentially India and the rising power even of the (generally) Muslim world. etc etc

A counter rhetoric question is do you feel any safer since Bush etc started the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan than before 9/11 - the answer is you would be stupid to feel so - as for every death caused by US and British Imperialist forces you make more enemies. Next time the retribution might be 1000 times 9/11 making it look like a Sunday picnic. [And here I criticise our own Govt. who supported the US in Afghanistan and also we helped the Australians to invade Indonesia etc - Australia's Imperialist* involvement in Indonesia could partly explain the Bali bombings - which were atrocious events - I don’t condone terrorist attacks BTW. EXCEPT that we have to - later - define "terrorism"...but that is wandering into another subject - [there can be a case even for suicide bombings say in certain countries where it is difficult to "match" the weapons of the invader one faces...] ]

The US (and NZ - all countries) need to avoid wars - to work constructively)...the Jihadists (who where they are "crazy" and some are - certainly not people I admire** - although I do support resistance to the invasion of Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan - that is not an endorsement of extreme Muslemic attitudes from me) are in the minority - they are like the more extreme religious groups that prevailed in Europe and various times and still do in some places. As countries become more prosperous people tend to lose interest in religion as a main thing and to take a more pragmatic and perhaps humane (or tolerant) view - this is not to say I think everyone needs to become an atheist - I am not an atheist - I am more an agnostic. Most of my family are "atheists" but one sister is very Christian but I don't even know what church she is in - it is not Catholic - my mother in law was very Catholic... but her husband (my ex wife's father) was a "dedicated atheist").

I don't disrespect any religions but some religious people are pretty extreme it is true.

"End of story. I am pretty sick so have to go to bed now. I am in Wellington for three more days visiting my friends and will not be posting a comment until after I get to LA.

Ed"

Ed I wish you all the best in your health - email me or contact me here if you want - please don't abuse me though!! That is a kind of verbal terrorism!

(Don’t worry about Obama he wont pull troops out of Iraq etc in a big hurry - he is locked into the system too much to do much! he will make a good - albeit "black" - bourgeois for you! (O.K. He seems to be quite a nice fellow but then so did Hitler!!) Good news for you not so good for me perhaps!)

Tell me about your experiences in war in South East Asia also if you want. What was it like?

I am not as heavily involved in politics as Maps etc these days - as you see on this "crazy" Blog I am slowly and rather listlessly doing a kind of crazy "literary or textual-art project" - which if it is "political at times is only incidentally so - I found that reading too much about politics etc was very distressing so I don't worry about political issues too much these days... I call EYELIGHT a "project" - but it is really just a lazy jumble of nonsense that I enjoy doing (and I do it in such a way that some people think I am very brainy!!) - look back down one of my recent posts and you will see somewhere "mud pies" -

MUD PIES is for me a reminder of when I was a child and we played at making mud pies and were so happy just being - just being alive... so this Blog is really all about me making mud pies!

Ed - look to your and your family's health - don't stress over politics! The great chess player Emanuel Lasker said -"In life, as in chess, we are all duffers."

Kind regards, Richard


*Imperialism" is an almost "technical" term described in detail by Lenin - it doesn't only mean military occupation - it also means the export of finance Capital in large quantities

** But this whole issue is clouded by the use and misuse of language and misinformation on both Left and the Right - it is quite a complicated issue. The Bush regime exacerbated these issues by aggressive and misleading rhetoric that echoed Orwell's "1984" madness.

*** BTW I went to NY in 1993 and I went up the South Tower. Those towers were beautiful and great feat of engineering so it is sad in that respect that they have one apart from the great loss of life cased by 9/11 - I was also greatly interested in the Brooklyn Bridge, which I photographed a lot, [Do you know that was finished off by the wife of the Engineer -she taught herself maths etc) who was completing it (his father began it) ? ] -

pictures of them I love big cities and I am interested in engineering: and I loved NY and the people I met were great, and it is a tragedy that 9/11 happened. Also it seemed to inaugurate a terrible (almost paranoic) time in the US - I would otherwise have loved to have traveled much more in the US as it seems huge, rich in any sense of that word, and a very great nation...

10:36 PM

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