Mike declined the political offer for sensible reasons boiling down to the likelihood that it would not be worth the risk. He ended his email to the friend who'd made the offer with, "I have a wonderful dog that I'm not willing to abandon to friends or a kennel. I am doing work that I like and I think my novel may well turn out to be the most important contribution of what feels like a very long life."
June 14, 2008
I am sending this to the two most powerful and wonderful women I have known in my life. I just wrote this as a note to go in the novel, which will be called "Ancestors". One of my (how fucking arrogant) characters will say it. I promise. Please save this if you think it worthy. Otherwise, I don't give a shit because I am writing to two true and great blessings who will love me no matter what. What a lucky, blessed man I have become through all of this bullshit. OK, NUFF OF THAT GIRLIE CRAP... Here's what I wrote that I think might actually be good: "I cannot go too near the music again. If I do, then all I have labored to understand -- for forty years -- becomes irrelevant. I know that from the first time I had to play a song five times in a row, I left my body, I understood the universe. I knew it from the first time I found myself dancing beyond the limits of human endurance, covered in sweat; devoid of breath; on fire with an energy that drove me through my body and into infinity. I found the same thing, though sadly neutered, in the military cadences we chanted and ran to endlessly at the LAPD Academy. And I knew that it was impossible to put that Power into words; a Power that could be used for good or evil."But I had to try."It was the ultimate translation."Jenna knows, and [the other activist] remembers "Thunder Road".I have sent out a lot lately. That's because big things are in motion-- agressively. I hold onto only a remote branch of these events, but I think what I have sent is worth the reading. I deeply wish that some day, somehow, Jackson Browne, Don Henley and the great Ben Tench could see this.Yeah, I'm toasted, and... as Hemingway might say: "It was good... I don't know why I know these things but I do."------- MCR
"And I knew that it was impossible to put that Power into words; a Power that could be used for good or evil."
Corroboration of what I wrote in Part 65 - Furnace: "Both for better and for worse, this self-oriented interpretation of events was all part of that furnace of energy that burned so fiercely within him, propelling him into the heart of government wrongdoing to reveal the truth or, when that avenue was blocked, self-destruction."
But putting aside the unctuous and patronizing "compliments" followed by the taunt which simultaneously negates them and blames us for eliciting them, (by being "girls,") what are we to make of this email? Are the other activist and I his groupies? Was this an ejaculation for our benefit? The only redeeming feature is that I'm in good company; he genuinely respects the other activist...
June 16, 2008
Rags took me out for dinner tonight at one of our fabulous local restaurants. This one's run by Harrison Ford's son. It's great. I could sit at the edge of the sidewalk and tie Rags to the railing..You'd think HE was Harrison Ford, the way people stopped. Cheez! I really miss my Dad. It's been three years.-- MCR********
6-16-2008
Try this: The plan to partition Saudi Arabia has been in place for at least five years. That's when I described it. US air and naval assets are already positioned to secure the georgraphy, which is all in the east and concentrated. Special Forces are pre-deployed to assist Saudi factions behind the ruling family to secure just the oil fields. Like Iraq, the rest of the country be damned. That's been the plan for a long time. Jenna, you're using Mike Kane's old email address. I don't know if he checks it anymore. I put his new one in the address bar. I also added Matt. I stuck in Richard too.Mike
On Mon, Jun 16, 2008 at 7:32 AM, Jennakilt@aol.com wrote: "But think where this might lead: suppose we get tough with the Saudis and end up destabilizing the kingdom so that forces unfriendly to us take over. Then we will feel more or less forced to invade in order to maintain access to our national drug of choice. Where would it end? Does any of this help?" http://www.richardheinberg.com/oil-and-politics http://www.alternet.org/story/85842/have_we_really_hit_peak_oil
MCR To Energy Investment Banker Matt Simmons:
The email opens with an explanation of the political opportunity which Mike had declined but which had started him thinking about a presidential policy concerning Peak Oil:
...and I see a huge void here. I've also cc'd Colin.I am moving towards helping to devise a position paper with one of the best and brightest, [he names an activist who may or may not want to be mentioned here] which would be [the activist's] (not as candidate, of course) to put out there. To my knowledge, no one else has really addressed this. Then it hit that me this is a huge question that would have to look at Treasury, DoE, DoT and Interior at minimum. I know DC well enough, but not the specific policies within the Exec Branch. You may already be doing this for someone. But there are huge questions of interface with state and local that are essential. Most important, however, are the guts of the federal government. Like the Hirsch report this should be apolitical. Like the Hirsch report, it should be totally frank and honest. To your knowledge, has anything been done on this? Where should one start? My first thoughts: 1. Complete declassification of the Cheney Task Force report; 2. Complete inventory/evaluation of US infrastructure; 3. Global transparency on reserves; 4. Then the big one: immediate steps to be taken within the USG to address the real problem. I'm contemplating going to Sacto for ASPO-USA at the end of summer, just to spy on everyone. You going?Anything you might suggest is more than welcome since we're facing a blank page here. best, Mike-- MCR
Simmons died in 2010 of accidental drowning following a heart attack in his hot tub.
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