Natty Stoppage or Batty Sabotage?
September 8, 2006 4:27 PM   Subscribe

 
I saw him in Chicago mid-August. He was dressed well, and didn't make eye-contact.

He seemed so out of place, and now I can understand why.
posted by tomierna at 4:29 PM on September 8, 2006


This link is the one that explains wtf, if you're tired of looking at a ton of pictures of the same guy.
posted by jessamyn at 4:39 PM on September 8, 2006


Disturbing. This reminds me of the man who, for years, has been standing outside of McGill University in Montreal holding a large (say, 3'6" wide by 5' tall) sign that contains an ever-changing (and always incoherent) rant about the Jewish General Hospital... and cites biblical passages.

Should we pay attention to these people? Do they have legitimate grievances? What can they realistically expect to gain from their actions?
posted by Ricky_gr10 at 4:43 PM on September 8, 2006


If Chris Saviano would cut down on the "batty sabotage" the problem would be solved!
posted by riotgrrl69 at 5:04 PM on September 8, 2006


Hm, well that explanation doesn't really say much unless I'm missing something. He's getting a divorce and it's been messy. Ok. So where does the FBI come in? And what's with the rape claim?

Nice dresser though.
posted by bob sarabia at 5:16 PM on September 8, 2006


Yeah, he's batty, but this behavior seems pretty harmless. I do hope his ex-wife is well-protected.
posted by owhydididoit at 5:21 PM on September 8, 2006


Man, being a street preacher would be so much fun.
posted by spiderwire at 5:25 PM on September 8, 2006


"Nice dresser though."
Yes, the street crazies in my town could learn a lot from this guy. although we have one or two that wear hats and ties.
posted by Iron Rat at 5:44 PM on September 8, 2006


Mr. Khoiee-Abassi is very mute and talks only rarely...

Now, that's writing!
posted by languagehat at 5:51 PM on September 8, 2006


Since no one seems to know what this is all about, I think that the only thing that we can reasonably do as responsible webizens is come up with a bunch of wild-ass conjecture. Then we should argue about it. Heatedly.

I'm not very good at this sort of thing so I volunteer for the arguing part. I'll leave the creation of said conjecture in the hands of more capable Mefites.
posted by SteveTheRed at 6:35 PM on September 8, 2006


Is Frank Chiu the brother of Alex Chiu?


Pinkie-rings for eternal life!
posted by SanitarySewer at 6:40 PM on September 8, 2006


That guy at McGill is nuts. I remember his sign that claimed that Jewish lesbians had stolen his laundry out of the washing machine.
posted by LiliaNic at 6:45 PM on September 8, 2006


French Canadian Bean Soup.
posted by ZenMasterThis at 7:20 PM on September 8, 2006


There is help.
posted by Pastabagel at 7:26 PM on September 8, 2006


What I don't understand is how is this guy or any of the other mentally unstable on the streets picketing any different from this guy and his sign wielding shit heads?
posted by photoslob at 7:30 PM on September 8, 2006



posted by quonsar at 7:49 PM on September 8, 2006


There was(is?) a woman in Georgetown, Washington DC who had a shopping cart plastered with signs on all sides. And the narrative on the signs was excrutiatingly detailed, conspiracy theories involving Prince Charles, the Bilderbergs, satellites, Kennedy, Vietnam, they even got updated for 9-11.
posted by Pastabagel at 7:54 PM on September 8, 2006


I saw this guy at Broadway and Wall St. a while back. He looked so calm and normal. I assumed it was some kind of viral marketing.
posted by gubo at 8:00 PM on September 8, 2006


I have to agree photoslob...it's also scary that there are groups out there fighting for their right to do so....I guess when you stand up for one group you need to fight for another even if you don't agree, but still....
posted by Holy foxy moxie batman! at 8:04 PM on September 8, 2006


fandango_matt, we are clearly neighbors (to each other & 12 galaxies guy) -- I have linked you as such
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 8:57 PM on September 8, 2006


frank chu is a san francisco celebrity. i think just about everyone who lives in town recognizes him.
posted by gnutron at 9:03 PM on September 8, 2006


Ricky_gr10, LiliaNic: do you mean Lloyd Davidson?

ZenMasterThis: You mean Jamaican Bean Soup?
posted by ?! at 9:29 PM on September 8, 2006


Doesn't anyone say "please" anymore?
posted by notmydesk at 9:36 PM on September 8, 2006


Pastabagel -- she was there 10 years ago when I was in college in DC.

Also, as far as Chicago street crazies, this guy has nothing on the mysterious Walking Dude. [Google]

Great post.
posted by Mid at 9:41 PM on September 8, 2006


Great walking dude movie here.
posted by Mid at 9:43 PM on September 8, 2006


If his ex-wife is leaving him for Chris Saviano, that's not rape is it? I mean, if she wants him to have sex with her, that's not rape. Or maybe this has something to do with Pakistan culture and tradition with which Saviano is unfamiliar.

On the way home there's a billboard off of I-35 that says something like "What happened behind those doors? OnlyTheyKnew.Com." I just tried onlytheyknew.com and there ain't nuthin' there. These viral marketing things are never as cool as you might think they'd be.
posted by ZachsMind at 9:47 PM on September 8, 2006


his attorneys should inform him that his activities, albeit constitutional, will not help persuade a family court to rule in his favor. I feel for the guy and I understand that he perceives an injustice. However, society really doesn't give a rat's ass when it comes to the crazy.

There's a fine line between optimism and stupity.
posted by jsavimbi at 10:03 PM on September 8, 2006


There was(is?) a woman in Georgetown, Washington DC who had a shopping cart plastered with signs on all sides. And the narrative on the signs was excrutiatingly detailed, conspiracy theories involving Prince Charles, the Bilderbergs, satellites, Kennedy, Vietnam, they even got updated for 9-11.
posted by Pastabagel at 7:54 PM PST


Perhaps one of the radio talents on Republic Broadcasting Network?
posted by rough ashlar at 6:18 AM on September 9, 2006


I see this guy from time to time, so I'm glad to get a little backstory. Thanks.

ZachsMind: I think it's onlytheyknow.com (not 'knew').
posted by footballrabi at 6:26 AM on September 9, 2006


jsavimbi : "However, society really doesn't give a rat's ass when it comes to the crazy."

I'd rephrase it as "society doesn't generally think that child custody should be given to crazy people."
posted by Bugbread at 6:38 AM on September 9, 2006


Actually, there is no such thing as a chemical imbalance in the brain. You see, you don't know the history of psychiatry. I do.
posted by riotgrrl69 at 6:41 AM on September 9, 2006


When I worked in Downtown Seattle (for 5 years), there was a middle aged man who used to stand kitty-corner from the Federal Courthouse on Fifth Avenue with a large sign that said "Be a slave? Get a Lawyer!". He was there every single day for at least three of those years. He didn't look homeless or anything, he was well groomed and scrubbed, wore fleece on rainy days, and never said anything to anyone. I had often wondered WTF, but never had the courage or gumption to ask. He stopped showing up one day, and I never saw him again.
posted by Hypnic jerk at 6:42 AM on September 9, 2006


The Walking Dude is Dennis Eckersley.
posted by Mayor Curley at 6:48 AM on September 9, 2006


Here is Boston's best strange local. The guy in the last quarter of it, not the first guy. Make sure you have the sound up enough to hear him.
posted by Mayor Curley at 6:52 AM on September 9, 2006


"ZachsMind: I think it's onlytheyknow.com (not 'knew')."

Oh it's about that stupid tv show! See? These things are never as good as they should be. I bet that Farhad Khoiee-Abassi isn't really crazy and his wife isn't really leaving him, but it's all a publicity stunt for Ocean Spray cranberry juice or something.
posted by ZachsMind at 7:08 AM on September 9, 2006


His behavior seems completely reasonable to me.
posted by Skygazer at 8:33 AM on September 9, 2006


I see: in America a thin middle-aged man who takes long walks is considered "crazy" while a 400-pound 30 year old who drives his Hummer three blocks to the donut shop drive-through window is considered "sane". And people blame the "terrorists"!

And riotgrrl69, please tell us all about the history of psychiatry?
posted by davy at 9:22 AM on September 9, 2006


Mr. Khoiee-Abassi is very mute and talks only rarely...

Now, that's writing!


Single to be included on Now That's What I Call Writing! 12, along with material from Chuck Klosterman's Fargo Rock City, which was the #1 album on Billboard's Hot 100 for a record 70 weeks; David Sedaris' new live e.p.; and Ann Coulter's experimental concept album, Godless: The Church of Liberalism.
posted by Kwine at 9:33 AM on September 9, 2006 [1 favorite]


riotgrrl is channelling Tom Cruise, davy.
posted by Kwine at 9:37 AM on September 9, 2006


There have been custody fights over the kids and Ms. Vahabinazhad has needed protection orders to protect herself against her upset husband. Since Mr. Khoiee-Abassi is Arabic could there be an honor killing afoot? Maybe, maybe not, but his estranged wife doesn't feel very safe.

What a douche. With all the ugly divorces in this country, all the restraining orders filed, and all the spouses murdered in crimes of passion, why jump to the conclusion that this guy's behavior has anything to do with him being Arab? Simple racism, that's why. News flash: arabs can be violent assholes just like anyone, whether or not their "honor" is telling them to do it. Yeesh.
posted by scarabic at 9:59 AM on September 9, 2006


"riotgrrl is channelling Tom Cruise, davy."

And I'm channelling Austin Powers, baby!
posted by ZachsMind at 10:02 AM on September 9, 2006


Yeah!
posted by ZachsMind at 10:02 AM on September 9, 2006


davy : "I see: in America a thin middle-aged man who takes long walks is considered 'crazy'"

Well, if the man stands outside a building every day with a sign saying "Stop raping my wife!", well, then, yes.

There's also a crazy guy who hangs out in front of the music shop near the station. He yells incomprehensible stuff at people, glares at them, and shouts at the air when there's no-one to shout at directly. Obviously, in Japan, standing in front of a music store is considered 'crazy'. And people blame 'asbestos'!
posted by Bugbread at 10:13 AM on September 9, 2006


ZachsMind, I'm channelling Dr. Evil
posted by DragonBoy at 10:14 AM on September 9, 2006


This guy's gonna be on Conan O'Brien by the end of the week.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 10:23 AM on September 9, 2006


I really wanted to link to Don't Call Me Crazy on the Fourth of July, but the site seems to be down. It's a short documentary on Robert Lansberry, a homeless veteran of (IIRC) the Korean war who could be regularly seen in Pittsburgh with a sandwich board asking the government to stop stealing his mail. The filmmakers filed a FOIA request and received his FBI file, which consisted primarily of 400 pages worth of Mr. Lansberry's intercepted mail. The FBI's interest in him is never really explained. So it's true what they say — just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.
posted by IshmaelGraves at 11:19 AM on September 9, 2006


For what it's worth (in a Forrest Gump sort of way), I actually met the original tinfoil hat guy. It was in 1998. He hung out in midtown, handing out screeds (threw them out) about the CIA, satellites and mindcontrol. He wore the original motherf*ckin' tinfoil hat, a fedora wrapped in aluminum foil. He beats out this Vahabinhzad guy by a mile, althought I would love to hear a converstion between the two.

The Walking guy is pretty cool.
posted by Skygazer at 1:20 PM on September 9, 2006


Skygazer : "For what it's worth (in a Forrest Gump sort of way), I actually met the original tinfoil hat guy. It was in 1998."

I'm pretty sure the whole tinfoil hat thing has existed far, far longer than that.
posted by Bugbread at 1:52 PM on September 9, 2006


Yeah, my guess is it originated as a bastardization of Wilhem Reich's orgone theory. But this guy I mentioned, He made it really mainstream to be batshitinsane. Sorta like the crazy Johnny Appleseed of Tinfoil hats.
posted by Skygazer at 3:36 PM on September 9, 2006


Nobody posted this yet? The Chris Saviano effect at hyalineskies
posted by dabitch at 4:04 PM on September 9, 2006


dabitch:

It's the link on the "." of the original post.
posted by tomierna at 5:07 PM on September 9, 2006


Skygazer : "Sorta like the crazy Johnny Appleseed of Tinfoil hats."

Ah, I gotcha.
posted by Bugbread at 5:09 PM on September 9, 2006


I spotted him in Manhattan recently. Frank Chu is still my favorite protester. There's also this guy from Berkeley who stands around and says, "Happy, happy! Yay, everyone happy! Have a nice day!"
posted by rmannion at 7:55 PM on September 9, 2006


tomierna, gaah - I always miss the punctuation in these link-fests.
posted by dabitch at 12:33 AM on September 10, 2006




I see this guy all the time. I read the divorce case info online, but it's hard to get any details with only document titles. I'm surprised no investigative blogger's gone to look at the file in the Daley Center, anyone could. I thought about it one day, but I really don't care that much.

And he's definitely crazy, not a marketing thing. He's just got the air about him.
posted by ruby.aftermath at 11:30 AM on September 10, 2006


The Boston Tricycle guy is great. I totally forgot about him but I used to see him all the time in the Back Bay, when I used to live there. There's another great video here.
posted by dhammond at 4:25 PM on September 10, 2006


There was(is?) a woman in Georgetown, Washington DC who had a shopping cart plastered with signs on all sides. And the narrative on the signs was excrutiatingly detailed, conspiracy theories involving Prince Charles, the Bilderbergs, satellites, Kennedy, Vietnam, they even got updated for 9-11.
posted by Pastabagel at 7:54 PM PST on September 8 [+] [!]


I remember her, my pals and I used to refer to her as "Ogre's Mom", as we imagined the singer of Skinny Puppy visiting her regularly for lyrical inspiration.
posted by Uther Bentrazor at 10:41 AM on September 11, 2006 [1 favorite]


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