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Monday thoughts

We had our first snow last night. Didn’t amount to much. Barely stuck and was soon washed away by 35-degree rain. Only reason I mention it is because it’s the first lowland snow we’ve had in more than two years.

It’s normal for us to get snow anywhere from one to five times a winter, but the last two winters have been too warm (not global warming but a big warm “blob” offshore). Very wet, but warm. Well, as winters go, anyhow.

More snow expected in the next few days. Me, I’d chose warm and dry, were it an option. And not warm as in “above average winter temperatures.”

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Found these “before” photos of the Oakland Ghost Ship. A gorgeously funky death trap.

oaklandghostship_120516

oaklandghostship-02_120516

That’s the sort of place I would have hung around (and did hang around) when I was the age of many of the fire victims. Even then, I’d have always been scanning for the exit routes (though more for social reasons than smart preparedness; I was always ready to flee when things got too strange).

But looking at all those photos you can see why it went up so quickly and why so many didn’t stand a chance.

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On a lighter note: If you’re interested in joining a less funky but more practical group (and one less likely to go up in flames) but you don’t have the money, we still have some donated three-month memberships at the Cabal.

These can be used for renewals by existing members or for new memberships. Just ask. The gift memberships will go only to people who are (or pledge to be) active, friendly, useful participants in the Cabal forum. Lurkers are welcome of course, but lurkers (and non-broke people!) can join on their own dime. And we’ll be happy to have y’all.

It’s a small but highly experienced group of freedomistas with plenty of practical knowhow. Fun, too. And when it comes time for renewal, don’t forget that existing members get substantial discounts.

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The other day I visited the Claire Wolfe (but not mine!) FB page and found this photo at the very top. A stack of my books.

I counted them. I was surprised. The photo shows eight titles. And the two earliest (101 Things and Don’t Shoot the Bastards) aren’t depicted. If you’d have asked me how many freedomista books I’ve written, I’d have guessed (off the top of my head) maybe six. It’s actually 10 and I had no idea. That’s not counting the chapters I’ve contributed to several other books.

Given how lazy I am, I’m quite impressed.

A few of those titles are available in .pdf format at the Cabal. Still need to work on getting others that I own the rights to Kindleized (Paladin Press owns many of my books, including Kindle rights). Alas, life has held too many distractions lately.

12 Comments

  1. MamaLiberty
    MamaLiberty December 5, 2016 3:08 pm

    I’ve bought or received all of these books at one time or another. I only have some of them now because I tend to give them away to people who might benefit from them… šŸ™‚

  2. He Who Fakes It Well
    He Who Fakes It Well December 5, 2016 4:04 pm

    And yet 101 Things to Do and Don’t Shoot the Bastards aren’t there.

    More worrisome is that I thought I had The Bad Attitude Guide and How to Kill the Job Culture, but I can’t find them. Got the rest though.

  3. M Ryan
    M Ryan December 5, 2016 4:49 pm

    Sad thing the event at the Oakland Ghost Ship. From the looks of the place I would have hung out there too.

    So you got a dusting of snow last night, good. It helps replenish the water table. As for me the deity that runs the joint left a white calling card around 4 inches deep. I.m sure this is going to be a very white winter. sigh…

    The book pic was cool. While I don’t have all I have a lot which is nice. Not that I need help stirring up the brown stuff, mind you.

  4. larryarnold
    larryarnold December 6, 2016 2:34 am

    Me, Iā€™d chose warm and dry, were it an option.

    Lots and lots and lots of warm and dry available in West Texas. šŸ˜‰

  5. Claire
    Claire December 6, 2016 6:43 am

    “Lots and lots and lots of warm and dry available in West Texas. šŸ˜‰”

    And I sincerely hope you enjoy it. Me, I’m working on warm, dry, evergreen, bloomy, and oceany. (If you’re going to dream, dream big, right?)

  6. Joel
    Joel December 6, 2016 7:31 am

    That pic reminds me that I never got around to reading The State Vs. The People. Given the JPFO link I’m forced to ask, is it in print somewhere? Other than JPFO, I mean?

  7. Claire
    Claire December 6, 2016 8:32 am

    Joel — It’s not in print anywhere, including at JPFO. I don’t know how it happened, but somehow Aaron lost the rights to it and had to pull it from circulation years ago. I have zero idea how or why that could have happened, but it did. I own about a dozen copies that JPFO sent me before the sellout, along with a lot of other outdated JPFO merchandise. But believe me, you wouldn’t want to bother.

    I was very proud of that book 15 years ago and considered it my best work. But it’s basically a long rant about the condition of freedom at the time the book was written. Not worth a read now.

  8. Laird
    Laird December 6, 2016 11:04 am

    “Iā€™m working on warm, dry, evergreen, bloomy, and oceany.”

    Sounds like you want Hawaii. Perhaps not quite “dry” per se, but the rain is warm, usually of short duration, and it dries out very quickly. And you’ve got all the “evergreen and bloomy” you could ever wish for!

  9. MamaLiberty
    MamaLiberty December 6, 2016 11:18 am

    Except for the snow the last few days or so, Laird. LOL My sister’s inlaws live there and they are freaking out.

  10. Bob
    Bob December 6, 2016 11:37 am

    “Given how lazy I am…..”

    Lazy? You? Come hang with me for a time. I’ll show you lazy!

  11. Comrade X
    Comrade X December 6, 2016 12:29 pm

    Hawaii is way to anti gun for me to ever visit there again; I’ll take cold and rain any day before I will support that.

  12. Claire
    Claire December 6, 2016 3:37 pm

    “Sounds like you want Hawaii.”

    The South Pacific, actually. Samoa. Tahiti. Maybe Tonga on a day I’m not feeling too fussy.

    This morning I’d definitely not have been feeling too fussy. Came outside to find Old Blue encased in a block of ice. The lock de-icer I aways keep in my pocket dribbled an ineffective few drops that did nothing. I got matches from the kitchen, heated up my key, and after burning a dozen or so matches in the attempt, got the locks to work.

    But so much for that; the doors themselves were all sealed shut with ice.

    After 20 minutes I was able to get inside and crank up the engine. And this time the defroster even worked, which mostly these days it doesn’t.

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