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Month: October 2011

Occupy Your Ownself

Everybody, but everybody, wants to get in on the Occupy Wall Street act. Since the leaderless, focusless band of creative protestors began getting media coverage, all manner of commentators have commentated. Multitudes claim to know what OWS really is or really ought to be. Political people who may have something or nothing in common with the vague aims of OWS or the vague band of jugglers, gypsies, drummers, retro-hippies, sincere-if-ignorant fogheads, and genuinely angry activists are cautiously trying to bend OWS to their own purposes. The third-biggest bonehead ever to win a Nobel Prize, Paul Krugman, demonstrates what an old…

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Onward with Jake

Jake MacGregor has been suffering health problems lately that have prevented him from releasing new chapters of his thriller novel. But he’s gradually coming back. And he has posted chapter 36 and 37 for your weekend enjoyment. If you’re new to the perilous world of Jake, Deb, little Moira, their awesome mastiff Tonka, and the villainous b*****ds of FINCen, it all begins here.

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Afternoon roundup

So much for “democracy.” Farewell transparency (we hardly knew ye). Welcome murder.gov. (The Al-Awlaki assassination was even worse than we thought.) If Bank of America wants to charge new fees, that’s their business. If customers don’t want to put up with it, that’s their business. (Of course, the fees are yet another predictable unintended consequence of gummint, but that’s another story.) But look what BofA does to sell the idea. Does it go to the customers? To the markets? Nooooooooo. Another Sign of Our Times. The DoJ and the WH are furiously scared of the Fast & Furious truth coming…

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Thursday morning data dump

You’ve probably heard by now: Steve Jobs is dead. Farewell to an amazing innovator. He’s been part of our cultural wallpaper for such a long time it’s hard to believe he was only 56. Don’t know that I’d want to beta test a bank, but if you’re fed up with the Big Boys, here’s an interesting new alternative. Speaking of banks, the always-interesting Barry Ritholtz has a good take on their self-inflicted mark-to-make-believe wounds and other unintended consequences of Brilliant Government Ideas. Believe it or not Tim Burton did not create this wedding photo. (I was going to post the…

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A small case of government working “for the people”

A random thought: I mentioned the other day that I was switching from Comcast to CenturyLink for Internet. C’Link will be an Internet-only contract. The Comcast package included the first land-line I’ve had in years. Didn’t really want it, but it came with the deal. I opted for a non-published number, then signed on to the national “do not call” list. I knew that list was dubious, but since it has pretty much replaced the earlier and better private “do not calls,” I went ahead figuring it would at least be of some help. The catch is that the fedlaw…

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In Greece: Creativity from destruction

With thanks to Dan Adams of the wonderful self-sufficiency networking site Earthineer, here’s a perfect example of creativity (and freedom) arising from destruction. VOLOS, Greece — The first time he bought eggs, milk and jam at an outdoor market using not euros but an informal barter currency, Theodoros Mavridis, an unemployed electrician, was thrilled. “I felt liberated, I felt free for the first time,” Mr. Mavridis said in a recent interview at a cafe in this port city in central Greece. “I instinctively reached into my pocket, but there was no need to.” Mr. Mavridis is a co-founder of a…

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Monday miscellany

A good man died last week. Al Woodbridge. Although he was only one of many abused by the ATF in the 90s (and by federal kangaroo courts), he was one of the toughest. H/T to JJ. I really like the way James Altucher thinks. This guy, on the other hand is edging toward the real answer but is still way sidetracked. Will he ever get the Real Clue, do you think? (But Occupy Wall Street is seriously interesting, isn’t it?) Common sense and enlightenment raise their battered heads once again in the world of mind-altering drugs. A good article on…

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First batch of yogurt fermenting

Been a bit busy since getting my yogurt maker last week. Today I’m finally attempting the first batch. I used Zoi unflavored Greek yogurt as the starter. Not sure of the exact amount (measuring is for wusses). From the 12:00 position, the variations are: Plain whole milk Whole milk with Karen’s fabulous apricot syrup stirred in Whole milk with extra milk solids Half-and-half with extra milk solids Half-and-half with Karen’s fabulous syrup on the bottom Plain half-and-half Not sure how much I added of either syrup or milk solids. I may have mentioned I think measuring is for wusses. 🙂…

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