January 2018 – Page 3 – Living Freedom

“Were they actually thinking that a ballistic missile might sort of land on Hawaii?”

Published January 14, 2018 10:06 am by Claire

Okay, I know Walter Cronkite, David Brinkley, John Chancellor, Peter Jennings and their lot were all just shills. They made their living presenting one carefully selected part of the Establishment line. Their living was based equally on ensuring that We the Peasants didn’t hear about anything that might cause us to lose faith in Our Glorious Leaders in media and politics. We’re much, much better off now that we can get our news unfiltered. Or filtered through the sensibilities of … well, anybody with a YouTube or Twitter account. Aren’t we? Yes, we are, I remind myself. But at least…

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Weekend links

Published January 13, 2018 9:59 am by Claire

From FiveGallonIdeas.com, a DIY emergency kit in a bucket.

Kit Perez writes her first article on Medium. Four ways the surveillance state is expanding that most people don’t realize.

Is the medical “system” in the U.S. post-apocalyptic or pre-modern? Both?

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A challenge for the terminally self-righteous (regarding the word “sh*thole)

Published January 13, 2018 9:36 am by Claire

As the media lets Trump manipulate it into a frenzy once again, I have a challenge for the terminally self-righteous: Name me just 10 countries in Africa … okay, seven … no, just aim for five to make it easy … that you consider to be as educated, prosperous, technologically sophisticated, opportunity-driven, stable, and well-governed as (oh, just for instance) Norway. And while you’re at it, NPR, maybe you can quit broadcasting long segments on how earnestly you debated — searching heart, soul, conscience, and all the laws of human decency — before using the term sh*thole on the air.…

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Friday links

Published January 12, 2018 1:32 am by Claire

You’ve heard of the Great Wall of China and Trump’s border wall. But how ’bout the Great Hedge of India? The Brits created it in a futile (but persistent) attempt to halt salt smuggling.

Another city’s red-light camera program bites the dust.

There’s a new surveillance policy for truckers that’s likely to hurt us all.

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Wintertime with the Wandering Monk

Published January 10, 2018 8:15 am by Claire

I felt churlish yesterday after venting at The Wandering Monk. I was in one of those “it’s my blog and I’ll rant if I want to” moods. Not great moments for wisdom or discretion. It turned out the Monk’s issue was seasonal depression compounded by a tragedy he associates with this time of year. The tragedy was years ago, but of the kind that alters life forever. Then — you know how it goes if you’re a depressive — the funk of idleness he fell into fed on itself. Every day he was unmotivated led to more inertia. Which led…

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Midweek links

Published January 10, 2018 7:22 am by Claire

Between the Equifax breach and the new tax law, this could be a bad year for both fraudulent tax returns and IRS confusion.

In southern California they’re looking for victims in a weather-related mudslide. In Washington state, they’re watching a potentially larger landslide in the making. Local officials are pooh-poohing the potential impact; geologists and geophysicists are saying, “Close the damn freeway NOW and prepare for Yakima to flood.”

GetRichSlowly.org: Hopping off the hedonic treadmill.

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Well, so much for the Wandering Monk

Published January 9, 2018 11:04 am by Claire

[venting] Nine-ish today, he said. The Wandering Monk was coming to repair the floor so I could finish the bedroom project. He knew my neighbor also needed advance notice so we could collect stored flooring from her. I have been busting my buns for days to be ready for him. Neighbor J. left her garage unlocked for us. At 9:30 I texted him. 10:00: Sorry. Forgot. No word on whether he ever planned to show again. So are you going to be here today or have you quit? Tomorrow. I texted him back to say those materials were coming out…

10 Comments

Tuesday links

Published January 9, 2018 1:03 am by Claire

James Damore (remember him?) has just filed a class-action suit against Google, alleging the company discriminates against conservative white males. That could get interesting.

I love movies. But I am so freakin’ sick of whiny, hypocritical actresses lamenting how difficult their privileged lives are and congratulating themselves for the “courage” of their #MeTooing and their black gowns red carpet that I’m thinking about giving up my Netflix and going cold turkey.

In case you didn’t already know it, the NFL boycott is real and significant

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Case dismissed … with prejudice

Published January 8, 2018 4:33 pm by Claire

Federal prosecutors, who have made such a botch of everything connected with the Bundy ranch, have lost. Definitively. Humiliatingly. Deservedly. Their case against Cliven, two of his sons, and another man has been dismissed with prejudice following last month’s mistrial. Meaning no re-trial. Now. Will the feds retreat and accept that this whole woeful business has been overreach (and under-honesty) on their part from the beginning? Or will they find some other way to get revenge on the harmless (but defiant) Mormon rancher and his clan? I first got this news on NPR this afternoon. To hear them tell it,…

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Bedroom closet (and the difference between people who know me and people who don’t)

Published January 7, 2018 2:43 pm by Claire

Still have to put on the baseboard molding (tonight, maybe) and clean up the mess, but other than that the inside of the bedroom closet is now Officially Done. Nifty, eh? That’s a Rubbermaid Configurations organizer for 3-6-foot closets from Home Depot. Reviewers praise them and it was certainly easy to install and seems sturdy. But I’m not giving it my full v*te of confidence until I see how well it bears weight. The Chinese cabinet and Indian wall hanging I picked up at a storage-unit sale a couple of weeks ago. They give the closet a nice touch of…

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Month: January 2018