Ilana Mercer on freedom of association. And dialoging with a Neo-Nazi. Related: Kevin D. Williamson on the war on the private mind. Back in the day, science fiction was a realm where freedom of ideas prevailed. Prevailed by definition, I assumed, because how can you speculate about alternate futures and realities without the freedom to think unbound thoughts? I’m still having trouble understanding how political correctness has consumed SF. Self control in a world that promotes self indulgence. This is about primal eating, but has implications way beyond that. (H/T PT) Chris Christie has pardoned Shaneen Allen. (Updated to direct…
Author: Claire
It’s a fascinating and amazing thing that the last two elections have given the U.S. (among other less desirable things) a strip of cannabis legalization that runs from southern Oregon alllllll the way out to the tip of the Aleutian islands, within spitting distance of Russia.
I can’t imagine there are going to be too many “Mr. Doobees” stores out there on the islands. But in a vast stretch where once ruled the hysteria of Harry J. Anslinger, a new legal business is taking shape. Now all we need is for British Columbia to join us and the north coast weed freedomization will be complete. (And yes, yes, yes, I know that state-controlled legalization isn’t Libertopia; can we just stipulate that and not quibble?)
I’m still trying to wrap my brain around the fact that legal pot is affecting rural areas even more than urban ones. Makes sense, of course. Ag product. Cheap land. Small towns hungry for development. But still.
Even my little area is poised to benefit, and with that in mind our local Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Council pulled together a terrific panel discussion earlier this week to answer questions from us locals.
Once in a while, buddy Jim Bovard will include “Claire Wolfe” in a group of searches. This apparently gets interesting. Images like this come up (embiggenate for proper appreciation): I have no idea who the cute-in-an-officey-sort-of-way “me” is, but she’ll do.* And while I truly, truly, truly don’t get why Sonia Sotomayor keeps coming up in searches on my name, it’s a fact. And it’s far from the first time. Poor Sonia and I appear to be linked by karma. Bad karma, no doubt. But her karma or mine, who knows? (I’ve probably deepened the karmic connection by writing her…
When you’re a bazillionaire, your April Fools jokes may be lame, but they can be pretty elaborate. (H/T MJR) Let me see if I understand this. It’s okay for the government to blackmail, extort, threaten violence, and steal all the assets from Silk Road. But it’s wrong if individual government agents do it. No, no matter how I try, I can’t wrap my head around whatever principle they’re going by. Showering with the fedgov. I always love these articles on how being a grumpy curmudgeonly doom-bearing sky-is-falling worrywort can actually be good for your work. While I disagree with some…
Mine on the other hand, is okay. Over at TZP I take on the popularization of group hatred by the left.
Five simple ‘Net security tricks from a Google engineer. I’m already doing four and a half of them. How about you? Don’t it just figure? Willie Nelson now has his own cannabis variety and hopes to open a chain of stores described as “the Whole Foods of marijuana.” Fascinating. Twenty-five percent of people have an extra color receptor in their eyes. Hm. Wonder how many of those are artists or go into fields requiring good color perception? So what do you think? Should this guy have been kicked off that plane or not? On hiding cops’ identities, a governor does…
Two from The Atlantic: “The Irrationality of Alcoholics Anonymous.” Science and addiction treatment. Long but interesting. And just for laughs: “The Confused Person’s Guide to Middle East Conflicts.” With the Saudi-Iran cold war about to go hot over Yemen, perhaps this’ll help us appear well-informed.
Mechanic came out to my house today, poked around under the hood of the Xterra, and kept repeating, “Interesting. Hm. Interesting situation …” Trust me, “interesting” is not a word you want spoken by someone examining your vehicle’s engine. Seriously, though, things aren’t too bad. I noticed a grinding noise in the front brakes a couple of weeks ago and figured I needed new brake pads. No surprise. I’ve been driving only “litely” since then and had already made an appointment with the mechanic for next week. Then yesterday, the grinding in the front end took on a whole new…
You’re looking at three heavy boxes on that bottom shelf there. They’re physically heavy because they’re full of paperwork. But much bigger deal: they’re emotionally heavy because they contain everything I own that’s related to Randy Weaver and the horrors his family endured. Correspondence with Randy from jail. Notes from his trial. Notes and photos from my visit to his home (including the spot where son Sam was murdered by fedthugs).
I want them gone.
Deadlining this week as well as doing my small bit to get The Zelman Partisans ready for its next big step (look for it mid-April, Lord willing and the crick don’t rise). So blogging is a bit slow. But got some links for ya … Missed an important anniversary in the history of government on Monday: passage of the Enabling Act. March 23, 1933. Personally, I think if they can’t afford to pay for their own first-class travel, the whole scurvy bunch of ’em ought to just hitchhike and stay in hostels. And what the heck is a “first lady,”…