Idea by Weer’d World. And yeah, what Ian says. Tip o’ hat to Joel.
Author: Claire
Nothing heavy today. Just finished up a round of deadlines and am tired. But thought you’d enjoy some word from small-town nowhere. —– Took one of my dogs for a walk downtown this morning and stopped at a tourist kiosk that extolls the local history, hardihood, and industry. For the first time, I learned that a large part of the local economy is based on “fur” trees. I must say that came as a surprise. During all my walks in the woods I’ve never seen one. They must be rare but yield a very expensive product. Don’t anybody tell PETA…
“Six certainties about the coming years. “Hope in a cold season.” Although this gives waaaaaaaaaay too much benefit of the doubt to Obama, it’s a pretty good history of how indefinite military “detention” got legalized. When times get tough the tough get a backbone. There’s nothing more dangerous than a woman with a child. (ADDED: Although this has gotten coverage in every media outlet and blog this side of Alpha Centauri, I like Joel’s take on it the best.) Dontcha sometimes feel like this? Well, not about baths, specifically. But about what lies in our future:
… in an emergency? And how helpful are you? Yesterday’s emergency drill by Jake MacGregor got me pondering that old question. In an emergency, or just generally in hard times, who helps you out and how helpful are you in turn? If you’ve lived in the same neighborhood for a long time or if you have family in your vicinity, then you’ve probably got a pretty good start on answering this question. You know from long experience who’s reliable and who’s not, who’s trustworthy and who’s not. You know who’s got certain skills or tools. You know who can keep…
The tyrants now taking over the U.S. may have a hard time getting around all these lovely new guns. Yes, people often seem spineless and oblivious. Millions actually seem to welcome the police state (including, alas, millions who claim to be for limited government). But deep down, people know. People know. (Tip o’ hat to MTK for the link.)
(By Jake MacGregor with a few small edits/clarifications by me.) THIS IS A DRILL The following is ONLY a drill. THIS IS TO BE TREATED AS REAL BUT IS ONLY A DRILL. Situation: Last Night the European Union currency (Euro) collapsed. Overnight, markets crashed as uncertainty roiled the world. The President is set to make a closed-door address to a joint session of Congress at 11 AM Eastern. The Stock Market is closed until further notice. Banks have closed their doors with a taped-up sign reading, “Due to an Executive Order 19-173A all Banks, Credit Unions and Savings & Loans…
Happy New Year — even if it is already old news. Whew. What a couple of months its been. I’ve been deadlining solidly since at least early November, and though it’s interesting work (art, mostly), I’m tired. This week is the biggest push of all, so in a minute here I’m going to turn the blog over to MJR (who found and sent a host of interesting newsbits) and get back to work on my assignments. —– But first … some more thank yous. Thanks to JS and SC at Paladin Press, I got a photocopy of that Playboy article…
I have to admit it; if I were rich I’d have left the U.S. by now. Or I’d at least have prepared a nice little offshore getaway — a vacation place that would be there when the day came that it was really, really, indubitably time to escape. I’m not a rich person. You’re probably not, either. Still, we Americans are living in a country whose government (not our government, but some strange occupation force, some junta that seized power when good people and fools alike weren’t watching) has declared its authority either to assassinate us at will or “disappear”…
Politics, the morality of voting, and the hope or hopelessness of Ron Paul’s candidacy aside … this is worth the donations that could put it (or its shorter versions) on television. ADDED: Dave Duffy has a fine editorial on Paul today, too.
Been collecting again … Your awwwwww story for the day: An unlikely mother. But this is pretty awww-some, too. Especially if you consider what would have happened had the government gotten to the money before an honest man did. The 10 jobs with the happiest workers. (And I’m in two of those jobs; I should be delirious with joy.) The dogs of Cat Island. This is in some ways a horrible story. Yet so weird it’s funny. BTW, this is from the Paladin Press blog, and if you poke around a bit you’ll find a few entries by somebody you…