Happy Friday the Thirteenth! Here’s one brief example of what SOPA could (and eventually would) do to ordinary Internet users. I think I’d like this poor old fella. For you analytical types: Here’s a survival planning guide that’s based on understanding different types of emergencies. (Tip o’ hat to D.) Claire: a foster Great Dane, then and now.* Some pix are hard to look at, but they get better. (Tip o’ hat to SR.) Today’s hot rumor: Jake MacGregor (The Advisor) may return soon after a too-long hiatus for family and health problems. Hope to have word shortly. —– *…
Category: Government
Government evils — but I repeat myself
What happens when a corporation gets just a bit too uppity in its definition of IP. I suppose as times get harder, we can expect more of this sort of thing. Shudder. But if it can be made harder on the forces of tyranny … (Some notes on guerrilla warfare) “Complex Systems, Dysfunctional Industries, and Catastrophic Collapse.” Preparedness. Basic. Fascinating. They haven’t found the suspect, two decades later. But they’ve found his seventeenth century ancestor. Yeah. Right. According to this I’m supposed to go to either Switzerland … or the U.S. How about you? Good going. Excellent calm way to…
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…
Via Sipsey Street and MTV: Brilliantly believable. (Although since this was apparently MTV’s statement about Bush way-back-when, you gotta wonder if the makers of these spot-on-spots realize they apply even more to Bush’s twin, He Who is Not to Be Named.) (Tip o’ hat to C^2.)
Trust him or not? That’s a good question. Me, I think Stephen Glass has more than earned a “trust, but verify” status. But not honest enough to be a lawyer???. Please tell me you’re joking. Well That was predictable. A black market in Cheetos. I nearly tossed my Christmas cookies yesterday when, at the local general store, I ran across tree ornaments that said, “Police officers: Angels on earth.” Among other things, I had no idea angels were prone to this kind of blatant cronyism. (Of course, I’m sure those little tags, just like these, will be used only for…
J.D. Tuccille’s High Desert Barbecue gets a sterling review from Britain’s Sean Gabb. Well, here’s a cheery thought about the current economic mess. Probably true, too. Encouraging sites to offer PayPal alternatives. Good idea. Be sure to follow the links to the PayPal (or PayPal/fedgov) horror stories. Who knew that SF writer George R.R. Martin is a terrorist? Jim Bovard exposes the post office. News from Dave’s blog: Backwoods Home is now on Kindle. The headline on this one was (of course), “It’s not what it looks like! I can explain!”
In “celebration” of the American police state (which is going to get unimaginably worse, unsurprisingly and very shortly), here’s your photo of the day: Source.
Ron Paul’s gradual rise above that field of R-Party evil clowns (in Iowa, at least) got me wondering: What would happen if Paul actually won the presidency? I think we know that Paul, being a proven man of his word, would attempt to make government smaller, less tyrannical, and more constitutional. But that just brings up other questions. What, specifically, would he try to do in his first weeks and months as president? Would the traditional “shadowy forces” arrange a convenient fatal heart attack for him? (“Such a shame, but that’s what happens when you elect such an old man…
Even lab rats, it seems, have empathy. Now, if only government agents could be raised to that level. I had no idea that my second favorite poem (and the one I most totally identify with) had such universal appeal. Only a government could manage to create a butter crisis. “The best way to understand the Euro Crisis is to get a DVD of “Animal House” starring John Belushi.” Snort! Open letter to some professorial tax eaters from Michael and Debra Jean Dean. The average household has a post-crash net worth of nearly $500,000??? Are you kidding? Where do I sign…
This came this morning from Daniel Adams of the wonderful “Facebook for farmers,” Earthineer. (Check it out if you haven’t already.) “Federal Agents Demand Customer Lists from Mormon Food Storage Facility.” Given the lack of detail in the report (which federal agency, which Mormon facility, and did anybody ask to see a warrant or a subpoena?) I’m not 100% sure it’s true. But you and I can be 100% sure more than one fed agency wants to know who’s storing food or making other preparations for hard times — and that those they learn about will be considered potential “terrorists.”…