Reader just waiting put me on the Memory Lane Express. A link to Sean Gabb’s retrospective on the late, great Loompanics led him to take his copy of Loomps’ 2005 catalog off the shelf, where he discovered an old article of mine: “Dark Satanic Cubicles.” I didn’t remember it. Only vaguely recalled the title. But it sounded brilliant. 🙂 Took quite a bit of hunting to find. Had to go through some interesting byways. But here it is: imperfectly archived on the old Loompanics site. just waiting also sent me .jpg copies (thank you), from which come the stark Nick…
11 CommentsCategory: Monkeywrenching
Apple has gotten a patent to remotely disable features on wireless devices based on their location. (This is from a not-always-reliable source, but is verified elsewhere.) I can’t think of a single legitimate reason to impose blanket blackouts like that based on location (language in the patent to the contrary). Lots of illegitimate ones, though. Halt recording at protests or public meetings. Or at cop checkpoints. Keep protestors from coordinating with each other on the spot. Not clear at the moment whether Apple plans to do this only on iPhones (one more reason not to have a smartphone). But no…
16 CommentsThe Dollar Vigilante has a new feature — a monthly advice column called “Dear Slavey.” It started off with a bang on July 2, when “Slavey” advised some poor credit-card serf to “Just. Don’t. Pay.” No surprise, this drew feedback and some heated back-and-forthing about the morality of keeping one’s pledges. Slavey’s position is that banks are corrupt from top to bottom and unilaterally change their “agreements” with us at will, so eff ’em all. Besides, businesses walk away from billions of dollars in debt without an eyeblink. He does warn, however, that in some states you can now be…
33 CommentsEPA requires refiners to add unobtanium (or at least unable-to-obtanium) to their products. (Via Wendy McElroy) How to make an herbal raw honey ointment to treat burns and wounds, provided you don’t mind slathering something that looks like gelled split pea soup on yourself or those you love. And speaking of those you love but (take it from me) others probably don’t, Malaysia Airlines, bless the marvelously shriveled little hearts of its executives, is experimenting with child-free sections on its aircraft. I’ve marveled at how, when I get on an airplane, I’m always seated in the crying-baby section. Or next…
32 CommentsAverage cost of living $150,000/year? I freaking don’t believe it. Not sure I believe this, either. But it makes me all the more grateful for that freezer full of grass-fed beef. (H/T PT.) Now, this I definitely believe: Having power makes you stupid. Something actually good about Rick Santorum. I try not to lift too much from Radley Balko, since I figure a lot of the same people read his blog and mine, but this was too good: Why you can’t smoke pot. (Because there’s sooooooo much money and lobbying for the drug warriors.) “10 Rules for a Literary Feud.”…
22 CommentsNo, not happy news like about crippled orphans being rescued by blind puppies (though that’s good, too). Not glurge. But in the biblical flood of bad news, good news does occasionally bob to the surface and I’ve been saving up bits of it to brighten your day. So here goes: Rhode Island may defy the NDAA. (Tip o’ hat to JS.) The most important secret of a prosperous economy. Remember the homeless man with the golden voice? Well, so far, so good. (HT to SC) Obama (not intentionally, of course) might bring back the Constitution. Gaston Glock did an amazing…
3 CommentsWhat 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…
10 CommentsStill deadlining. Oy. But I’m beginning to believe that the light I see at the end of that tunnel might not be an onrushing train. This weekend I’m going to collapse in a happy heap. Meanwhile, the news … “Penn Jillette’s 10 commandments for atheists.” I’m neither an atheist nor a fan of commandments. Still, these are pretty good. (Tip o’ hat to PT.) Can any of you techno-hackers tell me if this might work at a distance of 50 yards or so? I’ve had this little problem … Six things nobody will tell you about MF Global. I mean,…
18 Comments