The afternoon was hot, so Ava and I decided to go farther than usual, out into the deep woods. It’s cooler there and we still know of one good walking road in the higher hills that hasn’t recently been decreed off limits to the peasants. Locals in the know used to drive a branch of that road all the way up a steep (like 4WD steep) incline to a flat, clearcut spot. There, dense woods gave way to a distant — but sweeping and grand — view of the ocean. No more. Now you can walk, not drive, for about…
Category: War
Yesterday afternoon, emerging from the library, I spotted one of those bumper stickers — some variant on “Be the change you want to see.” As a statement, I’ve always put that right up with “My child is an honor student at Pink Floyd Middle School” and “Scuba divers do it deeper.” Or rather, I’ve perceived it as well-meaning, suspiciously idealistic, and pat enough to fit on a sticker, but not a stirring call to action. As I started to dismiss it again yesterday, I had a flash of enlightenment. Okay, about 15-watt enlightenment, but still. As I watched the bright…
I’m a few days late with the news, but Justin Raimondo has died — and that’s one heck of an obituary for one heck of an activist life. Today’s most unsurprising news: NYPD joins the ranks of police outfits planting evidence to meet arrest quotas. Humboldt County, California, issues peremptory fines to people who might be growing pot — even if they’re actually growing peaches or tomatoes. “The Boomers Ruined Everything.” The title is inflammatory. The article has a point — and a damned good one — but most of the problems it cites preceded us boomers. Our generation only…
… the talking heads are talking about the U.S. going to war with Iran? Since February, as you know, I’ve worked at becoming blissfully ignorant of “news.” This doesn’t come naturally to me, having been taught at Mama’s knee to Care Deeply any time some politician or anchorperson anywhere on the globe blows his nose. So I occasionally tune in NPR on the car radio while running errands. The last couple of days they’ve abandoned their standard “immigrants good,” “guns bad,” “hate Trump all the time.” routine and are talking war-war-war-war-war. With Iran. Why war? Why Iran? In all the…
Yes, I know. According to the strictest definition (factions battling violently to control the same government) the U.S. hasn’t had Civil War I — yet. But leave that quibble aside for the moment; there are other definitions. Suddenly, talk of upcoming Civil War II is everywhere. Oh sure, predictions of war have been made on the political fringes for decades. But now they’re mainstream — or as close to mainstream as you can get without having the (increasingly empty-headed) New York Times do a cosmopolitan feature on what fashionable Manhattanites should wear apres battle. I’ve never been convinced we’re headed…
I had two blogs I wanted to post today, but it’s been zip and zoom and zap since early morning. Commitments, appointments, distractions, demands. Then every time I think I have a moment to sit down, something interrupts. Now I’ve got half an hour before an appointment. Let’s see if I can sneak some links into that time, and come back later (cross fingers) for post two. Jeffrey A. Tucker on the epic battle to control our thoughts. Naturally, the CIA has an official Chief of Disguise. A former holder of that office made a short video about her craft.…