Silver here. Claire encourages me to post on her blog from time to time.
I don’t wear masks when I’m out and about, unless I absolutely have to. More on why below. When I’m in the grocery store or gas station, I often get glares from people who do wear masks. Sooner or later some sanctimonious busybody will challenge me face to face. I don’t want to lose my temper so I’ve been rehearsing a little speech. Here it is:
31 CommentsPardon the sappy subject line, but after last week’s angry rant it seems right to post some rays (even if they are just very little pinpoints) of good cheer. Life goes on despite every petty act of totalitarianism from every petty politician or bureaucrat — and both real rebellion and creative monkeywrenching appear and grow. —– On the personal front, shortly after I ranted last week, a longtime Commentariat member and friend-I’ve-never-met wrote to remind me, in the nicest way, to follow my own advice. That is: Not to let the bastards grind me (you, us) down. Stupid, evil bastards…
16 CommentsI dreamed last night that I was in Portland with a dozen or so blog friends when The Big One hit. We had gone to the city searching for Covid-19 supplies, which was tough enough. But now we were trapped by Mother Nature — in a world where people had been ordered to fear and avoid each other. In a world where natural instincts to help had been crushed. For some reason, I had a large collection of books with me, which two of my friends quickly “borrowed” without permission. I knew they immagined my collection would be loaded with…
22 CommentsShamelessly stolen from Maggie’s Farm. Dunno who they may have stolen it from 😉 but it’s a good one.
6 CommentsIt was the best of times. It was the worst of times. Publicly, the worst. Privately, sometimes the best. It was the time of Covid-19 and of goodness and nastiness. —– In a small dry-country town, a health club owner whose business was ordered closed for being “non-essential” during the pandemic panic checked with the sheriff: Could she conduct exercise classes outdoors, with small groups, everyone staying six feet apart? Yes. Midway through her first class, deputies of that very same sheriff arrive. A busybody has spotted the “deadly” and “illegal” activity and they’ve been dispatched to shut her down.…
17 CommentsSilver here. First Amendment badass Marc Randazza posted a tweet with a curious graph. He wrote: 1) I dont know if this is fake 2) If it is not fake, what does this tell us? It’s not a fake. I went to the CDC’s website and downloaded the same data, plotted it myself. (Edited to add: I revised the chart to try to make it more legible.) The traces for deaths attributed to pneumonia for the seven flu seasons (the CDC defines flu season as starting in week 40 each year) are straight from the CDC data. I added…
30 CommentsI’ve been mulling a longer, seriouser blog post, but not (yet) writing it because I’ve been occupied with a happy little house project. Two of them, actually, and as it happens I finished both today. Only one is photo-worthy, but I admit I’m quite proud of that one. When I bought Ye Olde Wreck, two attractive but misshapen archways (clearly the work of Jim Beam and Jack Daniel) opened from the living room onto the long, crooked wreck of a former covered porch. I’ve been trying to make something of that porch ever since. One part of the “something” is…
10 CommentsSilver here. Claire graciously grants me access to her blog. What an odd, contrived phrase is “Social Distancing.” PHYSICAL distancing may be helpful (solid information is extremely scarce these days) but why “Social” distancing? It’s almost as if those in power prefer that we remain isolated and afraid. Not everyone is buying it. Here’s a lovely post from someone who recognizes the power of words, and suggests a sensible and lovely alternative. Please spread this far and wide. This is an important message.
24 CommentsSo I received a text from Neighbor J two days ago: Would you like to participate in a community garden? X says we can use his fenced area; it’s full of raised beds. Every year since the truly heavy DIY work on the former Ye Olde Wreck (now Mo Saoirce Hermitage) was finished, I’ve been promising that this will be the year I build raised beds and plant a veggie garden. Every year, the expense of the project plus the fact that I’m a really, truly, terribly awful black-thumbed gardener means I put on my guilt and put off the…
18 Comments… but on the other hand, I also don’t know how significant it is. Just passing it along. Friend TSO said that, at the large post office where his brother works, the postmaster read a memo this morning that made two points: first, that all USPS employees should start using direct deposit because of potential “communications disruptions”; second, that they should begin carrying their work IDs at all times because if and when the nation goes on lockdown, “only law enforcement, postal service, and medical professionals will be able to travel to and from their homes.” TSO verified the news…
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