Category: FWIW

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Islands of Sanity

Elsewhere on the Interwebs, I saw an otherwise nice lil ole lady stating that as divided and rancorous as the public square has become, she expects she’ll have to “duke it out in real life at some point. . . ” in the real world.

Maybe, maybe not. It mostly depends on the venue, methinks. Here in America’s Third World County™, the irrational, emotionally-derived non-arguments (spewing of lying memes, parroting of angry rhetoric) just does not exist for the most part, at least as I am out and about in the county I have never found it so. As a matter of fact, America’s Third World County™ seems to be such a haven of sanity and safety that when nour state’s so-called “Constitutional Carry” law went into effect, I felt no need to take advantage of it as I went about my daily affairs here in America’s Third World County™. Oh, I put a lil revolver in a holster and–legally, now *heh*–carried the thing concealed inside my waistband for a few days, but since so many other folks are doing the same (or carrying in the open, also lawful), and the general conditions of civilized safety and sanity still prevail here, I just set the lil wheelgun aside for plinking.

Seriously, I am THAT comfy with the civilized deportment of ou citizens. LE guys (and gals *sigh*) still have too much swagger and project far, far too much self-importance (unnecessary here, IMO), and there are a few bad actors around, but realy very few, but still, overall this area is the safest and sanest, the most civilized I have ever lived in, well, at least since I was seven years old, nearly 60 years ago. Oh, we lack some of the amenities and pleasures of big city life, but a trek of less than an hour can afford a trip to a world class museum of art, a middlin’ quality orchestral performance, good craft beers, etc., if desired. Fortunately, no professional sports teams are within what I’d call driving range, which pretty much eliminates the hooliganism I associate with that stupidity.

Yeh, unless I stray too far from America’s Third World County™, I don’t think I’ll have a lot of RW “in your face” confrontations with rancorous loonies. I suspect there are more such enclaves of civilization around, islands of sanity in this mad, mad world, havens of civilization contra the Crazy Years.

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“Solutions” for all the sturm und drang in the passing scene?

For “the passing scene,” I got nuthin’.

My “solution” to the passing societal scene (politics, media, wacko people all around) is to take care of my own business, and, when interfered with by a “gummint” busybody, do whatever I can to distract, befuddle, redirect, frustrate, bar (yeh, even to relying on a junkyard dog of a lawyer, if necessary, the meanest one around), etc., them from messing in my stuff that’s none of their business. If TEOTWAWKI does come about in my lifetime, I want to have plenty of (well-preserved and protected from marauders) “popcorn and beer” and a (relatively) safe (well, well-defended and as secure as can be effected with my resources) place from which to watch the show.

Of course I’ll do whatever low-key things I can to ameliorate problems on a local and neighborhood level, but I’m pretty much limited to everyday politics and prayer (though that’s unlimited *heh*) when it comes to affecting things further afield than that, so just making as sure as I can that “me ‘n’ mine” are as well-provided for as possible seems. . . prudent.

OTOH, being “a voice in the wilderness” crying out, “Repent sinners! Make way for the return of the Lord!” seems like something to do, too, eh?

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A Simple EPREP Tip

Ever have unreliable water because of service problems (widespread power outage or other). . . and would have found a simple, reliable method for purification/disinfection handy?

SODIS

Oh, and lay in a supply of coffee filters and charcoal (for sediment and taste), if you want. As effective as most expensive methods, easier than boiling, especially if you’ve not *cough* prepared for an alternate method of cooking, and your primary method is interrupted.

Just have a few clear, 2-liter PET bottles handy, and some coffee filters, and you’re good to go for cleaning and disinfecting a source of suspect water.

Works also for camping. Does take six hours of sunlight, though.

Do note that you probably ought to have at least 3 days’ potable water safely stored at home, anyway, as well as a day’s supply in your car, just in case. Water for personal hygiene can be less stringently obtained and stored (tap water in safe storage vessels should be good enough for general washing), but drinking water–potable water–is more important for general emergency preparation, whether it be for storms, widespread power outages, or whatever.

Just sayin’.

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My observant reader *heh* will note. . .

That something different is goin’ on here at America’s Third World County. . .

Yeh, the theme I’d used for years was broken by an incompatible WP upgrade, and I’m reduced to using an outa the box plain vanilla theme. Probably for the best. I may reinstall a few of the plugins I once had installed and re-list a (very trimmed down) set of blogs and other features. . . eventually.

Meanwhile, I think this will just serve as what it became six or seven years ago, after its first six or seven years as. . . something else, and just be the place where the voices in my head are free to utter. . . whatever opinions they have. (I’m always interested in what they have to say, whether anyone else is or not. 😉 )

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Happy Day to My Wonder Woman

Actually, maybe even happier day to me.

38 years ago today was the day after Thanksgiving, and also the day after our rehearsal dinner (hosted by my Aunt Bettie and Uncle Milton at their home). I can’t claim to have a coherent memory of the day, because, well, it was my wedding day, I was sick, and I was on whatever it was my mom had given me to help me deal with a (typical for me any time something significant was going on in my life) monster cold. *heh*

My lil house was jammed full of siblings and parents, and I’m not too sure it was built for the six extra people it held. . . but, eh, I was only semi-conscious of the crowd.

And then, there she was.

🙂

And now, here she is.

She tells me she loves me still.

I tell her it’s not my fault. *heh*

Happy anniversary, sweetheart.

Continue reading “Happy Day to My Wonder Woman”

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Language Fun

So, I streamed a movie. It’s in German with Romanian (or thereabouts–some Eastern Eurpoean Romance language) subtitles. . . overlaid by English subtitles. The English subtitling cuts out halfway through. *meh* By that time, the dual language “refresher” has made the dialog still intelligible, so. . . enjoyed the rest of the movie.

Reminded me of watching the Swedish version of the Stieg Larsson “Girl With/Who” trilogy. Sure, I have and had read the books beforehand and knew the story line and characters, but by the second movie, I was pretty much following the dialog w/o the subtitles. Fun.

BTW, I later tried to watch the Hollyweird version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and. . . no. Just no. Not even nearly as good as the Swedish version.

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Sometimes, Unintended Consequences Have MASSIVELY Unintended Benefits

All the manufactured sturm und drang of folks upset that “their” criminal candidate–surprisingly!–managed to lose a fixed election to a clown has driven more and more #NeverTrump -ers into reluctant defense of the Orange Clown, and reluctant Trumpery voters into firm support for a pres-elect no thinking person wanted.

Chill or lose even bigger down the road, dumbasses.

“The trouble began” the morning after the election, when the principal of West High emailed the teachers: “Please be positive and strong and teach the heck out of our kids today.”

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Small Consolation

The only consolation (and it’s weak tea, indeed) in a Trumpery presidency that one might possibly have is that at least the Queenie Cscklepants Cylon (and the rest of the Clinton Crime Cartel) isn’t scheduled to reign in the WH. *sigh* Sadly, very sadly, a cheesy reality series star is likely to be less harmful (kinda like being shot with a 9mm Parabellum is less harmful than being shot with a .50BMG).

Since I refused to vote for either of the Uniparty’s candidates, at least my hands (and conscience) are clean.

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“Be Prepared”

From a discussion thread elsewhere in answer to a guy’s request for recommendations for a “pocket knife” for his 9-year-old daughter to take on a scout camping trip”

“Get her a real tool. . . ”

See, now THIS is why I have three EDC knives on me at all times (sometimes more, actually). Each is a real tool, and each is useful in different ways, and they don’t take up much room, really. A Gerber belt folder (belted horizintally, so it looks like it could instead be my “dumb” flip phone); a Swiss Army Knife in left front pocket; a Kershaw Speedsafe lockback in my right front pocket. Each sees daily use for different tasks, as suited to their capabilities/features.

(I have a couple of others in my car bag,** but those are both sheath knives for more heavy duty uses, oh, and one locking folder designed to also be used as a seat belt/car window “escape” knife, in the driver’s side pocket.)

Remember: “two is one and one is none.” Therefore, “three is two and two is one and one is none”? *heh*
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**car bag: similar to this, but no multi-tool, because I also have a small soft-side tool bag with common auto tools/equipment tucked in with my spare tire and tire tools. Car bags similar on both our vehicles.

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By the Skin of Their Teeth

I see a lot of silly folks crowing about having a “Republican” in the WH along with “Republican control” (by the skin of their teeth) of Congress.

So? It means little to nothing, really, since any “conservatism” in the Republican Party is no different to the “conservatism” decried by R.L. Dabney in his day:

“Conservatism’s history has been that it demurs to each aggression of the progressive party, and aims to save its credit by a respectable amount of growling, but always acquiesces at last in the innovation. What was the resisted novelty of yesterday is today one of the accepted principles of conservatism; it is now conservative only in affecting to resist the next innovation, which will tomorrow be forced upon its timidity and will be succeeded by some third revolution, to be denounced and then adopted in its turn. American conservatism is merely the shadow that follows Radicalism as it moves forward to perdition. It remains behind it, but never retards it, and always advances near its leader. This pretended salt hath utterly lost its savor: wherewith shall it be salted? Its impotency is not hard to explain. It is worthless because it is the conservatism of expediency only, and not of sturdy principle. It tends to risk nothing serious for the sake of truth.”

But at least one good thing has come of The Trumpery’s win in the prexy race: