Author Archives: Joel

I’ll be weekending in the big city, and I ain’t carrying the pooter with me. My fellow hermity type Mr. W expressed woe and grief that he’s going to get most of three days all by himself in the desert. … Continue reading →

From HERE: Last year, lawmakers excoriated the CEOs of the Big Three automakers for traveling to Washington, D.C., by private jet to attend a hearing about a possible bailout of their companies. But apparently Congress is not philosophically averse to … Continue reading →

And I thought it was going to be a waste. We got Mr. & Ms. B’s generator going, though it turns out they need at least one battery. The genny hadn’t run in over a year or been drained of … Continue reading →

Finally gets the special attention he’s been craving. One of my first things in the morning, after I’m vertical and possessed of two legs, is to take inventory of the dogs and cat to settle my mind that no bad … Continue reading →

Federal judges order California to release 43,000 inmates California must shrink the population of its teeming prisons by nearly 43,000 inmates over the next two years to meet constitutional standards, a panel of three federal judges ruled Tuesday, ordering the … Continue reading →

From Will Griggs @ the Lew Rockwell Blog: Four years ago, nineteen-month-old Suzie Pena was shot to death by Los Angeles SWAT commandos during a 2 1/2-hour standoff with her father, Jose Raul Pena. After suffering a narcotics-related breakdown, Mr. … Continue reading →

…While listening to NPR during a trip to town today. What does it say about a society, when the prison industry gets so big it becomes a major part of the economy? When a closing prison causes such financial hardship … Continue reading →

…When you find yourself writing and then actually posting lengthy, heavily-researched essays on “The Stormtrooper Effect,” which I swear I didn’t make up. The stormtrooper effect, also called stormtrooper syndrome, is an expression used to describe the cliché phenomenon in … Continue reading →

This may one day be the only gun you can legally buy. Dig this: The 100% electronic O’Dwyer VLe “Smart Gun”O’Dwyer VLe “Smart Gun” is to incorporate biometric authorising technology that should enable it to meet new US requirements for … Continue reading →

One useful thing we did get done over the past couple of days was coat M’s pantry/powershed with surface-bonding cement. Four hours to do the inside, and we wondered where the time went. Five hours to do the outside, and … Continue reading →

“No. Dr. Lector has no interest in hypothesis. He doesn’t believe in syllogism, or synthesis, or any absolute.” “What does he believe in?” “Chaos. And you don’t even have to believe in it. It’s self-evident.” –Hannibal, Thomas Harris I have … Continue reading →

Alternate Title: Guys, seriously, what part of “HERMIT” don’t you understand? At one point this morning I counted no less than nine functioning vehicles here. That doesn’t count two non-working Jeeps and trailers. Nine. And ten people. We had a … Continue reading →

I always admired people who could just order all the materials they needed to build something as complex and material-intensive as a house. It always seemed impossible to me: Even when I made that kind of money, I just turned … Continue reading →

Walky Time. Empty trailer of M’s *&^%! concrete. Run hose, get build site cistern filling barrels for *&^%! concrete. Figure out how much more lumber I need to frame the lair’s walls – conclusion: A lot. When W goes to … Continue reading →

Once in a while William Shatner becomes indispensable. This is the artist formerly known as Kirk, reciting what I’m told (I haven’t personally confirmed this, and I’m pretty sure I’ll always be too squeamish busy to do so) is an … Continue reading →

One of my neighbors has been saving his shekels for months, determined that for once he was going to own a really nice, shiny used SUV. He researched, and he shopped, and he did all the right things. Finally, yesterday, … Continue reading →

😉 Yeah, I’m in a wordy mood today. Once a clan of woods creatures were driven from their homes by hard times. Evoking a long-standing treaty, they came to dwell among their cousins the desert creatures. The woodland and desert … Continue reading →

Yeah, like you’d profit from following my thoughts 😀 But hey! It’s my blog. Here we go.Fear no one on earth. If God shows up and demands fear, give it some thought: It’s good to know when you’re really outclassed. … Continue reading →

The last two summers I’ve spent here, I’ve been up to my ass in hummingbirds; all sorts of hummingbirds. Early this summer I set up my feeder as usual, and hardly got a damned thing. It wasn’t worth the bother. … Continue reading →

After a day like this… At the conclusion of a job like this… I am reminded of the words of the great philosopher, The Divine Ms. M, Who said, After a day like this, At the conclusion of a job … Continue reading →