I am a chopper of wood and carrier of water, a keeper of bees, digger of soil, and washer of dishes, but when people ask me "what do you do" I usually satisfy them with "I'm in information technology." If they really want to know, I'll tell them about the decade as a wilderness guide. Some jobs are vocations, some are avocations, but that one was an evocation. I also wrangle pixels and try to herd them into representations of coherent thoughts, which is a provocation. :-)
When I woke up this morning to write, I made the mistake of scanning the headlines with my first cup of coffee. Every pixel seemed to confirm Cipolla’s 5 laws, and my Muse went back to bed. So as we have done several times in the past when travel or trouble caused the ink to … More When Difficulty Comes
Sometimes you get in an unnatural hurry. Granted, there are times when you need to hurry: The pan on the stovetop is smoking; the dog is chasing a squirrel and dragging her leash, or you forgot that today is your anniversary. Hurry is the appropriate response to these situations and many others, but so much … More Hurry Up and Relax
“No society is safe in the hands of its clever people.” … More For the Million
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” We all know the Economics 101 definition of “money” as a medium of exchange. Scrutineers of history observe money as a proxy for power, while those … More Slavecoin
We were determined not to have a garden this year so we could use the extra time to catch up on other projects. Consistent with the best laid plans of mice, men, and gardeners, we had a late garden instead, but just a small one. We only planted squash and corn. And pumpkins. And tomatoes. … More Halcyon Days
Sometimes our discussions here don’t appear to be very complimentary of younger generations, and that is a misconception I wish to rectify. Every generation has a tendency to disparage its replacement, and hold it responsible for change that it finds undesirable. The older we get, the more we find it difficult to accept change. We … More The Remnant
We prefer to buy American made products. They are not always, or often, it seems, easy to find. When we do find them, they are usually more expensive, though not always of a superior quality. When we shop, our first priority is locally owned businesses, and other than a few restaurants they are as rare … More Das ist ein klarer Fall
They say the United States has a “mixed economy.” It combines elements of a command economy, where government or central authority regulates economic activity, and a market economy where prices respond to supply and demand. Economists with a more historical perspective describe the evolution of our economy from agrarian to industrial, to today’s economy based … More The Zip Tie Economy
We were talking to our friend and financial advisor the other day. It wasn’t a long conversation because there is not that much to discuss. Nevertheless, it’s good to have the best maps available for navigating the treacherous and unknown waters of this strange and less than wonderful economy. At the end of the conversation … More Here Be Dragons
“Sometimes the very young do not do as they’re told.” -Anteaus of the Nox When you reach an uncertain age, you begin to realize that your parents were right about many things. This will occur sooner or later, like it or not, depending on how well you have been paying attention to your own life. … More A Message For The Very Young
Outside The Box 