In which an irate witch preaches hellfire and damnation… (well, sort of...) I’ve been obliquely addressing the debacle in Eastern Europe, talking about all its varied causes without talking about the thing itself. This is partly because I don’t want to watch yet more innocent people die for the economic agendas of a few psychopathic… Continue reading An Outburst
Category: Polemics & Rants
Balance
It’s coming round to the time of equinoctial balance. In the north, this means spring. The Sap Moon is waxing and the maples are starting to show some signs of waking. Where I live it is still white and cold, but there are rumors of daffodils not far south and down by the coast. I… Continue reading Balance
The Violence of Property
There is a long and perhaps self-evident entanglement between unlimited property rights and violence. Violence is, of course, necessary to the right to destroy or kill, and private property — full ownership — will brook not even these extreme limits. In fact, to exercise and maintain unlimited property rights is to systematically employ death and… Continue reading The Violence of Property
Lenten Fast for the Planet
Today, Ash Wednesday, is the beginning of the spring fast, Lent. The name lent derives from an Old English word meaning “spring season”. Other languages name this 40-day period before Easter with words that derive from “fasting”. We can see from these names that Lent is not merely a season of preparation for the Christian… Continue reading Lenten Fast for the Planet
Participatory Democracy
Today is Town Meeting day in Vermont. For the uninitiated, this is the day when Vermonters pack themselves into school gyms and various meeting halls to vote on town governance for the upcoming year. Officials are elected. Laws are debated and passed. Budgets are assigned. If there are complaints or disturbances, these are given voice… Continue reading Participatory Democracy
A Happy Correspondence
In response to "Conservative, Not Racist", I received a wonderful email from Kent Craig of Queensland, Australia, describing his continuing deep dives into received "wisdom" and what he's brought up to the surface in that process. He kindly gave me permission to share. I think it clearly shows that one doesn't have to have a… Continue reading A Happy Correspondence
Tragedy of the Uncommons (Part 1)
I’ve been working on my notions of private property for weeks now. Actually, one might say that I’ve been trying to determine my relationship to the concept of owning property for much of my life, though the recent activity was inspired by ideas on property ownership presented in The Dawn of Everything. But this idea… Continue reading Tragedy of the Uncommons (Part 1)
Conservative, Not Racist
My neighbor is a writer. He does about one column a fortnight for a local paper and has written at least one novel. He said something in a recent article that has been rattling about in my head for weeks. He observed that he is a conservative, white, old man and yet not a racist.… Continue reading Conservative, Not Racist
On Beauty
I made the mistake of watching some of the Olympics last week. Except for brief YouTube intrusions in the music I listen to while working, I haven’t watched programming with advertisements in several years. I don’t like the disruption to my attention, and of course I despise the goal behind advertising generally. I don’t watch… Continue reading On Beauty
Of Hearts and Wolves
Like many people, I find the American version of Valentine’s Day and the saccharine and monochromatic view of love it promotes to be repulsive. In my younger days I assumed the whole farce was invented by the greeting card and gifting industry, along with the rise of all manner of fake holidays intended to get… Continue reading Of Hearts and Wolves




