$ jlc (10,317)

That would make the changeability of the past quite variable. If I did not know the outcome of a battle, I could affect it; if I did know the outcome, I could not. Someone else, at the same battle, would have different constraints, depending on what they do or do not personally recall.

Jan, brain hurts now

No, no: What is RIGHT with this picture. What is right is that you think of this ahead of time. When there is a power outage you do not play music or show lights - you already have shutters or blackout curtains, headphones.

You are correct in that you can make yourself a target. (I once tried to convince a Mormon friend that Grateful Dead t-shirts should be part of the survival cache that he kept. Otherwise Mormon == target.) But, by planning ahead you can see that this does not happen.

It is important to realize that perimeter control is a good way to keep your house from being burglarized AND a good precaution to take in case of emergency situations. Similarly, having food on hand lets you get in a mood for cooking and not have to go to the store at 10PM. Good curtains and shutters help with temperature control. Nothin' for you here, move on along now.

Jan
300lb of GSDs does not hurt either. One of them is curled up on my feet as I type this. Such a warm puppy.

There was an old SCA song about that, "Leave your Weapons at the Door". It was about disarming everyone who came to the dance; pistol, sword,...when they got to the karateka they had to cut off his hands. Then came the local Don Juan, whose weapon was...uh...you get the drift...

Jan

You evidently attract some characters! I would like to think that there is a qualitative difference between 'nonconformist' and 'nutty as a fruitcake'...but one is least able to judge ones own condition. Perhaps I am just fooling myself.

I suppose the only reassurance I have against a totally loonie label is that I have many intelligent friends who are quite forthright about their opinions when they think I am incorrect. They are courteous, though...so...hmmm.

Good stories. Odd that you remember the price and the denominations of the change.

Jan

Isn't it neat to be able to carry hundreds of books around with you in one hand? I am having trouble charging my Kindle right now. :>(

Jan

Congrads on your solar array. I am still working on getting mine.

Jan

The most interesting answer to this question was made (in 1939) by Sprague de Camp in his SF novel Lest Darkness Fall. Time travel: A mousy archaeologist is transported back to Visgothic Rome. He decides to try to prevent the Middle Ages. He does this by inventing the printing press, semaphore, corporations...(and making sure that certain battles are won/lost). Since de Camp was, himself, an archaeologist, the details are accurate (to 1939).

Bottom line is that improved communication and better transmission of information are essential for holding an empire of that size together.

As I have said before, I think that political models may be overturned by new technology, even as fracking has overturned the concept of the amount of petroleum products that are left.

Jan

Hahaha!

Good morning, Wm!

Jan

That was a fun way to begin a morning, SW. I looked up the etymology (but not the entomology) of "tinfoil hat" and found that it dates to a story "Tissue Culture King" by Huxley in 1927. Wiki has a delightful article on it, including an experiment by MIT students: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_foi....

If my sheep says "Bah" then that word probably translates to some version of "Food"; a very focused animal.

I hypothesize that you are part of a vast governmental program that is trying to force me to use "aluminum hat" instead of the traditional "tinfoil hat". I am not paranoid...these things exist...Wait! What is that?!

Jan

Well, I do not consider myself really competent at jujitsu (admittedly, I am not a goddess of war at broadsword fighting either, but I am solidly competent at that sport). It really should not count if I terrify folks because I am a klutz.

Jan

There does seem to be more general interest in open carry and concealed carry recently. That would be a good step.

Jan

Actually, 'no TV' is not uncommon amongst geeks. I can obtain all of the information I want, selectively, via a computer. Entertainment is also available - if there is any that I want to see.

The most common response from strangers to my mentioning that I do not have a TV is, "Good for you!" Apparently your positive image of that medium is not shared by many people who themselves posses one. Insofar as a fear that someone will consider that I am on the short list for a tinfoil hat due to this 'idiosyncrasy' - they are welcome to that opinion. One of the reasons I am forthright about saying that I have no TV is to encourage non-conformity: One need not have a TV in order to have a reasonable status in modern society.

I would like to thank you for the extremely diverting image of the critters on my property exerting not just an influence, but one via "threats of violence". This has given me a vision of the hens hurling their eggs at me; the dogs march in front of the house, carrying placards that threaten a strike. I am finding this a delightful fantasy.

Jan, smiling

Not back in the nostalgic past, wiggys. We have to create a future that has such freedom. You start it; I start it.

Jan

Well, I dodge that bullet...have not had TV for about 25 years. Interesting: 3 people live on my property; 5 dogs, 6 chickens, one sheep. No TV.

Jan
(But a number of computers)

Sigh. Envy. Because: California.

Jan

Ha! Point.

Jan

I was trying to quote my father, who often quoted that part of the Air Corp OCS manual on how to write a formal report. I believe that is what he said it said.

I had heard the "...up with which I shall not put." but had forgotten it! Thanks for the reminder.

Jan

"Discrete" carry???

Jan

But, if so, it has to be 'proclaimed'. I cannot be refused a rental car because 'we are all out' when the real reason is that I am a woman.

If I know ahead of time, I can (a) not patronize that business, (b) make sure my male friends spread the word not to patronize that business.

Jan

Jan

Point for "mental chewing gum".

Jan

A handyman was present when I killed a rattler in front of Steph’s front door. (I had to step in front of him to do so.) I used a shovel; Steph finished the critter off with garden clippers. As we wandered around the property, looking for a gopher hole to deposit the head in (snakes can bite after death) to keep it away from the dogs and feral cats, we discussed the cooking of the rest of the snake. I was working on a new (coyote proof) chicken run, so Steph said that she would cook it.

The handyman thought we were just spoofing, until Steph brought a coil of spice-rubbed and lightly barbequed snake down to the Barn. He gamely ate a piece; Steph and I finished off the rest.

The problem is finding a nice FAT rattler...most of the successful big snakes do not come around the property, but stay out in the wilderness. I don’t hunt them – they are fine as long as they don’t bother me or my dogs – but if they come on the property or endanger any of us, they are food.

Jan

You are correct again, MikeMarotta. In historical costuming, until about the Victorian era, there was no differentiation between 'children's clothes' and 'adults' clothes'; likewise there was no such thing as a 'children's game' - there were just 'games', and everyone played them.

We have invented the idea of a 'protected childhood' for children in much the same way that wealthy Victorians invented the 'perpetual childhood' for the woman. (Even in relatively modern times, farm and shopowner families would put their children to work in the family business as soon as they were able to do so.)

So, the distinction of 'kids as kids' is both modern and contextual.

Jan

I agree with you, MikeMarotta. The article describes a wistful universe that never was, and can only be imagined in retrospect. For example you could say that in 1950's Midwest, "There were no race problems." (Because no 'niggers' were allowed there.) You could say, "People were happy to get married and raise their families." (Because women did not have any other options.)

I get really tired of the rose-glass nostalgia for the 1950's. I do not agree with the terrible CPS-driven group ownership of children nor with the gestalt education process that is in effect, but most of the rest of the 1950's was pretty bad.

We need to go Forward into Freedom, not backwards.

Jan

You should read the link that johnpe posted above. Lots more has been going on with Carrie Fisher...!

Jan

Ha! Thanks for the image.

Jan