Tools and Ideas | Unexpected Leisure

January 28, 2013January 28, 2013

A Reassessment

Doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result is a well-known sign of insanity. It will also drive a sane person to madness. I must conserve what sanity I have left. Read more [...]

July 29, 2012May 6, 2013

On the Duty of Fiscal Disobedience

OWS stated implicitly and explicitly that Washington, DC though full of sound and fury, signifies nothing. The nationâ€™s true political center of gravity is no longer Washington, but Wall Street. Read more [...]

December 6, 2011

Occupy Radio Network: A Proposal to the Occupy Movement

Currently most of the broadcast media in the United States are controlled by six major corporations, none of whom are friendly to OWS or any of the other Occupy communities. Imagine a network of stations sharing information, getting the word out, and making the case for creating a better world. Read more [...]

October 23, 2011

The True Message of Occupy Wall Street

Occupy Wall Street is telling the powers that be, "We can make a better society than you can, and here's how to do it!" Read more [...]

September 26, 2011

Audit Your Benefits

Do you have a Costco or BJ's membership? Gas card? Discount card for a local supermarket like Safeway or Stop 'N Shop? Auto club? Professional organization? Do you have a small business? If you answered yes to any of these questions, it might be a good idea for you to sit down with each of these items and see if there is some perk you could use. Read more [...]

August 26, 2011August 27, 2011

DIY Medical Care?

This raises a question. Just how much health care can you do on your own? What's the threshold for practicing medicine without a license? Obviously, applying a band-aid is okay, but a home liver transplant is not. Nor is prescribing controlled medications. But in between those areas, more or less, there is a lot one can do. Read more [...]

July 4, 2011

This Way Out

One of the most pernicious things we hear in the media every day is that the economy cannot survive without mega-sized financial and other corporate institutions, which is one reason they are allegedly "too big to fail." We have no other choice. Smile and know your place. Read more [...]

May 20, 2011

A Japanese Alternative to the Grocery Bag

One aspect of the Japanese art of wrapping and transporting is the furoshiki (literally "bath spread"). This is a square piece of cloth used to wrap items for easier transport, to protect items from dust in storage, or as a gift wrapping. Read more [...]

May 7, 2011

The Role of Stuff and How It’s Changing

One of the schools of thought that came out of this community was the Veridian Design Movement that was active near the turn of our century. They were concerned with how we ought to consider living and our environment in the 21st Century. Read more [...]

April 25, 2011

A Quick Economic Makeover

I just want to point out an excellent resource that a friend of mine brought to my attention last week. This is a post titled "24 Quick Actions That Can Change Your Financial Life Forever." Actually, it goes beyond finances, strictly speaking, which is why I called it an economic makeover, but even that doesn't quite cover it. Read more [...]