No Man Is An Island: The Novel

It's always interesting when two ideas come together in an unexpected way. Such as in this essay in which a discussion of libertarian philosophy becomes a way to consider conflict in one's next writing effort. #ddtb

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slacktivist » Subsidiarity and the outline of your next novel
Subsidiarity and the outline of your next novel. By Fred Clark, December 28, 2011 12:54 pm. Noah Smith's post, “The liberty of local bullies,” does a good job describing the inadequacy of contempo…

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***Dave Does the Mastodon

1 day ago

#DonaldTrump doesn't actually say anything *new* in his TIME interview -- but it remains fascinating (and deeply depressing) reading the farrago of lies, delusions, illogic, self-serving, and Bizarro World perspective of what he has to say. Failure is Success! Annihilation is Peace! Lies are Truth! Everyone Loves Me!

Future generations (assuming there are any) will read this stuff and disbelieve this guy was ever let close to the reins of power.

https://time.com/article/2026/10/01/donald-trump-2026-interview-transcript/

1 day ago

Yes, judges are making rulings based on "The President is a dick and might do something irrational, political, and spiteful about this case, so we are dismissing it *with* prejudice, GO AWAY NOW" reasoning.

#Trump #reflectingpool

https://www.democracydefendersfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/100126_DDF-Order-Davey-Hearn.pdf

2 days ago

I mean, it's one thing (though still pretty bad) to refuse to sign on to the international court that tries #warcrimes. It's a whole new level of badness (if not evil) to actively persecute its members and demand its destruction. #icc

4 days ago

"Federal #watchdog says Trump’s $810M funding cancellation is #unconstitutional"

Which, of course, is why #Trump gets rid of every "watchdog" he can. #GAO

https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/09/29/congress/pocket-rescission-gao-unconstitutional-01096965

4 days ago

I Am Old Enough To Remember when one of the big conservative arguments against #SocializedMedicine was that the gubbiment would have access to everyone's health care data.

So apparently they'll get access to that data anyway, and without bothering about socialized medicine.

RFK Jr outlines expansive vision for collecting US health data at Maha event
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/29/rfk-jr-collect-health-data?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

4 days ago

We can't auto-enroll folks to vote. We can't auto-enroll kids to get vaccines. We can't auto-enroll families for food stamps But apparently we can auto-enroll children into slush-funds-for-investment-banker-friends "Trump Accounts".

Treasury: Trump Accounts to auto-enroll children
https://www-cnbc-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.cnbc.com/amp/2026/09/29/trump-accounts-auto-enroll.html

4 days ago

If #Trump gave one shit about the #KennedyCenter as an arts institution, he wouldn't care about getting credit for "saving" it. That he insists he'll let it fall apart and then be demolished unless *his* name is plastered at the top of the sign, since only he can (or will be allowed to) raise the money demonstrates it's only stroking his colossal ego he's concerned with. To hell with him.

DOJ blasts court block on Kennedy Center repairs 'existential' threat
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/09/29/kennedy-center-trump-appeals-court/92004039007/

2 weeks ago

30-Minute Tomato Basil Soup Altered https://hill-kleerup.org/blog/margie/30-minute-tomato-basil-soup-altered.html

3 weeks ago

Madness. This shit has gone so far past "not normal" that we can't even see normal in the read-view mirror. They've had to build a whole new wing for the Overton Window to shift to.

#Trump is an existential threat to the American republic, not just for what he does, but for what he lays the groundwork for others to do now and in the future.

3 weeks ago

Easy Taco Soup with Hamburger and Salsa https://hill-kleerup.org/blog/margie/easy-taco-soup-with-hamburger-and-salsa.html

4 weeks ago

My personal 1st-run #TOS story:

Probably s.3, when it aired at 10pm instead of 8:30. As a 7yo, that was too late for me to be up, resulting in a battle each week.

Once I was really miffed about being sent to bed before #StarTrek, so I locked the hallway door the previous owners had put in. I then fell fast asleep. When my parents went to bed, they had to tap on the bedroom window to wake up my younger brother to unlock the door for them.

No recollection of the immediate consequences.

4 weeks ago

" #Colorado sues #Trump administration over rule forbidding federal funds for youth #gender care"

Good.

#transrights #medicaid

https://www.denverpost.com/2026/09/04/colorado-transgender-care-trump-medicaid-chip/

1 month ago

Easiest Creamy Salad Dressing https://hill-kleerup.org/blog/margie/easiest-creamy-salad-dressing.html

1 month ago

The only thing #Trump is proving with his petty, childish, look-at-me antics about #LakeOntario is demonstrating how easily such renamings can be rolled back once the dolt is out of office.

It'll take a bit more effort to scrape off all the cheap, gaudy, gilt rococo he's festooned the #WhiteHouse with.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/30/canada-trump-lake-ontario-name

1 month ago

Because we have an insecure, Daddy-issues, petulant child in the #WhiteHouse, expect higher #toiletpaper prices in the US. Which, given the rising tide of shit around here (not least of which from food-borne illnesses), is bad news.

Maybe time to look into a bidet.

#trump #canada #tradewar

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/26/paper-product-toilet-paper-tariffs-us-canada

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