I finally read that Kingsnorth essay “Against Christian Civilization” and, yeah, it’s a banger.

Rebecca Solnit very effectively satirizes a prominent model of online activism.

Wisdom from Gabor Maté on healthy anger, and how to process unhealthy rage.

“Omnipresent AI cameras will ensure good behavior, says Larry Ellison.” General Ludd, we need you now more than ever.

It feels sometimes that critics of euthanasia laws–see the closing paragraphs here–expect everyone to die like Christ on the cross. Why should we force people to endure a death that can only be endured gracefully by saints and martyrs, but which is slow torture to regular mortals?

I’ve been enjoying the Axe and Anvil blacksmithing YouTube channel, though he doesn’t seem to be active there anymore. I found out about him because he’s teaching an upcoming Mortise and Tenon course.

“What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” Apparently, give too much attention to one of the people least deserving of such attention.

Does anyone else feel like they–along with most Americans–are subject to some strange bewitchment? Is it some kind of New Thought glamor magic that compels so many of us to obsess over him? Is it some kind of magnetism generated by an uninhibited narcissism?

What if we just didn’t? What if we just stopped clicking on news stories about him and trust that if something is important enough, it will find its way to our attention? What if we just nope out of voluntarily surrendering to a man so deeply desirous of having all eyes on him?

Video about the meaning of Gandalf’s speech to the Balrog. “Servant of the secret fire.” I’m putting that on my business card.

Austin Kleon mentioned The Book of Building Fires in a recent newsletter and, of course, I’m interested. Good book so far. I finally got my order of dried guajillo peppers, which means it’s time to make beans again.

There were a couple of us in line to fill up our kerosene tanks in advance of tomorrow’s winter storm. Around here, it seems, only the smallest and dingiest stations have kerosene. The shiny, new ones never do. I wonder why that is?