Curious_Canid

That approach makes up a large part of the world in which we now live. It is also one reason why things are as messed up as they are. On the other hand, whether or not to read the news has become a major mental health issue, so I’m not going to blame anyone who avoids it.

I realize this is an odd suggestion, but think about getting yourself a nice fountain pen and try writing with that. Using a pen that is different from what you’re used to can help you focus on the actual process of writing.

Bogie is awesome. And the tiny human is lucky to have someone like that in her life.

For me, the Free series was a significant innovation, but it all depends on what aspect matter to you.

I love all these responses, but that one deserves a special shout-out for brilliance. I’m still laughing.

That has frustrated me too. The Style PS was my idea of a perfect keychain tool, but they killed it in favor of the older, and less capable, Micra.

I did specify that I was talking about plier-based tools in my original response.

I grew up with Swiss Army knives, back before Leatherman was in business. (Yes, I am that old.) I still carry a Rambler with me everywhere I go.

The character was intended to be a thoughtful conservative, and I thought they did pretty well with that. I’m somewhere to the left of Bernie Sanders, but I don’t mind watching intelligently written characters who I disagree with.

Also, I will watch almost anything with Jeff Daniels. He is one of the most versatile actors of our time and he brings depth to every role. His performance is what made “Pleasantville” for me. (I hate Dumb and Dumber, but he added something to it.)

Gerber has made some very good multitools. They have also introduced some significant design improvements over the years. Among other things, they were the first to build one (Legend) where the tools opened outward instead of inward, which seemed like an obvious improvement to me.

My only complaint is that Gerber’s quality has been inconsistent. During some periods they’ve put out cheaply made tools. During others they’ve produced tools that were the equal of anything else on the market.

Yes, I have both a SwissTool and a Spirit. They are excellent tools. I’ve carried them both at, at one time or another, but I keep going back to Leatherman after a while. I don’t think they are better or worse, it’s just a matter of what particular uses you have.

No offense taken. They are an odd instrument that no one would know about if they weren’t forced on every elementary school music student. I seem to have missed that somehow, probably by changing schools at just the right point.

I like the sound, but I particularly like the sound of the lower-voiced recorders. I am mostly playing tenor and bass, which have lovely rich tones. My wife and a friend are both humoring me, so they’re playing soprano and alto with me. I’m not any good at it yet, but I am having a good time learning.

Nearly all of us are currently experiencing the worst possible compromise of that premise.

One of the best quotes from “The Newsroom”: “I only seem liberal because I believe that hurricanes are caused by high barometric pressure and not gay marriage.”

That is one of the more profound statements I’ve seen in a long time. Thank you!

Leatherman plier-based multitools. They invented the category and they continue to be the top choice. You can get cheaper tools that are adequate, but Leatherman always has some of the best designs, reliably high quality, and outstanding support. I’m constantly trying new tools from all over, but I always end up carrying one Leatherman or another.

Yamaha is amazing. I recently got into playing recorders and their base-level $8 plastic recorder is honestly a great instrument.

I’m seeing a lot of articles about how to defend yourself against being overwhelmed by the awful things going on. This is one of the most useful. It is short, informative, and has good suggestions.

That article made my day!

I’m giving it a try. It does look like a good option. My only concern is that there don’t seem to be many source options for the US. There were several that showed up as unavailable when I first started, it that no longer show as options now that I’ve configured it. I’m puzzled.

I don’t think that is a characteristic of our species. It is not universally true across other cultures.
And studies strongly suggest that the characteristic that was most important to the early survival of humans was altruism. There are always a lot more people who are basically good than basically bad. Only around 4% of the population are sociopathic.

Unfortunately, promoting sociopaths is a built-in characteristic of capitalism. Without controls, it rewards managers who are willing to sacrifice other people for profit (or power). The people who do that the best are those without empathy. So we end up with the worst of us making the decisions about how the world should work.