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USAToday has a piece on folks who are simplifying their lives as a response to the economic troubles here. For those interested in some concrete advice, see this piece on…

A couple of young, progressive liberals (Kevin Mattson and Ezra Klein) note what too many mainstream American politicians and pundits have conveniently forgotten: that President Jimmy Carter's "malaise" speech--his thoughtful,…

USA Today has a piece on local currencies here. Excerpt: "A small but growing number of cash-strapped communities are printing their own money. "Borrowing from a Depression-era idea, they are…

Since Stewart posted a terrific video about the death of bee colonies from "TED," I thought I'd post my own favorite from that site - a devastating and hilarious jeremiad…

Now that I am a tiny cog in the great machinary of state, I get all kinds of insider mailings.  This in today, from the American Board for Certification in…

Russell wrote:  This is, perhaps, why Caleb Stegall and those like him are, to me anyway, the most important-if not necessarily the most persuasive-of all the localists and agrarians out…

Thanks to Mr. BC, of Burke's Corner, for his recent visit to Georgetown and for the conversation we enjoyed.  He's recorded some of his impressions here.  All that was missing…

For anyone interested in practical advice about farming, check out the small farmer's journal The journal comes highly recommended by two of our own: Allan Carlson and Katherine Dalton. Below…

Rod Dreher posts a letter from a young 'un asking about law school and farming.  Similarly, a commenter here last week asked: I have only ever been acquainted, through my extended…

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090319/ap_on_go_pr_wh/white_house_garden The White House is getting a garden.  Will this inspire millions to do the same? Will Obama pull his own weeds? Can a First Chicken Coop be far behind?

Two news items of note that have recently caught my attention.  The first, that China has been taking advantage of the global firesale of stuff, along with its massive cash…

http://www.amconmag.com/article/2009/mar/23/00014/

Those of you who didn't lose your life savings with Mr. Madoff, and who can think about him with equanimity, may be interested in a very fine novel about his…

Los Angeles, CA At the risk of copyright infringement, I want to recommend a song of this title by John McCutcheon which appears on his album Hail to the Chief. …

BURNED-OVER DISTRICT, NY. Horton Foote, the playwright and screenwriter from Wharton, Texas, died last week at the age of 92. Foote, whose finest works include The Trip to Bountiful and…

ITEM: President Obama Calls for Longer School Day, Public Education for Toddlers, & the Abolition of Summer Vacation RESPONSE: The fire captain in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451: “Heredity and environment…