On the Phenomenon of Bullshit Jobs

...were paid to do the things you like to read about on this blog: gardening, beer brewing, jam making, beekeeping etc. Or how about a world in which teachers, nurses and caregivers made more money than tech CEOs? Sadly, we don’t live in that utopia. Instead we have an economy that often rewards people who either do nothing all day or whose work degrades our lives. Anthropologist David Graeber takes up these questions in his book Bullshit Jobs: A The...

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May the Work I’ve Done Speak for Me

...erously hosted several book promotion events for us, including lectures, a beer making party and pickling and bread classes. He nurtured deep relationships with other faith traditions and hosted ecumenical lectures and events. Peter is of the “ask forgiveness not permission” style of leadership. In keeping with this he says “yes” where others might hem and haw and wait to check with the higher ups or fret about insurance. He speaks often of addres...

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How FilmLA Blocks Bike Lanes

...orning will you find your path unimpeded by an assortment of Uber drivers, beer delivery trucks and FedEx employees. But the most annoying bike lane blocking is courtesy of the film and television industry. In order to close a bike lane for filming you have to get a film permit from FilmLA, a 501(c)4 not-for-profit public benefit organization that issues film permits in the City of Los Angeles and many other local municipalities as well as promoti...

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Saturday Linkages: Move On Up

...pse OS’ Is an Open Source Operating System for the Post-Apocalypse Climate Beer: “Take turns expressing how your knowledge and experience of climate breakdown makes you feel.” Climate scientists reveal their fears for the future In its insatiable pursuit of power, Silicon Valley is fuelling the climate crisis Hey Mayor Garcetti, where’s my bus lane? Right Here Right Now Making messy look good The Mindfulness Racket: The evangelists of unplugging m...

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Prickly Pear Jelly Recipe

...ason. Next year we’ll take a crack at making a batch of Tiswin, the sacred beer of the Papagos Indians of central Mexico (usually made with saguaro fruit but prickly pear fruit will do in a pinch). This August we’re making jelly. Here’s how to do it: 1. Taking reader Steven’s (of the fine blog Dirt Sun Rain) suggestion, burn off the nasty spines by holding the fruit over a burner on the stove for a few seconds. Using the non-cutting edge of a knif...

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