Community Power! Elect Hugo Soto-Martinez!

February 17, 2022

...ary working people. He supports building social housing, jobs programs and making our streets safer for everyone. You can read more about his platform on his website. Electing Hugo is just the beginning. There’s a lot of work to do to turn this city around. Thankfully, more people are starting to pay attention to local elections. You can help out by going to my fundraising page for Hugo and chipping in a few dollars. Wherever you are you can be a...

Read…

Happy Cranksgiving

Mr. Homegrown

November 25, 2020

Thoughtstylings

10 Comments

...ent’s new closing guidelines and came to the conclusion that they are just making stuff up on the fly. Some things are open and some closed and it’s obvious that the decisions aren’t based on any research since their probably isn’t any. When you see a multi page list of directions for “model airplane facilities” you know they are winging it. Again, the solution is simple. In a surge like we’re having right now, close everything except what we need...

Read…

Saturday Tweets: Too Many Tweets!

Mr. Homegrown

March 9, 2019

Saturday Linkages

1 Comment

...it’s not an Uber or a self-driving car… it’s the bus! Our latest episode, “Making the Bus Sexy Again,” is here. https://t.co/Qn6WT81cQU pic.twitter.com/xxdXriepKI — The War on Cars (@TheWarOnCars) March 7, 2019 I quit as a math teacher in the public schools in America when I realized I had to choose between doing the BS to prove I was doing my job, or actually doing my job. Complying with the BS made real teaching impossible. My wife's last da...

Read…

Our New Open Floor Plan

Mr. Homegrown

May 7, 2018

Design

18 Comments

...ared them a “death trap.” Then the good natured Will Wallus of the Weekend Homestead came on the podcast to gently defend open floor plans. Naturally, I’m spending this month making our house, gasp, more open. Let me explain. When I installed the floor in the living room in the aughts I discovered an opening that used to exist between our living room and what we use as our bedroom. Back in 1920 this house was a one bedroom with a kind of sitting r...

Read…

A Sports Utility Bicycle

Mr. Homegrown

July 15, 2006

Bikes

...cess was the ingenious Xtracycle, a cargo bike ideal for the challenges of urban American streets. The Xtracycle extends the back wheel of the bike and is essentially a huge pannier bag with a skateboard-like seat. We’ve managed to haul four bags of groceries, the same amount we used to carry in my car, and we’re talking heavy stuff here including watermelons and glass bottles. The Xtracycle handles well even with heavy loads – the ride is smooth...

Read…