Free Republic

This has to be the most Joyful, Brilliant, and (despite his protestations) Creative eccentric that I've encountered.(It's 47 minutes, but well worth it if you have the time; and may be of special interest to the 'preppers' among us).https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qcsWajivnI

Robert Reece has found that ignoring the Man Code has improved his life enormously. Not only does traditional masculinity oppress women but it also severely restricts the agency of men (a topic, I’ve written about in the past in the context of straight man love and hip-hop), often in simple, taken-for-granted ways. Straight men go to extreme lengths to perform masculinity. They avoid a wide variety of activities that they arbitrarily deem feminine or “gay” without analyzing the detrimental effects of this type of gender policing. Often mundane, seemingly inconsequential activities are heavily policed, inhibiting men’s ability to live freely...

Presented by President Hugo Chávez as an instrument to make shopping for groceries easier, the ``Good Life Card'' is making various segments of the population wary because they see it as a furtive attempt to introduce a rationing card similar to the one in Cuba. The measure could easily become a mechanism to control the population, according to civil society groups. ``We see that in short-term this could become a rationing card probably similar to the one used in Cuba,'' Roberto León Parilli, president of the National Association of Users and Consumers, told El Nuevo Herald. ``It would use more...

"Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death," said Auntie Mame. In today's political climate, a liberal Auntie Mame might say that life is a banquet, which the government must pay for and that those who can't afford a place at the table should behave like it was an all-you-can eat buffet. This is the view of Sen. Barack Obama. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Obama expounded on the economic policies he would pursue as president. Among other things, he is concerned about the "winner-take-all" economy where, he says, "the gains from economic...

Being broke need not mean social death in Sweden - as long as you are well-educated. But for Americans and Russians having a good all-round education is no substitute for having cash, according to a new survey on status symbols in the three countries. The international survey by analysts United Minds asked 1,000 people in each country what values confer status. 'Bling' items such as expensive jewellery and designer clothes come well down the list for Swedes, while featuring more highly for Americans and, particularly, Russians. "Sweden is the only country where you can be penniless but well-read and still...

In bars, restaurants and homes across Sweden champagne is flowing in abundance as Swedes enjoy a seemingly endless thirst for the bubbly beverage, spurred by a gastronomic "revolution" and a rosy economy. Champagne sales at stores run by the alcohol distribution monopoly Systembolaget are expected to hit an all-time high of one million bottles this year, excluding sales in bars and restaurants. That figure can be compared to 738,000 bottles sold last year and 287,000 a decade ago. "Drinking champagne is usual now and it's common not only at the weekend or to celebrate a special event, it's an everyday...

Scandinavia has been rated as the best place to live, that’s according to a ranking by Reader’s Digest. Using a range of environmental and social indicators based in part on the UN’s Human Development Index, the survey rates countries on care of the environment and quality of life for their citizens. Finland tops the 141-nation list, followed by Nordic neighbours Iceland and Norway, with Sweden coming in at fourth place. And the Swedish capital comes top of the Reader’s Digest ranking of 72 world cities when it comes to quality of life. Cities were rated according to quality of public...

Storm-battered and abandoned in winter, Sweden’s harbor-side restaurants come alive in the summer. But two million boat lovers’ thirst for good food and seaside relaxation means tough work for the seasonal restaurant owners.

Korea: Now And ThenAs I read the news about North Korea's problems in the world, my memories take me back to 1958, when, two months after graduating from high school, I enlisted in the United States Air Force. I was stationed at Osan Air Base, South Korea, where I quickly learned the power of military discipline and the art of self-defense. I ate, drank, walked, talked and slept military life. And, after watching a display of Korean karate (called tang soo do) in a small village, a fire consumed me for the martial arts. I learned a lesson back then...

Age no handicap for 105-year-old fisherman 105-year-old man still hauling in fish By DENNIS ANDERSON MINNEAPOLIS-ST.PAUL STAR TRIBUNE Pulling his driver's license from his billfold, Floyd Doty, Minnesota's oldest angler, on Wednesday confirmed the state would allow him to pilot a vehicle on its roads until 2009 - at which time he will be 108 years old. Floyd, 105, lives alone in the west-central Minnesota town of Glenwood. A huge northern pike adorns one wall of his apartment. On Wednesday Floyd was out, like thousands of Minnesotans in advance of Saturday's first day of fishing, seeking a license. Unsure exactly...

* Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong. * Keep skunks and bankers and lawyers at a distance. * Life is simpler when you plow around the stump. * A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor. * Words that soak into your ears are whispered. ..not yelled. * Meanness don't jes' happen overnight. * Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads I really like this one. * Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you. * It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge. * You cannot...