The Peaceful Gnome

After days like today I really want to have an RV.  Not so much for the privacy but to avoid Public Transportation!  The BART and Bus system here is deliberately designed to ensure that every trip to the city takes as long as possible, is as frustrating as possible and is as uncomfortable as possible.  You would think "they" would want people to take transit, but "they" don't really want that at all!  "They" want to keep people in cars and on the roads, except for the very poor who have no other choice.  Why do I say this?  Because the buses here arrive at BART at the same time the train leaves, meaning you get to the platform to watch the train leave without you.  This means I wait the maximum possible amount of time standing in the cold on the platform, every single day.  In the same way on the way back BART arrives just in time for you to either sprint full tilt down the steps risking life and limb to catch a bus that is about to leave, or abo...

On the other hand just having an RV here would be very cool, the chance for impromptu camping trips, the chance to occasionally stay over in SF if I wanted to for some reason, the chance to just get away from the hustle and bustle of family in the thing, make me think that if I could get something parkable and cheap it would still be very much worth it.  Take for instance this thing I just saw on Craigslist, it's ugly as sin but cheap, customizable, parkable and would be perfect.  If only I had the cash now... ah well.  If I can locate something along these lines in size after I have the money, I may yet get one.  1985 CHEV Y VC BOXED VAN - $2500 (mission district) Date: 2011-10-23, 9:32PM PDT Reply to: sale-wpqrw-2665574021@craigslist.org [ Errors when replying to ads? ] 1985 CHEVY BOXED VAN VERY LOW MILES NEW PAINT JOB AIR SHOCKS , NEW BRAKES CUSTOM, STEERING WHEEL, STERO SEATS, GOOD TIRES ALL THE WAY AROUND DISSELE ENGINE IT IS KNOW REGISTERED ...

Serenity's friend, Terran, had a Mad Scientist themed party that included experiments requiring being outside and safety goggles. Everyone had a great time. :-)

I’m writing to you because I heard that you were interested in finding out what I am doing now that I’ve left Messiah Lutheran church.  It was not a sudden thing where I just jumped off of the boat at a whim because of some minor doubt, instead the whole edifice of Lutheranism, when founded upon the belief in Young Earth Creationism, which it is , as it is proclaimed in sermon and literature from the synod, simply crumbled to the ground when that foundation proved inadequate.  It seemed to me, and I still think this is true, that the position of the LCMS on evolution is, well, silly.  It was this issue that precipitated my rejection of the whole church actually. For a very short time when I left Messiah I went back to being an atheist, my default position for over ½ of my life.  When I returned to my default “unbeliever” position though I was not in a closed off frame of  mind but was again open to all options.  You see, for me unbelief was not a dogm...

Full recovery expected for injured protester Scott Olsen http://mobile.sfgate.com/sfchron/db_41685/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=biOQ7Ljh -- Larry Devich http://larry-devich.blogspot.com/ ---------------------------------- "It's not denial. I'm just very selective about what I accept as reality." Calvin ("Calvin and Hobbes")

For a while now I've been excited by my idea of saving money and gaining privacy by purchasing a used RV to live in while continuing to help Lora and JD pay the rent on the apartment.   Part of my calculation involved the amount I would "save" by not taking the bus and BART to work 7 times each pay period.  This amount seemed significant at first.  Until today when I decided to look at the expenses of the RV itself.  I did this after praying for guidance by the way, suddenly the thought came to me that I was leaving some important items out of my calculations.  So what have I realized?  I've realized that far from saving me money I would be spending even more!  Counting insurance on the vehicle, required by law and prudence both, gasoline to make the thing move and groceries to supply it while I'm away from my home base, I would be almost but not quite breaking even with my current transportation costs.  I would certainly NOT be saving any ...

This Veterans For Peace member (I'm also a member) was injured by the thuggish Oakland police last night.  Word is this protestor is in critical condition.  Nice to serve in Iraq and be rewarded by being brutalized by the cops while peacefully protesting... www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/10/25/18695124.php