Author: CZed
Winter Preparedness
Author’s note: This was originally written… a few years ago (?), to help a friend move to snow country. And then got some additions to maybe turn it into a series, and then I apparently got distracted. I’m posting it as is for now; I may come back to it and finish the series.
Power failures happen. Trees get overloaded with ice and fall through power lines. A car accident into a transformer or substation can blow the local area. High wind drops lines and tree branches. A pair of birds squabbling on high tension lines an create an arc from one line to another. The grid can be delicate, but it’s also extremely robust, because it works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with more than 99.999% uptime. Most power failures are local inconveniences that last no more than a few hours.
Continue reading “Winter Preparedness”The Hellions – Next in Galantier
As of January, 2022, Hellions has been delayed to end of 2022. It’s a holiday novel.
The war for Galantier was not as simple as a successful siege. Now a year and a half into Cazerien’s reign, her people are reckoning with new and old scars and crimes. The corruption that almost broke the nation must be excised if Galantier can heal.
Continue reading “The Hellions – Next in Galantier”Helene
Originally a twitter thread, 28 August 2021
People who dismiss what the von Westphalen & Marx families did to Helene Demuth just prove to me they have no concept of what working women experienced in the 19th century. More importantly, they don’t value working women, and never have.
Continue reading “Helene”Cradle To Gate, End of Life Costs
Originally a twitter thread, 26 August, 2021; commentary on cotton shopping bags
Hey, let’s talk about a couple of terms that are going around: “cradle to gate cost” and “end of life cost”. (Also sometimes “cradle to grave cost”). Cradle to gate measures what an item costs to manufacture, ship and get through the point of sale. Tracking stops after sale.
It’s a really useful metric for manufacturers, and for disposable, single use items, because single use items may see a small amount of travel before they’re used and discarded, but it’s a very minor addition to the cost of the item.
Continue reading “Cradle To Gate, End of Life Costs”Peelian Principles and American Policing
Originally a Twitter thread, April 24, 2021
A long thread on the primary alternative to the US model of policing, with some history, mostly for context.
Long thread. References used at end. (And yes, there is synthesis here.)
The US police system is an independent evolution vs the rest of the Anglosphere. And a blighted evolution, since ours developed out of systems specifically intended to support racist institutions. The American system started with slave patrols. It’s fruit from a poisoned tree.
But our system is not the only system.
Continue reading “Peelian Principles and American Policing”I have moved.
Follow the blog at CZEdwards.com/blog
The Monstrous Arrogance
Originally written on Twitter, February 21, 2018.
Nothing has changed, except it’s gotten worse.
Reposting it here, now, because there is no room in my heart to say this again.
(Note: read the link if possible. I like the gifs.)
I’ve spent my entire professional career putting people back together after trauma, especially gun trauma. 19 years.
Continue reading “The Monstrous Arrogance”Case Study of the Insecurity & Anxiety of Gun Hoarding
Originally written on Twitter March 18, 2018
In my pinned thread, I talk about insecurity & anxiety of gun ownership. This piece is a textbook example.
He needed talk therapy for decades. Instead, he bought guns.
After his family died, he threatened to kill himself. So the police took his guns.
⬆️ This Washington Post article inspired this. Read it first.
Continue reading “Case Study of the Insecurity & Anxiety of Gun Hoarding”Demographics of Opiates
Originally a Twitter thread. (Minor edits for clarity) (and some additions)
Koldony seems to miss a major factor in opiates use: demographics. His fav stat is opiate use increased drastically starting in 1997.
Which was the year the oldest Baby Boomers started turning 50, and before occupational repetitive stress injuries were widely acknowledged, and while pre-existing conditions still excluded many people from any health coverage. It’s the largest demographic cohort in history; they’re comfortable with drugs, & occupational abuse of workers was the societal norm for the 20th century.