Attribution: Jessie Willcox Smith (1863 – 1935), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper, ever anxious to be relevant, is volunteering to assist Kamala as she does her best to refute the outrageous fairy tale claims that will obviously be forth coming from the Orange leader …
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Kicking the Dog
Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter The American Southeast has recently been ravaged by not one, but two, monstrous hurricanes. Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia were first slammed by Helene which brought record storm surges and rainfall to the area. Up to twenty-four and thirty inches of rain fell in …
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Kickass and Posting Priorities
Illustration by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, advises the keeper on how best to share the ever-deteriorating planet with those who lose everything in a hurricane or must bury the pieces of their bomb-victim children or who worship at the altar of the “Rod of Iron” church where a crown of …
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Dialogues on the Art of Political Fiction: Return to Hollywood Square One
Illustration by Michael Dimilo Featuring the Fabulous Dadbots: Mark M., Dave S., Mark O., Dennis C., and Geoff Carter Every Presidential election season has its unforgettable moments, indelibly etched in the collective voter memory. As of June, it might have been Biden’s debate declaration that “We beat Medicare”. Then it looked as it might …
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Kickass and the Apple Phone
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, is happy that dogs do not have phones as they would never put up with the incredible treatment that the keeper and Phyllis endured as they tried to follow the APPLE procedure for repairing Phyllis’s “broken” –almost new, phone. There were FOUR trips to …
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Kickass Visits the Chickens
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper and Phyllis stopped for a drop-in visit with old friends Mary and Jerry at their wonderful place on the edge of Mazomanie with its big garden, repair shed, chicken yard, lush flowers, big trees and friendly dogs. For many years, …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: The Strange Staying Power of “My Cousin Vinny”
Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter Some movies are unexpectedly, inexplicably, and unbelievably popular. It’s obvious how classics like White Christmas, Hocus Pocus, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and The Wizard of Oz have become beloved holiday traditions, but who would have predicted that The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Eraserhead, Pink Flamingoes, or Napolean Dynamite would become cult classics? Or that …
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Kickass and the Irate Trumper
Attribution: Erik Ogan, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, hands off to the keeper for the report of an “eating-out-with-a-Trumper” adventure as reported to him by son Rick and daughter-in-law Becky. The scene is a popular area night club with booths separated by partitions. The conversation in Rick and …
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Kickass and Hunting
Attribution: Photo by Daniel J. Schwarz on Unsplash By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper accepts his “predator” identification and recalls how he enjoyed exercising it over decades of hunting birds and animals, especially at this time of year when he wallowed in the beautiful transition of the seasons with weapon in hand and …
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Kickass and October 11, 1940
Attribution: markbyzewski, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, under the impression that the keeper had a memory for all occasions, is disappointed that he has no specific recall of Oct. 11, 1940, a day that began with warm shirtsleeve weather and turned into a vicious blizzard across the upper …
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Kickass Remembers Siesta Key
Attribution: National Weather Service/NOAA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, gives the keeper space to remember his long-ago snowbird days when Sarasota and Siesta key were exciting winter destinations. The keeper’s lifelong pal Al and wife Pat lived there as anchor hosts. Other friends assembled for beach fun while the …
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Tainted Love
Attribution: The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter Republican J.D. Vance says it is his love of country that informs his vision of America. When accepting the nomination as Donald Trump’s running mate at the Republican National Convention, he said (referring to himself, his running mate Donald Trump, …
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