Illustration by Michael DiMilo Featuring the Fabulous Dadbots: Mark M., Dave S., Mark O., Dennis C., John K., Michael D., and Geoff Carter Bots, In his final big act as governor, Tony Evers has struck a deal with Republicans to spend down Wisconsin’s $2.5B surplus. These appear to the main elements: * $300 refund to …
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Kickass and Staying in the Game
Attribution: Photo by Matheus Protzen on Unsplash By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper and Phyllis in sorting through the constant flow of advice on how to live–and die, and they are currently hung up on the issue of how the need for challenges in this age of comfort and safety is essential, especially with …
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Kickass and the Chinese Screw
Attribution: Movidi, FAL, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports on the keeper’s efforts to establish an international relationship with the Chinese individual who put the wrong size screw in an unassembled drink holder package. Since package labeling showed that a California company was involved with a warning that too much …
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By Hook or By Crook
Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter Say what you will about him, one thing Donald Trump has been able to do is to surprise us —usually with his audacity. From his brazen looting of the National Treasury to his unwarranted and appalling destruction of the East Wing of the White House disgusting, and somewhat …
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Kickass and Ultimate Fighting
Attribution: Bad intentionz, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports the keeper and Phyllis barely able to contain their excitement over the POTUS plans to spend millions celebrating his birthday with people beating the living hell out of each other on the White House lawn. Great stretches of that …
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Kickass and Vacuum Cleaner Sales
Attribution: Photo by rc.xyz NFT gallery on Unsplash By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that 70-plus years may not be enough time for the keeper to recall some of the details of his very brief career as a vacuum cleaner salesman. It was to be a “lucrative” parttime job while he was a UW journalism student, …
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Kickass Remembers Michigan Platoon Mates
Photo courtesy of Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports the keeper and Phyllis participating with everyone in painful remembering on this day set aside just for that purpose with special ceremonies, followed by picnics in the parks, brats and beer, and baseball games. The keeper, as usual, remembers the two Michigan …
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Full Measure
Artwork by Michael DiMilo (Originally posted on May 31, 2019 in Honor of our Veterans. Addendum posted on May 25, 2026.) By Geoff Carter Ah, Memorial Day: the harbinger of summer, the first family picnic, and the grill master’s opening day. Memorial Day also happens to be the holiday recognizing and honoring those who have …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Review of “The Bride”
Hot Mess: Review of The Bride ★★1/2 Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter We’re all familiar—all too familiar—with the tale of Frankenstein. We’ve seen enough iterations of it over the years, a trend that shows no signs of slowing. Recently, from Guillermo del Toro’s lavish and faithful 2025 production of the original story to …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Going Above and Beyond
In Honor of Memorial Day, 2026 The Ten Best War Movies Attribution: Capt. Saska Ball, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (Originally published in June, 2019) By Geoff Carter “…that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly …
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Kickass and Part of Nature
Attribution: Photo by Skyler Smith on Unsplash By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, napped at home as the keeper and Phyllis joined the multitudes in paying allegiance to the remnant genes that define humans as creatures of the land as much as any other living thing. This genetic signal of acknowledging nature has become convoluted to emerge …
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Kickass and Window Gazing
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, shares his between-naps job with the keeper in observing the daily flow of vehicular and pedestrian traffic as it plays out around the busy intersection of Gammon Road and Tree Lane in the neighborhood mix of schools, businesses and housing. Unable to resist frequent …
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