Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter As the 46th president, he guided our nation through one of the worst pandemics in history. He revitalized an economy paralyzed by broken supply lines and mass unemployment. He assisted American workers until they were able to get back on their feet and back to work after the extended …
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Month:January 2025
Kickass and Hal’s Coyote
Photo by Hal Bergan By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, while reporting the keeper’s unstinting dedication to truth and veracity, particularly as it pertains to his posts here, feels compelled to respond to a challenge from Hal Bergan as to whether the coyote found cowering some time ago in the freezer section of a …
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Kickass and Oligarch Kennels
Attribution: Maarten Honnebier, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, gives the keeper and Phyllis the morning off and files his personal report on activities at OLIGARCH KENNELS following the recent change in ownership from private to corporate. *Under the provisions of the “Citizen-Mutts Sold Out” act, OLIGARCH KENNELS will …
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Happy Martin Luther King Junior Day from The Pen in Hand Blog
Attribution: Nobel Foundation, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy” –Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Kickass and January 20, 2025
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reminds the keeper and Phyllis that this Jan. 20, 2025 is a great day for many reasons, but the only one with any real meaning is that they are around to enjoy it. While some may celebrate the day as an exciting political occasion, …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Review of “Emilia Perez”
Illustration by Michael DiMilo The Real Me: Film Review of Emilia Perez ★★★★1/2 By Geoff Carter The logline, or short description of a film, can sound ridiculous or completely unlikely. Try this one, “Transported to a surreal landscape, a young girl kills the first person she meets, then teams up with three strangers to do …
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Kickass and Cold Weather Tips
Attribution: Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, passes along cold weather survival tips from the keeper and Phyllis: *Though authenticated cases of someone actually “freezing their ass off” are not all that common, do not take unnecessary chances by venturing out. *In responding to the question “Is …
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Dreamweaver: The Legacy of David Lynch
Attribution: David_lynch.jpg: en:User:Urbankayaker derivative work: Gobonobo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter The world of cinema lost one of its giants recently. David Lynch, the visionary filmmaker who brought us disturbing and eclectic works ranging from the nightmarish Eraserhead to the beautifully lyrical The Elephant Man to the fever dream Mulholland Drive to the simmering evil of Blue Velvet and the …
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Kickass at Sarah’s Campfire
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, notes the keeper and Phyllis joining part of the clan at Becky and Beau’s in Mazomanie for a bonfire celebration put together by Sarah to ironically mark her imminent return to fiery California. The event featured a big pot of Mike’s chili, grilled cheese …
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Kickass and Old Men
Attribution: Andreas Bohnenstengel, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, turns it over to the keeper on this Jan. 17, 2025, as he enjoys morning coffee with Phyllis, reads a bit of poetry and announces that he is happy to be here! John Wick, then in his 90s, rode his …
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Kickass and Coyote at Aldis
Attribution: Christopher Bruno, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper notes the news that a coyote is recovering at a wildlife center after being removed from the frozen food section of a Chicago Aldis grocery store. It is speculated that the coyote entered the store after …
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The Fog of Truth
Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter Mark Zuckerberg, the kingpin of Facebook, joined the other subservient members of the royal court last week, bowing down to the new American despot, Donald Trump, while proclaiming that Facebook will no longer fact-check content on the popular social media page, opening the door (even wider) for any …
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