Attribution: Simon A. Eugster, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, happily reports that the keeper was at least with it enough to not heed his own advice yesterday about staying in bed in order to avoid the daily “Tin man” fallout. Instead, he got up, dressed in his old-man …
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Month:June 2025
The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: The Legacy of Woody Harrelson
Attribution: LBJ Library c/o: Gabriel Cristóver Pérez, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter It seems as if he can do anything on the screen. He can be funny, scary, charismatic, lovable, vulnerable, sadistic, romantic, or eminently unlikable—or any combination of the above. Woody Harrelson is one of those actors who can slip in …
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Kickass Stays in Bed
Attribution: Photo by S L on Unsplash By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper, with the audacity to join the legions of Sunday morning advice givers, recommends going back to bed and pulling the covers over your head. The alternative would be to rise and shine in an absolute Land of Oz world where …
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Kickass and Canada Friend
Attribution: PinchyCC, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper, with Canadian- born wife Phyllis as a constant reminder of basic decency, and his own memories of many wonderful Canadian visits, finds himself uncharacteristically speechless in the foul wake of the Trump Titanic. To try to make light …
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Kickass and Phyllis’ Fall
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports the keeper in awe of Phyllis’s recent demonstration of how to trip over an item of exercise equipment while carrying a bowl of dessert, falling on her face in the kitchen and bruising a knee and an elbow and needing only minimum help …
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Kickass and Farmer Fishing Days
Attribution: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, is unable to restrain leakage from the keeper’s memory bag: “On rainy summer days when the haymows were full and the corn was nearly at its knee-high-by-the 4th goal, the farmers went fishing. “They tied cane poles to the sides …
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Police State
Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter Much has been said and written about President Trump’s desire to transform our American republic into an autocracy, and it is indisputable—even to his propagandists at Fox News and OAN—that this is where he is leading the country. And we’re letting him do it. When the Supreme Court …
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Kickass and Woodman’s Calamity
Attritbution: Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that neither the keeper nor Phyllis were anywhere near the Woodman’s grocery store when the roof fell in, creating an impressive waterfall over the produce department and giving several customers wet feet and presumably damp apples and bananas. News of …
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Kickass and Higher Elevation
Attribution: Stefano Ferrario, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that as the keeper and Phyllis listened to the flood warnings last night on TV they were comfortable, even smug in acknowledging that their 5th floor living quarters protects them from such natural things as floods, burrowing rodents and all but …
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Kickass and Infamy Redux
Attribution; Charles Levy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports the keeper and Phyllis trying to adjust to the latest “day that will live in infamy” as the outsized libidos of yet another collection of hopelessly narcissistic men have them acting like randy bulls to gain more herd dominance. …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: The Legacy of Nicolas Cage
Attribution: Kirk Weaver, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter It seems as if Nicolas Cage has been making movies forever—and for good reason. Having made over one hundred film appearances made over his forty-plus-year career, his presence on streaming channels, cable TV, and movie theaters is ubiquitous. The guy is everywhere. Turn on …
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Kickass and Windy Trees
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports the keeper spending much of the first day of summer in awe of the trees as they did a hot-wind dance that was an awesome display of grace, beauty and boundless natural energy. Like great celebrating mothers in new green dresses, the trees …
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