Artwork by Michael DiMilo Originally Published 2/14/2022 By Geoff Carter In her novel Surfacing, Margaret Atwood wrote “The Eskimos had fifty-two names for snow because it was important to them, there ought to be as many for love.” She‘s probably right, although what passes for love today might not be as important to us as snow …
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Category:Social Commentary
Kickass and Being Redacted
Attribution: Muller, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes In responding to his own question, the keeper concludes that judging from the positive reaction of so many “redacted” rich old men in the Epstein bible, being redacted is a really good thing. Not qualified for inclusion in such rarified redaction ranks as the Epstein …
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The Real Steal
Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter President Donald J. Trump is a master of diversion, deception, and delusion. Smoke and mirrors, obfuscation, pettifogging, and downright lying are all trademarks of his brand. It may sound like he’s some sort of magician, but he’s anything but that. He’s a huckster, a grifter, a bullshitter, and—at …
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Can’t Buy Me Love
Attribution: Photo by Laura Ockel on Unsplash Originally published February 11, 2025 By Geoff Carter When I was in elementary school back in the early 1960s, St. Valentine’s Day was the day that brought life and color—and candy—to the gray slushy doldrums of grade-school winter. Everyone would attach manila envelopes with our little names block-printed on the front …
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Kickass and Bridge to Canada
Attribution: Erik Behrens, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports the keeper, considering his unique qualifications, feels an obligation to calm the waters under Canada’s Gordie Howe bridge that is about to open in Detroit. With a Canadian born wife Phyllis and memories of a Norwegian mother reading him …
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Kickass and Killer Whales
Attribution: Callan Carpenter, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports the keeper exhausted from the recent sports extravaganzas and seriously thinking of getting up out of his recliner just to see if he can stand up. Between the Olympians and the Super Bowlers, not to mention the half-timers, the …
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Kickass and Super Sports Sunday
Attribution: Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-1990-0414-009 / Wolfried Pätzold / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper on this holy day of sportsfandom recalls the autumn he spent looking at Chicago sports fans to try to see what made them tick. The lead for the …
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Kickass and Ballpoint Pen Robbery
Attribution: Photo by Feodor Chistyakov on Unsplash By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports the keeper mourning the shrinking nature of the honest press and telling Phyllis that during his long journalistic tenure he tried his best to stick to the facts which seemed satisfactory to most but not all readers. When the bank in Bancroft—population less …
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Kickass and Arboretum Deer Herd
Attribution: John Davis, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper and Phyllis in acknowledging the fact that sharing Wisconsin’s varied landscape with tens of thousands of white tail deer produces a daily mix of pleasures and woes. There is the constant traffic competition with thousands of …
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Kickass and New Holiday
Attribution: Illustration of Humpty Dumpty from Through the Looking Glass, by John Tenniel, 1871., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports to the keeper with inside information that billionaire POTUS sycophants have purchased Ground Hog’s Day, Easter, Valentines Day, and April Fools Day to fabricated a combined holiday gift …
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Kickass and Silver Badgers
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper in noting that for the past six afternoons Phyllis has joined fellow Silver Badgers at the intersection of Gammon Rd and Tree Lane in a sign-carrying protest against the cruel stupidity and murdering being foisted on the world by the narcissistic …
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Kickass and the Haymow
Attribution: Dorothea Lange, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, gives the floor to the keeper for yet another tidbit of rural info for his city friends: the reason the old barns were so big is that they were built back before hay balers and choppers when big haymows were …
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