Attribution: Michelle Buntin, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, uses his superior scenting abilities to assist the keeper in sniffing out the fact that there exists a painful parallel in the outrageous bear hound training now occurring in Wisconsin’s north woods and the absurd gerrymandered political scene prevailing statewide …
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Dialogues on Hazed and Confused: Lost in the Woods
Attribution: elisfkc from Orlando, FL, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Featuring the Fabulous Dadbots: Dave S., Mark O., Mark M., Dennis C., Paul C., and Geoff Carter Several stories caught my eye lately. Here’s a sampling: Hope you’re all doing well, getting outdoors half as much as Mamerow and keeping sunscreen on your …
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Kickass and Phyllis in the Coneflowers
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes ickass, the doorstop dog, is impressed with the keeper’s forethought in avoiding a Leonardo Di Vinci “why-is-she-smiling?” type question with a photo he took of Phyllis standing next to a spectacular display of purple cone flowers. History tells that Leonardo combined art and science to become the most …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Review of “Oppenheimer”
Attribution: Burnt Pineapple Productions, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons Prometheus Bound: Review of Oppenheimer By Geoff Carter As one of the most highly anticipated new releases of 2023, the movie Oppenheimer at first sight seems to be a bit ponderous to fit into the summer blockbuster category. Unlike Barbie, it does not seem to fit neatly into a film …
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Kickass and Rock River Tour
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, passes along the keeper’s observations after he and Phyllis did one of their aimless meanders along the Rock River in the area where Chief Blackhawk first struggled and subsequently failed to preserve his native people from the ravishing of narcissistic invaders. *The afternoon whispering …
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Kickass Remembers Pat
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper today in remembering his daughter Pat who died suddenly four years ago after a routine heart pacer installation. Nobody loved life more and did more to wring the fun and adventure out of it than Pat. Nobody was more creative, and …
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Kickass and Life Advice
Photo by redcharlie | @redcharlie1 on Unsplash By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, indulges the keeper as he inventories some of the annoying clutter in life and suggests means of tolerating them. Current domination of the media by the former orange POTUS is like having a former in-law from a previously failed marriage–one who does not bathe …
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Kickass and Packaging
Attribution: Photo by Nico Smit on Unsplash By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, noting the keeper’s never-ending efforts to make the world a better place and to remain relevant in that world, continues to ignore global conflagration, multiple wars, mass shootings and the political clown show while trying to be helpful with such critical things as retaining …
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Cycling Through
Artwork by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter Every year during the last week of July, the Milwaukee Riverwest neighborhood, an eclectic enclave of artists, musicians, families, and working folks, hosts the Riverwest 24, a twenty-four-hour bicycle race that runs along the neighborhood streets. According to the Riverwest 24 website, the event came about because of efforts by …
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Kickass and the Spoonbill
Attribution: gary_leavens, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper, as a very amateurish bird watcher–his “lifelist” being shorter than most grocery lists, is tempted to drive to Green Bay to see the roseate spoonbill, a species that has not been seen in the state for 178 …
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Kickass and Dumb Legislators
Attribution: U.S. House of Representatives – Office of the Clerk, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper and Phyllis in acknowledging the latest product of Wisconsin’s grand tradition of sending stupid jerks to Washington and Madison to do “minority representation” and make the state look like a …
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Kickass and Newspaper Columnists
Photo by Phyllis Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, asks what could be more dominating at a lunch table than a former Wis. State Journal columnist? And the answer is two of them! So it was as Susan Lambert Smith joined the keeper and Phyllis and Ian and Karen Smith at a Vista …
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