Artwork by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter The Trump era has not been the Republican Party’s shining hour. Perhaps the most emblematic instance of Republican shamelessness occurred during last week’s January 6th hearings. At a key point during testimony, Representative Elaine Luria began describing the dangers faced by members of Congress and Vice-President Pence from rioters—as …
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Kickass and Phyllis at the Wheel
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that Phyllis is back behind the wheel, having taken a two-year break following the head-on collision in Cross Plains that fractured ten of her ribs and one vertebra and deeply slashed a finger. The keeper—four broken ribs, had been driving at the time and …
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Dialogues on Busting the Filibuster: Letters from Across the State Line
formulanone from Huntsville, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Featuring the Fabulous Dadbots: Mark M., Mark O., Dave S., Paul C., Dennis Curley, and Geoff Carter Bots, An additional political note on Roe -v- Wade if you can stomach it. Our President Biker-in-chief has declared that he’s willing to support an exception to the …
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Kickass and Faulkner
Cephas, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, cooperated with the keeper in researching William Faulkner’s “The Bear” short story, thinking that there might be some information helpful in pointing to the bear hound training travesty now occurring in the North woods of Wisconsin, and ONLY in Wisconsin, therefore attracting hounders …
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Kickass and the iPhone
Photo by Kostiantyn Li on Unsplash By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper will no longer be dominated and humiliated by his “GD” iPhone; and if you want to talk to him, come to where he lives. He is fed up with calls from people selling things, and he is tired …
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New Wave Cinema 2.0: The Films of Robert Altman
Gorupdebesanez, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter In The New Wave 2.0 series, The Pen in Hand Blog will be examining the work of our most provocative and influential filmmakers, artists whose filmic stylings and compelling narratives have stretched the boundaries of modern cinema. Referencing Francois Truffaut’s definition of an auteur, these pieces …
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Kickass and Old Typewriter
Berit from Redhill/Surrey, UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper was thrilled when Phyllis presented him with the perfect piece of art to illustrate his recent dive into writing another (Margaret’s War) novel. The absurdity of using an ancient typewriter is perhaps no greater than …
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Kickass and Aging Gracefully
Nicolas Perriault, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper and Phyllis have totally rejected the concept of “aging gracefully,” and henceforth will be using balance devices such as hiking staffs and walking canes to whack over the head those who exhibit abject stupidity in such areas …
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Kickass and Severe Weather
U. S. National Weather Service/National Ocean Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, will be joining the keeper and Phyllis in identifying themselves as “weather prisoners” in view of today’s forecast; and should they get caught out in a storm, it will not be their fault that they get …
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Kickass Goes to a Prairie
Photo by Phyllis Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper and Phyllis with the following advice: Go to a prairie! It will be healing! See more at… The Bill Stokes Author Page
Crime and Punishment
Artwork by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter When Bernie Madoff, the notorious architect of one of the biggest Ponzi schemes in American history, was found guilty and sentenced to over one hundred and fifty years in prison for swindling his clients out of billions of dollars, Americans breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed as …
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Kickass and Outrageous Poetry
Artwork by Michael DiMilo By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper has again reached that outrage level whereby all forms of expression fail him, except what he outrageously claims to be poetry: I think that I shall never see How the Secret Service works for me. A Service that loses its …
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