Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter There have been instances when the sometimes all-too-thin lines between art and reality have intersected, crossed, and become blurred. The China Syndrome, a film about safety violations at a nuclear power plant, was released only twelve days before the partial meltdown at the Three Mile Island nuclear plant. Wag the …
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Kickass and Pardoning Ceremony
Attribution: The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports the following: TWO TURKEYS TALKING: 1ST turkey, “So you were at the White House pardoning ceremony then?” 2nd turkey, “Yes, and it was even more of a fiasco than usual.” 1st turkey, “How so?” 2nd turkey, “The POTUS got confused and announced …
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Hospitality 2025
The Pen in Hand Blog featuring Geoff Carter
Attribution: Jean Leon Gerome Ferris , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_First_Thanksgiving_Jean_Louis_Gerome_Ferris.png
Kickass and Mothers-in-Law
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper in this season of pointing out special people to honor by suggesting that on top of the heroes’ list should be the mother-in-law. Being a successful mother-in-law has to be the most demanding role imposed on any of the tribal members, …
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Kickass and Others’ Misery
Attribution: Javier Vieras, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, notes the sensations to be had by the keeper and Phyllis’s crowd in learning of the misery of others—some sympathy of course, but more feelings that “they” probably deserve it followed by an overall smugness that it is better them …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Review of “Bugonia”
You Can’t Handle the Truth: Film Review of Bugonia ★★★☆ Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter The truth—as much as it’s ever discernible—is becoming more and more difficult to cull from the swarm of half-truths, misrepresentations, conspiracy theories and downright lies that have been flooding our media. Any semblance of objective truth has been …
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Kickass and Revolutionary War
Attribution: William Barnes Wollen, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports the keeper and Phyllis saturated with war–the current absurd cruelties at a number of global locations and the amazing Ken Burns “The American Revolution” shown last week in a five-part series on PBS. Now as the US endures …
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Kickass and Deer Stand Thoughts
Attribution: Photo by Uta Scholl on Unsplash By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, notes, along with the keeper and Phyllis, a most unusual circumstance across Wisconsin this morning: thousands of people—mostly men, sit in remote wooded locations alone with their thoughts while holding a gun capable of killing a large animal at great distances. If this morning’s …
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Kickass and Day Before Hunt
Attribution: Marc St. Gil, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that in the keeper’s long life of excesses, nothing looms any more excessive than his involvement with Wisconsin’s traditional nine-day deer hunt which this year begins tomorrow morning at ——-a.m. As a complete record would show—and the keeper …
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Kickass and Quiet Piggy
Attribution: Leonard Leslie Brooke (1862-1940), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper and Phyllis have learned that under a “Quiet, Piggy!” executive order administered by Pete Hegseth and Pam Bondi, “The Three Little Pigs” fairy tale has been scrubbed of the original account of the wolf’s …
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Light in the Sky
By Geoff Carter Photos by Geoff Carter My wife and I went up to our cabin in the Wisconsin Northwoods about a week ago to enjoy the fall colors and to relax a little bit. The leaves were a little past their peak, but it was still beautiful. Golden ash, scarlet maple, and yellow birch …
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Kickass and UW Reporting
Attribution: Steev Selby from Wollongong, Australia, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports the keeper aware of the news item that UW researchers are growing hemp as part of a very serious plant-disease study, which reminds him of his days of reporting on UW activities back in the early days …
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