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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Kickass and ICE
Attribution: DHSgov, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper and Phyllis in sending the following message to the thousands of ICE agents who daily come with uniforms and masks and guns and clubs and bulletproof vests to assault harmless berry pickers and day laborers and cow milkers …
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Kickass and Two Flat Tires
Attribution: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, is with the keeper this morning as he says “Oh, to hell with it, let’s go fishing!” The time is many years ago as the keeper and trout fishing companion John Lawton suspend evening …
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Kickass and ICE
Attribution: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, says the keeper would like to inform the ICE gestapo goons that as a descendent of Norwegian immigrants on his mother’s side he will not be going peacefully when the loony- tune squads arrive all masked up …
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Little Tin God
Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter When I was growing up, back in the sixties, we used to play war all the time. We’d grab our plastic carbines, helmets, fatigues, and run around the backyard pretending to shoot each other. Amidst cries of “Got you” and “Did not” and “Only grazed me”, we became—in …
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Kickass and River Remembering
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports on some of the keeper’s gang “gathering at the river” on yet another attempt at standardizing clan memories while soaking up warm sunshine and listening to the birds. It is, of course, common that when families get together for “remembering” excesses, there are …
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Kickass and a Fishing Lie
Attribution: Photo by Jed Owen on Unsplash By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper in this age of lies and more lies, recalls “The Good Lie,” which was the title of a story of his that appeared in the June 1993 issue of Sports Afield magazine. It was about an old man–Ben Lusby and …
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Kickass and Captured Killer
Attribution: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports the keeper and Phyllis, along with everyone else in the Midwest, relieved at the capture of the Minnesota murderer from his hiding in a wooded area. And of course, it recalls for the keeper the long-ago murder of three …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Review of “The Alto Knights”
Illustration by Michael DiMilo ★★★☆☆ Comfort Food: Review of The Alto Knights By Geoff Carter The Mafia is an American institution. So is the gangster film. From Little Caesar, White Heat, and The Public Enemy to The Godfather—the definitive mother of all modern gangster movies, Goodfellas, The Irishman, A Bronx Tale, The Sopranos, and Casino, the culture of organized crime, including sit-downs, …
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Happy 2025 Father’s Day from the Pen in Hand
Happy Father’s Day!! Photo by Kris Carter