What Fire?

Reference yesterday’s post, a conservative friend on Facebook asks where all this racism is … he’s never seen any. Sorry, couldn’t resist responding to the comment.  You know, though, you hear this on the right, and you hear it a lot.  What racism?  We’re not racists!  Don’t you dare call us racists!  We love Gabby […]

Playing with Fire

Sometimes I update my Facebook profile picture with ones I’ve manipulated at Photofunia.com.  Like this: People enjoy these photos and often comment on them.  This one, which I put up on Tuesday, the first day of the Republican convention in Tampa, drew several remarks, including one from a black friend who said: “Is Obama friends […]

Maintaining Motorcycle and Soul

Zen and motorcycle maintenance became one this morning. Or, more prosaically, routine maintenance was exactly that: routine, no glitches, no do-overs, no emergency runs to the parts counter. That in itself is a kind of Zen, but in addition to a fun morning working on the bike, I’ve now got a great cross-country ride to […]

Friday Cultie Bag

Just so we’re all on the same page again: cultie=cult bike=Ducati.  That there is a Ducati bag I’m tempted to buy.  It would go on the little rack in back.  Of course I’d need a magnetic tank bag as well.  Oh, wait.  The cultie’s going to be Polly’s ride, not mine.  Time to stop thinking […]

Tuesday Bag o’ Happiness

Happy? Sure, why not? For one thing, this bag makes me happy. I wonder if I can find one for Donna? Damn, that was fast … thanks, Google! And only $79,95! Well, maybe for Christmas. I’d be happier if Donna weren’t coming down with the cold I’m finally shaking off. The bad part is she […]

Conduct Unbecoming

By now, I’m sure, you’ve heard about the Special Operations Opsec Education Fund, a group of retired military officers trying to swiftboat President Obama.  According to them, Obama should have kept the killing of Osama bin Laden a secret.  By announcing that US forces had caught and killed bin Laden, they say, Obama compromised classified operational […]

Paul’s DVD Reviews

“You’re a dinosaur, Date Rape. You’re a classic racist, a bigot, a sexist, a womanizer, a chauvinist, a misanthrope, homophobic clearly, or maybe you don’t like yourself.” — Brie Larsen as Helen in Rampart Young Adult (2011, USA) That Charlize Theron, what an actor. Her character here, a writer of young adult fiction named Mavis, […]

You Can’t Read That!

You Can’t Read That! is a periodic roundup of news about banned and challenged books. Arizona: In my last YCRT! column I mentioned the Tucson Unified School District book banner who now wants the books unbanned. At a meeting, the rest of the school board disagreed, and the book banning continues.  A local news outlet reported […]