Friday Bag o’ Rage

At last, my face is getting back to normal. The dermatologist removed a small basal cell skin cancer from my forehead Monday. I applied ice as recommended that day and the next, but Wednesday when I woke my right eye was swollen almost shut. Same thing again Thursday morning. Today, though, the swelling is almost […]

Wednesday Bag o’ Black Eyes

Yes, those are black-eyed peas on today’s bag. Lame, but I’m not feeling especially clever this morning. I woke up with a swollen black eye, fallout from Monday’s removal of a basal cell skin cancer from my forehead. They said it might swell, and boy did it. I’ll post a photo below … I don’t […]

You Can’t Read That!

You Can’t Read That! is a periodic post featuring banned book reviews and news roundups. YCRT! News & Commentary: In Asheboro, North Carolina, all within the space of a fortnight, Ralph Ellison’s award-winning novel Invisible Man was 1) challenged, 2) banned, 3) reinstated. Would the school board have reversed itself if its actions hadn’t made it a national […]

Wednesday Bag o’ Wrongness

Amazon-Owned Goodreads Deleting Reviews Wholesale. So reads the scare headline at Making Light. I joined Goodreads three years ago. I’d been using a shitty online book application called Visual Bookshelf to catalog books I’d read and reviews I’d written. I’ve been delighted with Goodreads, a large, active community of readers, writers, and reviewers, and to date […]

Paul’s Book Reviews: History, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult

The Museum of Funeral Customs is on the edge of Oak Ridge Cemetery, a five-minute walk from the tomb. Supposedly the fellow who swoops over to greet me is the museum director, but he speaks in the hushed low voice of a funeral director. He warns me about “the sensitive nature of our exhibits.” Please. […]

Both Sides Know Gun Control Works

Same old same old. If you don’t know the difference between shotguns and rifles, or think 9mm Rugers look like 9mm Glocks, you’re not qualified to have an opinion on guns and mass shootings, therefore let us shut down all talk of background checks, therefore everyone should carry, therefore good men with guns should go forth and shoot all the bad men with guns, therefore Thunderdome!