I haven’t done one of these lately, and the “FUT COL” folder is beginning to bulge. Therefore… *** 1. Today’s Telescreen. Stephen Green comments: The deal was a simple one: free TV included ads, and pay TV didn’t. Not only are streaming services altering the deal, but your TV manufacturer is also …
Category: assorted
Jun 11 2024
Can’t Fight The Pressure
I intended for my “Web vacation” to be a bit longer than this. I planned to take the whole summer off, to spend it writing fiction and only fiction. It seemed the best way to force myself to re-engage with the living world… something I’d been holding at arms’ length for far too long. …
May 03 2024
“We Don’t Need No Laugh Track!”
We’ve got enough to laugh at right in front of us…and laugh we must, for the sake of our sanity. *** 1. Did you really need to ask, Megyn? Well, she did answer her own question: Megyn Kelly wants to know what many of us are thinking. As anti-Israel protests continue …
Apr 18 2024
So You Think Part 2
The first installment of this drama appeared here three years ago. It raised a lot of eyebrows, but I never heard that anything much had come of it. That’s distressing, as the subjects over which I brushed were significant and threatening. Still, I’m a minor voice in the Internet Commentariat, which makes the likelihood …
Apr 11 2024
When Mary Had A Little Lamb…
…her ObGyn scowled and asked her, “Just where have you been fooling around?” Mary merely giggled, albeit somewhat sheepishly. After yesterday – still think I’m slowing down, Pascal? – I have to kick back a bit. So instead of another epic diatribe, here are a few quick takes. *** First up is …
Mar 10 2024
Never…Well, SELDOM On Sunday
I don’t awaken to a lot of news-rich Sundays. Generally, that’s to the good, as Sunday tends to be the busiest day of my week. Still, it’s nice to have something to rant and rave about. A news-deprived day is a blogger’s definition of frustration. *** 1. Vending Machines. The C.S.O.’s morning begins …
Mar 04 2024
Assorted
For your humble Curmudgeon, Monday mornings are no longer special occasions that feature groans and a prolonged interval of turgid movement. Since I retired, that’s every day. *** I’ve been sifting through this article for a while, and I’m not sure how to assess it. The author makes some good observations, but he …
Feb 16 2024
A Friday Fricassee
The “assorted” columns are something I try to limit, as – despite my intentions going in – I often blather for hundreds of words after each citation. Trust me, Gentle Reader: I know I’m an addict. But to date, there’s no known cure for boring long-windedness. *** 1. Stunning. As I no longer …
Jan 17 2024
Assorted
“The news is all bad, but it’s good for a laugh.” – Tom Paxton *** 1. Let’s kick things off with a graphic! I swiped this one from Dio: For those of you unfamiliar with him, Edward Abbey was a Twentieth Century writer whose works were immensely popular – and anarchist in …
Dec 31 2023
The Closing Of The Year
Yes, I’m still sick. Pretty seriously sick, if you must know. But I wouldn’t feel right about letting 2023 go without a column. It won’t be a “round-up,” just a few thoughts that have congealed around a disastrous year: arguably the worst yet for America under the Usurper Regime. One of my favorite …
Dec 26 2023
National Treasures
No, this isn’t about the movie, though I must admit that I enjoyed it greatly. Then again, I’m a Nicolas Cage fan. I’m thinking of a few writers and thinkers whom I might never have encountered if not for the World Wide Web. There are several…and some of them get much less appreciation than …
Dec 05 2023
Assorted
Yes, Gentle Reader, I’m still pretty sick. The energy isn’t there for more than a few casual shots out the passenger-side window as I drive past the passing scene. But I hate to leave you with nothing to read, and my Co-Conspirators, normally a worthy bunch, appear to have gone mute for the time …
Nov 14 2023
A Wandering Mind
“Don’t let your mind wander. It’s too little to be let out alone.” – From a lapel button *** Hey, remember those buttons and bumper stickers from a few years back? I’m beginning to get that feeling again. *** My day is looking bad – very bad, actually – and besides, …
Oct 21 2023
Assorted
Did I really just cite weekends as a time to relax? What on Earth was I thinking? *** 1. “It’s Islam.” Daniel Greenfield has compiled a record of serial brilliance for his essays, especially when he addresses matters in the Middle East. His most recent offering rips the false facade away from the …
Oct 17 2023
No… Well, Only Minimal Comment Dept.
I have a busy morning before me, so please enjoy the following examples of something for which your Curmudgeon is not generally known: brevity. *** 1. Why? Bull’s-eye, Tuck. *** 2. The Professor Misfires. From Glenn Reynolds: Is everything going to hell? Maybe, maybe not. BZZZT! Wrong, Professor, but …
Sep 25 2023
If You Squint With The Sun Behind You…
…it does rather look like evidence of a decades-long, world-girdling conspiracy in motion, doesn’t it? But I wouldn’t want to sound like one of those “QAnon types,” so perhaps I should just present the evidence for my Gentle Readers’ assessment. *** 1. Thou Shalt Not Mention The Evidence! I admire anyone who’s willing …
Sep 14 2023
Assorted
Day From Hell Alert! I have three appointments today – two doctors, one broker – a mandatory social engagement this evening, and a raft of other chores besides, so please accept the following few observations, that I might have some prospect of surviving the day. *** 1. Now Tell Us Something We Don’t Know. …
Sep 13 2023
AFK
For those of you who weren’t around when bulletin boards and internet chat were new, that stands for “Away From Keyboard”. Just a little note to let people know you weren’t going to be there for a while. Since Mr. Porretto does the lion’s share of the writing here, you won’t miss much. I’ll be …
Aug 17 2023
Scattered Thoughts, Late Morning Edition
I allowed myself to sleep a little later than usual this morning, so my spleen and bile levels are a bit depressed: ergo, I have insufficient agita for a “traditional” tirade. However, I have a couple of tidbits for general amusement. *** 1. The War On Catholics Continues. The FBI classifying us as …
Aug 14 2023
Monday Morning Coming Down
Brenda Ann Spencer, eat your heart out. *** 1. Impassioned But Misguided. Or perhaps arrantly idiotic: We are not calling for massive new entitlements nor are we repeating the Bush follies of subsidizing mortgages for people who can’t afford a home. We simply accept that big government is here to stay—at least …
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Margaret’s Recent Novels
