Ruckert told the doctor that he felt as if he had been thrown from a boat. The doctor asked if he thought he had the strength to swim. “Strength is not an issue,” Ruckert said. “It’s a matter of desire. Where would I swim to? I can see no land in any direction.” Did he … Read more
I read a book by Twin Cities author Vince Flynn over the weekend called Term Limits. The book starts with the assassinations of four venal members of Congress. That didn’t surprise me so much as the reported sentiments of many of the characters of the book that killing four was a good start. I found … Read more
“Of course I’m running for President. I had my teeth fixed didn’t I?” The story in the Strib stopped short of explaining what exactly it was that the darn UN was trying to do when Coleman accused it of trying to take control of the internet. I’m sure it was an insidious attempt by the … Read more
For several months I had been staring at the words written in a square on the otherwise blank calendar on my kitchen wall: Meeting Mr. Mercy. I had scheduled this meeting back in the late spring, and only after a series of mysterious phone calls and false starts. Most of the phone calls would come … Read more
First I worked in this place in the Food Court that sold French fries and pretzels, for this Vietnamese guy who called himself Jose. Then I moved down another floor and worked at this place that sold nothing but total shit –no vision, none whatsoever: Rattling plastic frogs that croaked and paddled about in a … Read more
You guys were supposed to catch me Their Latin sucks, but I have to hand it to Fraters Libertas for at least having a sense of humor to go with their conservative outlook. It seems RT hurt himself jumping from a Gay Pride float in last summer’s parade and the Fraters (or Fratres, if you … Read more
“Todd is the youngest and most impressionable member of the happy Flanders clan” I swore off writing about Kersten yesterday. I just got around to remembering the old proverb that goes something like “The only person more foolish than a fool is someone who argues with a fool.” So, this column is not about Kersten, … Read more
Yesterday was the 154th anniversary of Moby Dick. It was published first in Great Britain, then in the U.S. on November 14th, 1851. Longtime readers of this little cereal-box side-panel will recall my month-long rereading last year of what I still think is the best American novel, although I freely confess a fetish for long … Read more
The magic that gleams an instant between Argos and Odysseus is both the recognition of diversity and the need for affection across the illusions of form. —Loren Eiseley, The Unexpected Universe Seven times the Bull of Divine Undoing brought down disaster and calamity on the Hamlet of the Unbelievers, and each time, spasmed by their … Read more
If you’ll believe this stuff is edible, I’ve got a columnist I want you to read. It would be tough to pick the most idiotic version of a Katherine Kersten column, but today’s certainly has to be in the running. KK’s unhappy that people are attacking her for extolling the religious types who hate gays. … Read more