The narrow defeat of the Obama administration in the Hobby Lobby case has sent its supporters into ecstases of rage and hate that have to be seen to be believed, and that in some cases can only be described as murderous. I am glad I don't live in the USA. But this fury, that bewilders many conservatives and independents, does not bewilder me. The ( Read more... )

I used to do an occasional series called "you couldn't make it up dept." featuring absurd and crazy stories from various news media. Now what got it started years ago were a few examples of egregious corporate stupidity; and when I read this news - Read more... )

At least he is dead. I have never in my life seen anything that shows so certain a prospect of utter catastrophe as the posters of the Smurfs movie. It is going to be a horror as surely as people breathe air. From the horrendously unsuited Pixar-like three-dimensional animation, that morphs Peyo's charming linework into soapy, rubbery dolls, to the ( Read more... )

Everyone, by now, has read and digested charlottelennox' tremendous account of debased fandom politics and arrivisme. To me, the tale has had an ugly and personal echo. I feel vindicated, but dirty - the kind of vindication one would be happier without, because of the demeaning nature of the whole. These are people with whom I have been at war for years. When ( Read more... )

SWEDISH SURVIVORS FROM SOVIET RUSSIA ( Read more... )