Category Archives: Blog stuff

Evangelicals deserve Donald Trump. “Eventually, the two parties may come to agree on the challenges the country faces, and then have actual discussions — and disagreements and competition — over how to address them. That’s bipartisanship. And counterintuitive as it … Continue reading →

“This is such an ancient trope — crazy scientists doing outrageous experiments with money you could be investing in my uranium mine — that I wonder if anyone actually falls for it.” The next ice age may be a little … Continue reading →

“This is the job you dream of having; you can make such a big impact.” A close look at the Working Families Party and its electoral successes. We could use some of that here in Texas. “Drug epidemics—Oxy, meth, heroin, … Continue reading →

Good news: Really rich people are suddenly paying quite a bit more in taxes. Star Trek postage stamps are now available. RIP, Wayne Rogers, best known as Trapper John on M*A*S*H. RIP, “death panels”. And good riddance. All politicians lie, … Continue reading →

“As relations between Cuba and the United States warm up, Major League Baseball is hoping to avoid human trafficking of potential players by dealing directly with the communist government.” Cassette tapes are making a comeback? Seriously? On average, 2015 was … Continue reading →

What assembling IKEA furniture tells us about gender differences. “So basically what’s going on is that NBC is allowing Bush Hagar to use her journalistic credentials and access to shill for one side in this marketing war. This, folks, is … Continue reading →

So, when are pot ads going to start running on TV? The Happy Birthday copyright case has been fully settled. A low-tech solution for finding new kinds of antibiotics may be just what we need. “But many of the more … Continue reading →

An oral history of Mork and Mindy. In doing too much reading on the tragic mass shooting in San Bernadino, I happened to come across this New Yorker story about Amy Bishop, a microbiologist at the University of Alabama who … Continue reading →

How Shonda Rhimes treats story lines that involve abortion. Felicia Day joins the MST3K revival. Nerds rejoice. “I mention all this not just to point out that the fighting in Iraq lasted longer than five months and has now spread … Continue reading →

“Crime overall in 2015 is expected to be largely unchanged from last year, decreasing 1.5 percent.” “No, really. It’s an actual glossy, full-color magazine called Dabiq, complete with feature articles and photo spreads. So, in the interest of understanding just … Continue reading →

An oral history of Turkeys Away, the greatest episode of WKRP in Cincinnati and one of the greatest TV episodes ever. “As the Internet of Things grows, we can scarcely afford a massive glut of things that are insecure-by-design.” “The … Continue reading →

Nancy Lieberman is awesome. Doing spec work for free is something most people are never asked to do. Another reason not to eat at Taco Bell, in case you needed one. Two words: Pyramid truthers. I need a drink. RIP, … Continue reading →

“So the question remains: When a crime lab screws up, whose responsibility is it to clean up the mess?” And then read this and ask yourself why we should be surprised when there are effectively no consequences for that kind … Continue reading →

Laverne Cox is your new Dr. Frank N. Furter. Minor league baseball players suing MLB over allegations that they were paid less than minimum wage have won their request to include a much larger class of players in the lawsuit. … Continue reading →

I’m not saying it’s aliens, but I’m not saying it’s not aliens, either. The buildings that used to be Pizza Huts, and the people who love to photograph them. “A former meerkat expert at London Zoo has been ordered to … Continue reading →

“Mom says she’s busy and that you should just tell me where the thing is, because I promised not to get it.” Yes, I have had these conversations with my children. Also, too, the Lamentations of the Father are still … Continue reading →

Real life isn’t like cop shows. Try to cope. The toxic history of harassment in the comics industry. “Inevitably, then, the marijuana movement has begun to give way to the marijuana lobby.” “But it would be a mis­take to as­sume … Continue reading →