Author Archives: oddmanout215

Supreme Court sullies Clean Water Act


I was lecturing Prayers, my favorite feral cat. The news is hardly ever new, I told him. At best, it’s a reminder that the people who run this country now might be even less enlightened than the idiots who, generations … Continue reading

Posted in arts, climate change, Congress, history, humor, mainstream media | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Somebody give me a ($700) cheeseburger!


“My birthday’s comin’ up,” Swamp Rabbit said. “Maybe I’ll go uptown and treat myself to one of them $700 burgers.” He was referring to the beer garden in Philly whose menu reportedly includes “the most expensive burger in America.” Presumably, … Continue reading

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Martin Amis (1949-2023) braved the moronic inferno


My neighbor Swamp Rabbit was drinking beer on his porch when I told him that British author Martin Amis died last weekend.   “Okay, but what’s that got to do with the price of eggs?” he said, referring to the … Continue reading

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Walking blues (my search for dress shoes)


I was checking my email and noticed that images of shoes were appearing every time I opened a new file. Dress shoes, so-called. Tassel loafers, oxford bluchers, brogues. Shiny and super-square. The sort of shoes I stopped wearing around the … Continue reading

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Breaking: Cooper is a mouthpiece, not a newsman


“Get a load of this pompous jerk. He ain’t even embarrassed.” Swamp Rabbit was reacting to video of Anderson Cooper mouthing off about CNN’s May 10 town hall with Donald Trump, an event that served as a free ad for … Continue reading

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Deep in the heart of Texas, yahoos still rule


Just when it looked like Texas might be prioritizing clean energy over dirty, this happens: The Texas Legislature is moving to erect barriers to clean energy development while providing incentives for fossil fuel production. This would make the task of … Continue reading

Posted in apocalypse, climate change, environmentalism, humor, mainstream media | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Carlson defenestrated? No, just fired.


“There’s that word again,” I said, pointing to the Michelle Goldberg column on my laptop screen: The Los Angeles Times reported that Carlson was defenestrated by Rupert Murdoch himself… “Does defenestrated mean fired?” said Swamp Rabbit, who was reading over my shoulder. … Continue reading

Posted in humor, mainstream media, Nativism | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Money talks, justice walks


CNN’s Jake Tapper laughed, and so did most others who saw the statement issued by a Fox News lawyer after Dominion Voting Systems settled its defamation suit against the network: We acknowledge the Court’s rulings finding certain claims about Dominion … Continue reading

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Hanging out with Goethe at Cherry Blossom Fest


Swamp Rabbit looked around and said, “Where are the cherry blossoms?” It was a good question. We’d arrived to work the 18th annual Cherry Blossom Festival, at the Horticultural Center in West Fairmount Park. There was plenty of greenery but … Continue reading

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Is the GOP fascist? Let’s consult the experts.


“Is it a good thing or a bad thing that they got their jobs back?” Swamp Rabbit said. “What did them experts at The Washington Post say?” He was referring to the reinstatement this week of Reps. Justin Pearson and … Continue reading

Posted in gun nuts, humor, mainstream media, voter suppression | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments