A Question of Justice
For me, the 2020 election pivots on the question of justice. On one side, Donald Trump stands as the embodiment of privilege and power. He's lived a life free of consequences both as a businessman and now as president. His power is his brand and to amplify that brand...
Issues With Anger
It was clear in 2016 that dissatisfaction with the political establishment was a powerful force in the Democratic nomination process and that bore out in the general election of Donald Trump. The media has largely ignored the context behind this populist outrage....
Every Heart A Doorway
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire is a delicious novella that explores what comes after children return from fantasy worlds. The Alices here are never quite right after tripping down rabbit holes. Some refuse to dive back into their dreary lives. Most seek...
Primary Endorsements
I take politics seriously but I don't think I've ever been this focused going into a primary. Since I've been working my way through the deep ballot, I figured I'd share my input on the candidates and measures we'll be voting for Tuesday June 5 in the California...
Finding Rock Bottom
How do you keep your head above water when assaulted by a constant stream of hate and violence? It seems like week after week, the chaos raining down from on high keeps coming. Riding the Downward Spiral On May 17th, the Senate confirmed Gina Haspel, a proponent of...
More Than a Hobby
Back in the late 80s, I started to hit local comic conventions in search of back issues to fill out my growing collection. I ended up putting together decent runs of the Spider-Man titles dating back to the early 80s. In college, I had more money to invest because I...
Comic Pull List – May 2018
Consider this a public service announcement. Go out and support your local comic book shop. If you're in the vicinity of Berkeley, give Fantastic Comics a try. They've been my local shop for several years now and they do a great job. While super hero movies have...
Liberal Intolerance
A curious thing happened the other day. Not once but twice I ran into conservatives crying hypocrisy. The repetition of that specific word struck me because until recently I've seldom heard it from the right. It smacks of a talking point that bubbled up in the echo...
Finding Metaphor
12:51 is the time my voice Found the words I sought Is it this stage I want? The Strokes I didn't take poetry classes in college with a goal of publishing in mind. I certainly never finished enough poems to fill a chap book. The same could be said of journalism. I...
On Restrooms and Racism
In a civilized society public restrooms should be a human right not a matter of privilege or a flashpoint of discrimination. I say this in the wake of the Starbucks incident that resulted in two African American men being arrested on April 14. It's a situation that...