David Himmel 7/16/20 David Himmel 7/16/20

Go Away White-Marked Tussock Moth Caterpillar

I love being outside. Love sitting in the grass and feeling the blades tickle my ankles. Ah, that’s a pretty active tickle. That’s not grass, something’s crawling on me. Yikes! What is that thing!? Yellow, fuzzy thing with a red head and… is that a stinger? What are those white balls on its back? Are those eggs? Is this thing poisonous? Get off me scary caterpillar! Go away you white-marked tussock moth caterpillar!

Joe Janes 7/15/20 Joe Janes 7/15/20

The Minutes of Our Last Meeting | Politicians Meet on Tracks to Discuss Likelihood of Trains

The politicians celebrate their victory as the train continues to run over people.

Don Hall 7/15/20 Don Hall 7/15/20

Everyone Has Magically Transformed Into Lenny Bruce

Bruce was fighting for his right to say things that could be taken the wrong way at a contentious time in the country’s history. His often brilliant but off-color observations were shut down by a moralistic authority who deigned his language and ideas were unacceptable. Sound familiar?

Don Hall 7/14/20 Don Hall 7/14/20

A Society That Values Quantity of Life Over Quality of Living is Just Churning Out Chicken Farms of Humanity

The ethical dilemma is presented as thus for we myriad chickens.

Don Hall 7/13/20 Don Hall 7/13/20

I Believe… [We Are All Florida Man]

…that the United States has officially become the Florida of the world. Blindingly stupid, naked, snorting bath salts and screaming at each other about getting that ‘gator off my property.

David Himmel 7/11/20 David Himmel 7/11/20

My Ascent to Greatness Will Not Be Compromised by the Likes of You

When I was twenty, I went to work for a captain of industry. A titan really.
I met him through the fraternity I had just pledged.
He said, he saw something in me — I had ambition, I had smarts, I had just what he was looking for.
I had reminded him of himself when he was my age.
That was a long time ago. More than twice my life thus far.

David Himmel 7/10/20 David Himmel 7/10/20

Notes from the Post-it Wall | Week of July 5, 2020

I think Donald Trump’s biggest problem is that he didn’t spent enough time around campfires as a kid.

Don Hall 7/9/20 Don Hall 7/9/20

I Like to Watch: Hamilton

I sat down and prepared myself to be blown away and embarrassed by my snobbery at the few songs I had heard and my natural inclination to be suspicious of hype.

I wasn’t wrong.

Joe Janes 7/8/20 Joe Janes 7/8/20

The Minutes of Our Last Meeting | Hogwart's, Go Online!!!

The students of Hogwart’s and their instructors should not be meeting in person. Not until there’s a vaccine. I’m just a part-timer. They’re not listening to me. Parents, it’s your child and your money. They’ll listen to you.

Don Hall 7/8/20 Don Hall 7/8/20

Competing Visions of the Future Society

Five blind men encounter an elephant. Each touches a part of the animal but, due to the limited exposure to each element, misidentifies what they are interpreting. The guy who touches the ear thinks they have stopped at a palm tree. The guy who grabs the trunk thinks it’s a python. And so on. Until the five confer with one another, they can’t know the bigger picture.

We are blind men and the pandemic is the elephant.

Don Hall 7/6/20 Don Hall 7/6/20

I Believe... [Choose Love But FUCK YOU!]

I believe… that when you post things like “Choose Love” and follow it up with a strident hatred for someone you disagree with, you have clearly demonstrated how completely full of shit you are.

Elizabeth Harper 7/5/20 Elizabeth Harper 7/5/20

On Going Through Family Papers During the Pandemic

Everyone seems so very fragile,
as fragile as the books falling apart
from glue that has dried to cracking,
tears in the dust jackets,
the extra thin World War II era paper

Don Hall 7/4/20 Don Hall 7/4/20

The Speaking of the Truth of the American Experiment

While America is far from dead and the Grand Experiment in Liberal Democracy far from complete, Independence Day should be a celebration as well as a recalibration.

David Himmel 7/3/20 David Himmel 7/3/20

Notes from the Post-it Wall | Independence Day Edition

Seeing giant American flags draped across giant crosses as I drive through central Illinois… I love how the irony of crucifying the flag is completely lost on these patriots.

Don Hall 7/3/20 Don Hall 7/3/20

Trial by Instagram and the Cynical Wielding of New Power

In practice, this guy was almost a poster boy for the entire concept of allyship. He was the fucking Tom Cruise of white allies. There were two problems with Harrington that his work and effort could not overcome. He was white and his business had an Instagram account.