The Death Penalty Remains an Example of an Objective Concept That is Always Used Subjectively

Christa Pike was set to be executed. Until she wasn't, but then it was ruled she could be one of the first women in many years to be legally killed in the state of Tennessee. Then, it went horribly awry, and two doses of a drug that were supposed to kill her failed. She is now on a ventilator and unconscious. In summary, an attempt to kill someone failed, so now she's being kept on life support. America, if we fail to kill you, we'll barely keep you alive! In all seriousness, however, this goes back to my post in 2022, "The Death Penalty is Arguably Useless as a Deterrent and Often Used Unfairly." If you recall that post or check it out now, I touch upon how the Death Penalty would work in a perfectly objective World, but we live in a subjective reality. It is supposed to be a deterrent, but it is often used in ways that are racially motivated, impacted by gender, and so forth. 

I would agree that certain people are not fit to walk this Earth. There are horrible excuses for human beings out there doing unspeakable things to others. When we have people with their own opinions, preconceptions, and such choosing who is sentenced to live or die, however, that just ain't gonna work out. A black man could kill a single white male or female and be sentenced to death. A white person could commit a mass shooting and end up with life in prison. If we let the government decide, "Oh, this person who did this exact same crime gets this sentence, but this person gets this one," you create a huge space for bias to impact the supposed idea of, "Justice is blind." Let's be real, ya'll, if that were true, the criminal justice system wouldn't look the way it does in regard to high incarceration (and execution) rates of people of color, men, and especially black men.

Christa Pike is a white woman; she is a bit of an outlier when it comes to people sentenced to death. That is one reason her case got so much attention, and then the state's failure to kill her resulted in even more of a media fiasco. You know a good way to avoid botched executions? Get rid of the death penalty! You know how to avoid putting potentially innocent people to death (which has happened, and even once is too much)? Get rid of the death penalty? Do you know how you can try to reduce the use of execution as a tool unfairly used on minority populations? Again, you get rid of it! People are prone to feelings and not using logic. If someone threatened or hurt my family, I would probably go to extreme lengths to protect them or feel some kind of revenge--and I know that is wrong, but we as humans operate on emotion. The legal system is supposed to be fair. It clearly is not, but at least if we abolish the death penalty, we can reduce one example of a concept that should be objective in how it is used, but only ever finds its application occurring due to subjective reasoning.

Iced Coffee at an Interview? Personally, I Bring Coffee Everywhere!

Coffee, it is a wondrous thing. Suppose you told me I could go to an alternate universe where everything is practically perfect, but coffee, somehow, doesn't exist. Fraknly, I would really hesitate to commit to even visiting such a place. I understand how some people don't like coffee. I know folks like that. I call some of them friends or loved ones, but readers, they are wrong. Dead wrong. Coffee is one of the best things ever, and I have been drinking it so long I am pretty sure I'd have to snort espresso beans to feel much of a caffeine effect. No, I just drink coffee for the love of the game. Black, no cream or sugar, generally a nice blonde or medium roast. If it is too dark, I'll add some water, like a poor man's Americano. If you're drinking coffee, I approve. Hot or cold, with cream or sugar, just let me know you drink the stuff; even if I despise you for countless reasons, I may be kind enough to add, "At least he/she drinks coffee, so they can't be all bad." If you drink coffee, we at least have something in common, so why the Hell would I care if you bring iced coffee to an interview? How is that a, "Red flag?"

In the past, anytime I'd go to a job interview, I'd try to be prepared. I would have my own pen, notepad, an extra copy of my resume, and something to drink. Perhaps a bottle of water, maybe a tumbler with coffee (hot or cold). I wouldn't bring soda because then I'd be burping through a whole interview, and that would be tacky. Having something to sip helped ensure I didn't suddenly get dry mouth, and it gave me an action to do besides annoyingly tapping my pen, fidgeting, etc. All of that said, in September the idea of whether or not it was, "Appropriate," to bring iced coffee to an interview blew up online. Caitlin Wehniainen is a job recruiter, and she made an internet video urging Gen Z applicants not to show up with a Dunkin' iced coffee in hand, lest they look too casual, as if they were out running errands and stopped by to look into a job--yet, mostly uninterested in a career. In other words, don't look like you have an identity outside of an office; try to be more like an, "Innie," character from, "Severance," who exists only within their workspace. This resulted in most of the generations taking shots at each other, with Generation Z, Millennials, and Baby Boomers all calling each other fools whilst Generation X did their usual thing of sitting on the sidelines and disinterestedly watching the World burn.

There is no winner in this argument, as Brian Phillips over at The Ringer points out. We have generational divides, questions of classism, and all kinds of sociocultural baggage to break down when it comes to whether you should or should not bring your iced coffee to a job interview. Personally, if I were hiring anybody for anything, I would just be pleased to see they enjoy coffee in any form! The only time I would say you shouldn't bring coffee somewhere is perhaps if you did have a big ol' cup from Dunkin or Starbucks and were interviewing at an independent coffee shop; that would be off-putting. That said, I'll be bringing coffee with me everywhere for the foreseeable future--hot, iced, or whatever.

Film Friday: James Gunn and Peter Safran's Jobs are Safe With New Owners Skydance/Paramount

Remember when Netflix was going to acquire Warner Brothers Discovery and the deal was all but done? Recall how Skydance/Paramount wouldn't quit trying to make itself the owner, and kept at it until Netflix said, "Screw it, we're out," and walked away, with Skydance/Paramount, "Winning?" Well, Skydance/Paramount has gotten past a bunch of legal questions and has maneuvered itself to being an even bigger entertainment company than ever, with the head  (David Ellison) being known as a bit of an asshole, much like his Father (a Reddit post from 12 years ago about Larry illustrates it's been this way for some time). I'm not saying that just because they're chummy with Donald Trump, the Ellisons just seem to have few fans, and many folks out there find them genuinely unpleasant. They've got a shiny new company added to their conglomerate, however, and within that company is another in the form of DC with all its comics and movies. Will the Ellisons care much about the comic-book aspect, or view it as such a tiny part of their portfolio that they let it keep chugging along (as long as it remains useful in some capacity)? I am unsure, but when it comes specifically to the DC Cinematic and television slate, nothing much is changing for now.

Yes, James Gunn and Peter Safran have been told they're welcome to keep doing what they're doing for the DCU and stay on board with SkyBrothers...Warnermount...whatever. There have been hit flicks (the latest, "Superman,"), and both the second season of, "Peacemaker," and debut season of, "Lanterns," generally have received glowing reviews (plus solid viewership). Yes, "Supergirl," was a bit of a flop, and this month's debut of, "Clayface," remains a big unknown factor in how well or poorly it could perform. However, Gunn and Safran are secure, at least, "Initially," as reports indicate--with who they report to being more of a question mark as WBD itself is seeing shakeups. I'd say the rest of 2026 and how the Superman sequel does in 2027 will determine a good deal of what exactly happens next in terms of how DC's cinematic and comic content is treated within the new SkyParaWarBroDiscovery Corp.

The, "Good," Guys/Gals Don't Ban the Press From Asking Questions

Those who are generally judged by history to be the, "Good," guys or gals don't do certain things. They don't try to ban books. They don't try to keep the population ignorant by cutting education programs. They especially don't try to make a free press the enemy. Donald Trump is not a, "Good guy," of course. Hence, it comes as little surprise when he rails against the, "Biased/crooked/Democrat and dumb with a B," media. As his fascistic efforts continue to increase on the daily, he's taken to outright banning CNN, MS NOW, and Politico reporters from the White House. I'm talking full-on turning them away at the doors and confiscating press passes. Perhaps he can legally do this and isn't violating the Constitution, but it is another step in a series of (many) actions towards trying to silence any criticism, dissent, or questioning of Trump. 

It is legal for Trump to refuse to speak with certain news outlets or even let them into the White House, okay, fine. I'd still argue it certainly puts a chill on the idea of the freedom of the press if anyone he considers, "Fake news," can simply be tossed out of his Presidential mansion as if they were Jazz on, "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." Throughout history, presidents have understood the importance of a free press, even if they didn't always like it. Now, Trump is like that kid at the playground who's making up rules, and when you call him out declares he's taking his ball and running home to pout/rage-tweet--and he's locking the door so you can't come in! Again, I'm not surprised. When you're Donald Trump anyone who doesn't relentlessly kiss your ass is the enemy. The media, Democrats, Republicans who refuse to fawn over him, and that employee at McDonald's who he's convinced intentionally left a nugget out of his 20-piece order are all on his, "List," I imagine. I can kind of understand why some people voted for him the first time, but how this vengeful, petty, shallow, and awful shell of a man got re-elected will forever puzzle and sadden me. Despite what Trump and his MAGA cult may claim, he ain't ever going to be the good guy--his actions have made that abundantly clear

Three Random Magazines I've Been Enjoying Lately

I enjoy reading print media. I mean, this blog has always had a heavy comic-book focus, and you know my preference for those to be in a physical format 99% of the time! One thing that has struggled at times but refuses to go away is magazines. There may not be as many on the stands these days as decades ago, but periodicals persist! With that in mind, I wanted to talk about three quite different magazines I've been enjoying lately, from newest to oldest...

The Comics Staple

I've written before about how I am fond of, "The Comics Courier," with its in-depth examination of the comic artform. A bit ago, the folks behind it did a Kickstarter for, "The Comics Staple." This is more of a 'zine-format publication that goes out monthly. It is loaded with reviews and shorter (but still great) think pieces than the (literally) bigger Courier. I adored the debut issue and eagerly await the next one. You can subscribe to get future issues, and I'd recommend doing so!

Camp Out Magazine

Orderable online here (be aware the site is not exactly safe for work) or now on shelves at a variety of Barnes and Noble locations, "Camp Out Magazine," is a throwback-styled mix of sexy and funny. As the site explains, the magazine, "is a modern day, 50's style camp, nudie pin-up magazine!" Created and run by Christine Fury, it doesn't offer subscriptions or digital copies, with the focus being on print! The photo sets are saucy but tasteful, and the whole vibe is laid-back and fun. 31 issues have been produced, and I look forward to (hopefully) many more.

The Atlantic

Considering its started in 1857, "The Atlantic," is indeed quite an older publication! Full of great long-form journalism, I'd been aware of, "The Atlantic," but until recently had never read it much outside of this one time when they did a big piece on Marvel. I have read "Time Magazine," at various points in my life, so I enjoy news magazines--I am unsure why, "The Atalntic," had been missed by me for so long. In the past handful of months, however, I would see an article that looked interesting and find out it was published by, "The Atlantic." This has resulted in me becoming a good deal interested in this newspaper-magazine hybrid. I appreciate the superb, fact-checked writing. Yes, it is a bit alarming when saying how a publication is factual is an accolade instead of a statement of expectation, but that's 2026 for ya. 169 years since, "The Atlantic," began and skilled journalism remains as important as ever (if not more so).

25 Years Ago

9/11/2001 was 25 years ago. Unlike some days in the past that are pretty unremarkable, it remains starkly remembered by pretty much any U.S. citizen who lived through it. Terrorists struck multiple major landmarks to make a statement (spare me any conspiracy theories; it was our nation's incompetence that got us attacked, as opposed to some ingenious inside-job plan), resulting in damage to the Pentagon as well as the total destruction of the World Trade Center Twin Towers and Tower 7, with the others suffering catastrophic damage. I was in 8th grade, and we watched everything unfold on the televisions in our classrooms after it became apparent this was no singular accident (when the first Tower was struck, it was assumed to be some kind of mistake).

 9/11/2001 was a messy, weird day, followed by weeks of confusion from citizens and our Government itself. It provided the George W. Bush administration with enough support to not just go after the Taliban in Afghanistan, but to engage in a separate war built upon lies with Iraq, whilst also implementing the Patriot Act, one of the first small steps taken to chip away at individual liberties and put in place various kinds of mass surveillance programs that have only grown in size and scope since then. I'll often see folks look back at that day as tragic, but then have a weird nostalgia for 9/12/2001, discussing how we came together as a Nation and realized we needed to help and be kind to each other. Ya'll, that is some revisionist bullshit (as many will tell you).

In the days after 9/11, there were people who did good deeds; that is true. People in New York City tried to help with rescue efforts and clean-up; millions donated blood (even though much of it expired and went to waste). Lots of folks bought American flags to proudly fly from their porch. There was a swell of patriotism, but also Xenophobia and rage. People were talking about bombing various countries with weapons up to and even including nuclear weapons. Anyone who looked/sounded/seemed Arabic was viewed with suspicion and hatred, regardless of whether they were any form of Muslim or instead Sikh, Hindu, etc. Parts of America came together, yes, united in fury and bloodlust. It wasn't some magical time of unity--it was a time of trauma and anger. A time of pain as our Nation came to terms with how it was viewed by the rest of the World (not always favorably), and proceeded to use any International goodwill it could to wage all kinds of battles that at first made sense but then became increasingly questionable. I mean, remember the Axis of Evil and how it lumped a bunch of random, unrelated countries together like some video-game-esque ranking of boss battles? 

9/11/2001 was a tragedy, and the way many used it for political purposes or to make a buck was a travesty. I'm not so cynical as to ask, "Did the Terrorists Win?" as Rolling Stone just did. I will agree that America is more divided than ever, personal liberties keep getting eroded, efforts continue to be made to make voting harder (or votes simply not count), and so forth. America and its concept of freedom is an idea, however, and you can't kill an idea. You can try to twist and manipulate what America is into something unrecognizable that furthers your own goals. You can try to placate the populace with half-truths and outright lies, acting like everything is great when it really isn't. You can try to shut down any dissent or those who would question the people in power in America. You can do all that, but the idea persists that America is the land of the free and the home of the brave. Nobody can stop that, whether they be terrorists trying to instill fear, or people within our own Nation working on implementing laws and policies that are counter to the idea of, "Liberty and justice and for all." 

I've always said if I ran for political office (I have zero intent to do so, but if I did) I would ask Lee Greenwood for permission to play, "God Bless the USA," at events because even though the GOP has tried to claim it as some kind of anthem, it is a beautiful tune that rings true. I am proud to be an American and love this country and all it could accomplish. I don't want our country to suffer from forces outside or within. I won't forget 9/11/2001, because it was a day of shock, pain, and serves as a prime example of how, anytime there is something devastating that occurs--no matter how awful--there will be people ready to take advantage of the situation for their own means. It's been 25 years since 9/11/2001, and we have illustrated that America, the idea, cannot be extinguished. America, the country, remains as messy and troubled as ever, though.

September 2026 is Moving Along with Some News and Links

We are in the swing of September, and a variety of interesting things have already occurred as of late. Let's discuss some...

Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo yesterday. It seems cool and is a potentially big metaphorical swing for the company. There is an outer screen that looks like a more standard iPhone, but then it folds open like a little book to reveal a bigger screen--it has been compared to popping open a passport. Other (new) folding phones have been around for a bit in the Android sphere of tech, but this is Apple's first foray into a folding phone. This seems to be a bit of a bridge between an iPhone and an iPad Mini. I'm intrigued, but upon hearing that it will cost a dollar less than 2 grand, I'll pass for now. The first generation of Apple products tends to be quite pricey, and later versions that eventually come out are a bit less exorbitant.

Also in tech news, Hideo Kojima is a game developer who has worked closely with Sony for decades, but now he's jumping over to Microsoft--their Xbox console, specifically. A tweet from Sony made it appear as if everyone is on good terms, while Kojima discussed on social media how Sony pulled the plug on his studio's game, "Physint," back in June. He described how everyone had scrambled to find a new partner up until now. Sony says any parting of ways was mutual; Kojima's version sounds more like a bitter breakup where Sony did him wrong. Between this, Sony dropping physical discs from their new console, and just recently arguing in court that gamers don't, "Own," digital purchases, I'd say Sony is having a rough 2026 in terms of optics.

The upcoming, "Avengers: Doomsday," has a lot riding on it for Marvel (and owner Disney). It simultaneously looks kind of cool and as if everything but the kitchen sink is being thrown out there in the hopes of a big hit flick. One encouraging sign of success is that it has already made about 50 million dollars in pre-sale tickets, with three-ish months still to go until the premiere on December 18th. Considering how much was spent making the movie (and will continue to be spent to promote it), that's probably a drop in the bucket, but a promising one.

"The Fury of Firestorm," was solicited as a six-issue mini-series by Jeff Lemire and Rafael de Latorre. It was really good and a hit. Hence, it grew to eight, nine, and now 15 total planned issues! It is interesting, in a time when Marvel seems to cancel stuff before it can really get going, that DC chooses to expand certain series.

In WTF-styled political news, Donald Trump recently claimed that if Republicans can take the House and the Senate in November, he'll make sure every American gets $5,000. Putting aside how it sounds like a weird bribe, the question of where this money would come from, and how we're all still waiting on our DOGE checks and Tariff refunds...what? I mean, if someone were a Republican or Democrat and made the statement that if I vote for their party and the candidates they like, I'll be given money, I'd be incredibly disturbed by the implication that someone thinks they can outright buy my vote--whether the way they're going about it is legal or not.

Finally, I continue to miss The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which was canceled for purely financial reasons--right? I kind of recall fellow late-night host Jimmy Kimmel said he felt concerned when The Late Show went off the air--alluding to it feeling like the first domino of many falling, or such. Well, now there are ample rumors swirling that, "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" could be canceled and end in May of 2027. ABC released a statement that carefully avoided actually stating that the reports were incorrect. At this rate, anyone who dares to question the Trump administration via jokes that point out how much of a buffon he is seems to be in danger of losing their platform--lest the big companies who broadcast the shows suffer any financial strain from a vengeful and idiotic White House. It makes me worry Seth Meyers' show could be in trouble as well, sooner rather than later. Jimmy Fallon will probably be fine, as over the years he's become increasingly spineless and boring to watch.

Wrestler Dustin Rhodes Did Something We All Worry We'd Do, He Liked a Post Without Realizing It's Whole Context

Have you ever seen a post online that made you laugh, caught your eye for some reason, or seemed interesting? Did you click that you, "Liked," it or shared it with followers? We all have often done that, but sometimes a post that looks harmless at first glance has other content we missed, and our liking or sharing of it looks bad. I often worry I won't read a whole post/examine a picture and caption closely enough, and I'll indicate my enjoyment of something I totally missed some context of. Well, Dustin Rhodes had that happen to him and I 100% believe his apology that it was an accident because it sounds like something we'd all do with anything that interested us.

Dustin Rhodes was on Twitter/X and is known for liking firearms and women, but not for being transphobic or Islamophobic. He saw a picture that featured a woman with a large bust and a gun he thought was cool, so he clicked, "Like," and went about his day. However, what Rhodes missed with his selective reading was a caption saying, "Hey ISLAM, come at [sic] take it. I dare ya," and he failed to notice the text on the woman's shirt, which featured a women's restroom sign and more, "Come and take it," text. Rhodes saw a pretty lady with a gun when he was skimming the internet but failed to notice how much hateful context was packed into the image and caption. Uh oh. Observe the tweet:

"The controversy quickly drew a response from TNA star Mustafa Ali, prompting Rhodes to publicly explain his actions and issue an apology." Ali is Muslim and was confused seeing a fellow wrestler who has only ever shown him respect, "Liking," a tweet packed with so much hate. Rhodes clarified he had selectively read the tweet, liked the firearm, and paid little attention to the rest of the post. He's a 57-year-old dude who likes women and guns; I can buy that his primal brain overrode any logic or taking the time to read the tweet. Ali accepted Rhodes' apology, and Rhodes said he was, "100% against," the messages in the post. The response from wrestling fans on assorted sites has varied from, "Glad they worked it out civilly," to, "I totally missed the text as well in that tweet," to, some whining that Rhodes didn't have to apologize for a simple misunderstanding. At the end of the day, it goes to show that taking an extra second to make sure you really read a tweet/post/whatever is smart, lest you end up appearing to agree with something far and away from your actual views.

"Gastronomique," #1 is Quite Sexy, Extremely Political, and Kind of Gross. I'm a Fan!

I'm going to sound a bit like the character Stefon from, "Saturday Night Live," whenver he describes a nightclub that, "Has it all," because when discussing the first issue of, "Gastronomique," it really does have a lot--and that's a good thing! It contains historical fiction set that reimagines real people in different situations; it's got a lot of body horror, it has lesbian lovers enjoying each other's company in an old-timey tub, and it has a bit of supernatrural/metaphysical vibe riffing on concepts of evil, right versus wrong, and such. Oh, and the comic opens with people parading through the street with Marie Antoinette's bloody, decapitated head as they sing a cheerful tune about her death, just to give you an idea of the visceral vibe.

Published by BOOM! Studios, this new series is written by the immensely talented Marguerite Bennett and illustrated by Helena Masellis. With the French Revolution serving as the setting, the main focus of, "Gastronomique," seems to be following Lady Charlotte (a spy and assassin) as she attempts to hunt down Tarrare, a quite real and infamous individual who could eat seemingly anything (he ripped apart and ingested live animals in front of scientists amazed at his insatiable hunger). Tarrare is thought to have even engaged in cannibalism, with the idea he possibly ate a young child serving as a big motivator for the Lady's efforts to kill him. If you're into a queer, erotic, horror-thriller and aren't too squeamish (Masellis illustrates one detailed incident of Tarrare swallowing a live snake, whole), this looks to definitely be worth a read.

5 out of 5 Stars.

“Saturday Night Live,” Isn’t Back Till Late September

I always enjoy watching, “Saturday Night Live.” I will readily admit it has some episodes—Hell, some seasons— that are weak. It’s always at least somewhat enjoyable to watch, however, and when it has a superb skit, that’s always a treat. The fact it has lasted as many seasons as it has is itself impressive and miraculous, and there is plenty of material from the Summer the show had off to discuss/riff on. Last night I was wondering exactly how much longer we needed to wait for the show to be back, so I checked, and we are not getting season 52’s debut until September 26th, goodness! 

At the rate the world (and America, specifically) is going, who knows what else there could be to touch upon within the next month and a half or so. With the show having a strenuous schedule, it makes sense that the staff and cast need a good break, but I always miss SNL during the Summer. As we near the premiere of this newest season I imagine there will be more announcements about the cast, as one individual already declared their upcoming absence (Chloe Fineman left), and new additions always get folks talking with excitement or displeasure (some may recall the fiasco of when Shane Gillis was cast, then fired before appearing on the show...before he then ended up hosting a couple times). Basically, I’m looking forward to September 26th and seeing what the next season holds when it finally arrives.

Trump Already Wants to Steal the Midterms and is Plotting at 2028 Run as a, "Joke," Now

The other day, Trump put a hat on his head that, "Joked," to a bunch of news correspondents that he wanted to run a fourth time for a third term and continue to serve as President, in open defiance of many laws and the bedrock of our nation, the Constitution--the 22nd Amendment is pretty clear. The headlines from many major news sources emphasize the, "Joke," part. Not enough people are pointing out that he isn't joking, and those who are have to essentially scream it and are being dismissed. This is a man who has made it clear he will put aside any laws or facts to push his own agenda and beliefs. He continues to push the obvious lie that he won the 2020 Presidential election. 

Anyone who dares to challenge his claims of ending wars, fixing economies, or other flights of fancy is dumb (don't forget the B) for calling him out. Trump's version of reality is one where he always wins, and if he ever loses, it is because the other person cheated somehow. Meanwhile, he keeps trying his hardest to fix these, "Games," in his favor. After repeated efforts to make it harder to vote via various proposed laws/acts/and so forth, Trump is pushing the Supreme Court to let him make mail-in voting harder under the guise of, "Protecting," elections. He wants to consolidate and secure power, not for the Republican Party (that's a mean to an ends for him) but so that the Party can help him defy the rule of law and find some way for him to keep being President/ruler until the day comes when that last Big Mac does him in or JD Vance batters Trump with a freshly-humped couch cushion in the hopes he can get the top position of power he's been angling at for some time. Trump was never joking about his first run for President. He wasn't joking about undoing Roe v Wade, getting rid of USAID, installing himself as the head of the Kennedy Center, or anything else. 

Trump keeps saying things, and people go, "Oh, that Donald Trump loves being silly," as if he isn't looking us dead in the eyes (with his own dead eyes) and telling us his actual intentions. The only time Trump seems to like saying the truth is when it is delivered as if it is a joke. When someone at your job comes to your office, shows you a knife and, "Jokes," with a shockingly straight face about stabbing you next week, it really is your own damn fault if you're surprised when seven days later you take a knife to the hand during your budget presentation. Trump is showing us his weapon in the form of  a, "Silly," hat and isn't even trying to be subtle in his efforts to bring harm with his fascist rule. If Trump truly does want us to giggle, it is only so we're distracted whilst he delivers the killing blow to democracy and his MAGA cult cheers it on. We've had years to realize that you downplay his danger to society at your own risk, yet it is a lesson much of America refuses to learn. Watch this year's midterms, as it'll serve as the blueprint for what Trump attempts in 2028.

The First Issue of, "Moonjiggle," is Spicy, Clever, and Hilarious

Space Between Entertainment is a smaller independent publisher I am familiar with, as I've followed the work of creator Pat Shand for years and he does a lot with them--which makes sense as he founded and owns the company! SBE recently released print and digital copies of a new series, "Moonjiggle." It is written by Dave Franchini with art by Bamburat. It is a bit of a tongue-in-cheek satire that heavily mocks concepts of censorship through sci-fi metaphors. A regime dedicated to eliminating concepts of pleasure and free love known as The Puritanus (a bit of clever wordplay with that name), is after a ragtag group made up of sexy (and often horny) space folk due to how they've got an artifact capable of directing the holder to a galaxy full of romance/pleasure/etc. It is a fun parody of old sci-fi that isn't outright pornographic (there are plenty of non-sexual moments and jokes) but has some panels that are definitely explicit. Don't let the action-packed or titillating moments overshadow the fact that this first issue is packed full of clever symbolism, however. One could easily use the lens of our present-day society and its views of sexuality in any form beyond what is heteronormative and, "Traditional/vanilla," as our current-day society has its own, "Puritanus," forces.

Bamburat's art is superb, whether providing readers with quite detailed examples of gentilia, fights breaking out, or spaceships rocketing to safety. "Moonjiggle," is the perfect blend of having a vintage, "Sexplotation," sci-fi vibe (gotta love a classic like, "Barbarella,") mixed with some sharp political satire. Should that sound like a good time, I'd highly recommend getting a copy in digital or physical form for yourself!

5 out of 5 Stars.

Okay, so Lettuce is Giving Everyone Uncontrollable Diarrhea?

America has been facing a large number of cyclosporiasis cases. It is a parasite that makes someone really sick to the point they have explosive, watery, unstoppable diarrhea. Not a fun time, in other words. People have been hospitalized due to how sick they've gotten, and enough Taco Bell restaurants have been liked to cases that in various locations they have stopped putting certain vegetables in their meals--and that's a restaurant generally associated with blowing up the toilet! It seems the culprit may be lettuce and other salad greens that were contaminated. Basically, if you needed an excuse to pass on the salad and instead dig into a bag of potato chips, here you go.

In all seriousness, the fact that our current government has massively cut funding to the CDC, and parasite monitoring as well makes it less-than-surprising that it has taken a bit of time for anyone to get much of a lead on this. Everyone likes to say certain government programs/initiatives/whatever are pointless and we should save money by getting rid of them. Then, lo and behold, something that certain people said was a waste of cash turns into a huge issue (hello there, screwworm). Public health is like an escalator, in some ways. You don't particularly take note of it when everything is working as intended. Then, somebody decides not to worry as much about maintenance, the escalator breaks, and we all become very aware of it being an issue as we trek up the stairs that should be carrying us up. Things may only get worse, I worry, as the results of things that, "Aren't important," getting cut continue to become apparent.

Lindsay Graham Died, Sam Neill Died, and People Think the GOP is Faking Mitch McConnell's Alive ? What a Week!

This week marked the sudden passing of Senator Lindsay Graham, and not too long later, the unexpected passing of Sam Neill. Graham's passing resulted in a ton of jokes and vitriol. Everyone pointed out how much he hated Donald Trump and seemed to have principles...before suddenly becoming one of Trump's biggest cheerleaders and excusers when it served him to keep his political power. Also, the supposedly open secret that he was gay in his personal life, whilst in his political career, pushing an extremely anti-LGBTQ agenda, has been covered extensively. 

Few seemed to mourn him, while Sam Neill's passing had a ton of folk upset. He had shared a cancer diagnosis some years ago, but was in remission. He'd discussed how he wasn't afraid of dying but it would, "Annoy," him. Neill was, by all accounts, a really nice person and skilled actor who wasn't afraid to lean into the humor about how he was, "The Jurassic Park guy," with that being one of his most beloved roles. I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, but I will say I'd hope that when I die, people react more in a manner like with Neill than Graham.

While all of this has been going on, the internet has, for a handful of weeks, been debating if Mitch McConnell is alive and healthy, on life support, brain-dead, or simply dead, period. He had a mystery health scare and didn't appear in public or say anything for weeks. Fellow members of the GOP, friends, and aides claimed they had chatted with him on the phone for 20 minutes or more, and he was perfectly fine...but then freaked out when asked to give Mitch a ring. Rumors swirled this was to stop a special election or such, and once we hit August, then it would be revealed Mitch had, "Suddenly," died. With Graham's passing the jokes got even crazier about it being a conspiracy/distraction or proof that Mitch must be fine because how could his death be hidden if Graham's went public so fast? From riffs on, "Weekend at Bernie's" and more, everyone has been cracking wise, with a supposedly, "Casual," photo of McConnel feeling perfectly fine after needing some hospitalization due to a simple fall (with a recent newspaper just happening to be nearby), only inadvertently egging the jests on more.

The one thing I, personally, find hilarious is anyone in the GOP acting offended at these, "Mean liberals," stating hurtful things about Graham or McConnell. Anytime someone Donald Trump disliked has died he wastes no time in saying despicable things about them. Rob Reiner was mocked and Robert Mueller's death was greeted with the statement that it was, "Good," that it happened. When your party's poster child says worse things online than even the meanest high school bullies, you can't exactly clutch your pearls when people quip about Graham's funeral being, "Open closet," or put an AI video of a zombie McConnell dancing to, "Thriller," on TikTok. 

It goes to show just how bad the reputation of Republicans has become when people don't even believe the party stating one of their Senators is recovering just fine and chilling in a hospital bed as opposed to a slab in the morgue. I mean, Trump tells more lies than truths while at the same time having no filter, so maybe ask him about it so he can say, "Oh yeah, Mitch is doing fine, such a shame he's dead though. Oh, did I tell you about my latest cognitive test?" and that'll settle the mystery. For now, we know Graham and Neill are dead, and the public had very different reactions. As for McConnell...stay tuned?

Television Tuesday: Are We Even Supposed to Root for the Couples on, "90 Day Fiancé," Anymore?

"90 Day Fiancé," is a franchise that rivals the Marvel Cinematic Universe in its size and scope. The first season of the original series launched in January of 2014. The idea was to follow a couple where one lived in America and the other in a foreign country. Through the K-1 Visa process, the (potentially) future spouse was coming to the U.S., and they had 90 days (per the Visa) to either get married or leave the country voluntarily if the planned marriage did not happen. The show was a hit and spawned so, so many spin-offs. Over twelve years later, and you've got folks who are basically celebrities thanks to the show. Some couples appeared, and everyone forgot them, but other folks became fan favorites and famous (or infamous) for their behavior. We've got couples meeting before the 90-day process, those going, "The Other Way," people from the show who are currently without a spouse and living, "The Single Life," and the list goes on. Some couples are being followed on, "Happy Ever After?" and others are about ready to break up and at, "The Last Resort." Certain individuals got their own show, such as Darcy and Stacy or, "The Family Chantel." There was a short-lived cooking show, for goodness sake! It enjoy much of the franchise, but one little thing has been bugging me. I feel like there is this nagging question of whether, somewhere along the way, we weren't supposed to actually root for the couples anymore?

The earlier years of the 90 Day behemoth had some real characters, yes, but there were plenty of couples who seemed to deeply love each other and be relatively well-adjusted adults. Plenty of those, "Early," cast members are still together. Some couples have had children and are living their best lives. Even people who appeared on the show some years later often seem dedicated to trying to make their love work through patience, conversations, empathy, and otherwise being decent human beings--Kenny and Armondo are one of the first LGBTQ couples who first appeared on, "The Other Way," show (in 2020) and care about each other so much. Yet, as time has gone on, I would say that if we put it bluntly, shit's gone crazy. Yes, we've always had people like Angela Deem or good ol' Colt Johnson popping up in the 90-day Universe, but there were stable or at least stable-ish people too. Now, whenever a new couple enters the franchise on their own K-1 Visa journey, at least one person seems extremely problematic in some way, if not both individuals. 

Kobe and Emily, a rare later-series couple (debuted season 9) who are still happy.
Plus, BOTH seem like cool folks.

This latest season of the OG show (we're now in the middle of season 12) we have someone blaming OCD for a clear case of alcoholism (Catie), a business exec (Marrisa) who can't stop belittling the supposed new love of her life, a serial cheater (Shea), an amateur actor (Mido) who seems to be conning his future wife, someone whose dedication to Christinaity seems to give them their own God complex (Ashia), a couple who like to just constantly be petty at each other (Thomas & Paula), and Mallorie and Rașit who argue a ton about a guy friend she has as well as some money she's got in a trust. In previous seasons, that last couple would be considered rocky, but now, they seem the most stable and reasonable out of all the madness. If I'm watching a show about international love but screaming at the screen that almost everyone needs to break up, that's a problem. 

To the show's credit, sometimes the American is awful, and sometimes the foreign love is a monster...so hooray for proving terrible guys and gals can be found anywhere in the World? Seriously, though, the message of this show has morphed from, "Love knows no borders," to, "Look at these jerks from all around the World!" All of that said, I'm still watching a number of the shows and do enjoy both the happy couples and the messy ones. We just seem to get a lot more disasters of relationships to rubberneck than ones to support and cheer about. I mean, drama is going to get more attention than stability, so there ya go.

July 4th, 2026. America at a Critical Juncture

Last July 4th, I apologized to America, or at least the concept of what America could be, for what had become of the nation under Donald Trump and the GOP. Things most definitely have not become better, but the fight continues to save some shred of America's soul. America will be 250 years old, and keeps suffering as those in power keep telling outright lies whilst blaming minorities/immigrants/LGBTQ folks/etc. for any problems. Demonizing others and stoking the flames of hatred...all in the name of making a bunch of money via a massive grift. Seriously, it is disgusting the amount of money Trump and his family have raked in whilst destroying the nation piece-by-piece--sometimes literally in the case of D.C.'s reflecting pool-turned-alage-ridden-swamp. That said, the fight goes on. Whether on a smaller scale with cities, on a larger scale in states, or at the Federal level. 

It, of course, is not just Republicans/conservatives trying to wreck things. Plenty of Democrats lately seem to like declaring how they are, "Centrists," who would rather just go with the flow of the Nation and avoid rocking any metaphorical boat even if that, "Flow," is more of a tidal wave that will doom us all. It shocks me how a lot of supposed moderate Democrats seem eager to viciously fight against anyone a bit too liberal for their liking in primaries, while offering barely any resistance towards a surreally fascistic right-wing. The one compliment I'll pay conservatives is that even when certain elements of the party will hold various views on certain things, they quite often all stick together and unify behind whatever/whoever becomes the party's focus...even if for the past decade or so that, "Focus," has been a hateful excuse for a human being. Whether it's in-fighting or focusing energy where it belongs, the battle for America keeps going. It can be discouraging, exhausting, and otherwise seem pointless, but giving in to despair or outright giving up will stop things from ever getting better. America is 250 years old and finds itself at a crossroads. Whether the country ends up rushing towards destruction or a bright future will quite likely be determined in the next handful of years or even months.

Sony is Killing Disc-Based Games, Physical Media Continues to Disappear

Sony has announced that, come 2028, games will no longer have physical disc releases. Everything will be digital on the PlayStation store or those little download codes in boxes at retailers. This will, in essence, kill the resale market for any new video-games games and really makes it look like the PlayStation 6 could be coming in 2028, and will be digital-only. We've had the option of digital-only consoles for some time (Xbox Series S springs to mind), but that being the sole option is worrisome for reasons I have outlined in various posts. You don't truly own that digital content, after all, and it could get harder to access at any point in the future. As if to drive this point home, Sony also announced it was shutting down the virtual stores for the PS3 and Vita--so download any games or updates while you still can! The internet is, to put it simply, enraged/pissed/big mad. 

In this day and age, even if a ton of sales are digital, having physical options makes it easier to rent a game, check it out from the library, borrow it from a friend, or otherwise do things that save consumers money. Then again, I suppose that costs companies some extra bucks they want to squeeze from people. Between AI chatbots that almost seem eerily self-aware and spew misinformation, the rise of science denial or political faelshoods (an alarming number of people insist the Earth is flat, vaccines cause autism, and any election their candidate didn't win was rigged), everything becoming a subscription service, and basic human rights being under attack (marriage equality, the right to an abortion, trans rights, and the list goes on), this future we're rapidly speeding towards seems more like a brick wall of destruction than an open road of progress. You know, Marion Stokes spent decades operating many VCRS so that she could tape hundreds of hours of television. She was a librarian, T.V. producer, and activist who was concerned that if we didn't have a record of what really happened in history, lies and falsehoods would be easy to spread with zero proof to counter them. Now, everything may end up digital and easy to alter without anyone noticing. My point is, she had a pretty solid argument.

The Continued Fear of a Black First Lady, All These Years Later

I want to talk about June 14th, 2026. However, in order to do that, I feel a need to take us back to 1990, then 2008. Bear with me.

It's April 10th, 1990. Public Enemy has released their third studio album, "Fear of a Black Planet." The title is a metaphor for the growing anxiety of white folk--specifically in America--about the growing economic, political, and social power of black people. A critical and commercial hit, it was controversial, edgy, and is found now on many, "Best albums ever,"-type lists.

It's November 8th, 2008. Barack Obama has been elected the 44th President of the United States. Everyone thought Hillary Clinton would crush him in the primaries, but Obama's amazing speeches, easy-to-like personality, laid-back demeanor, and general magnetism assisted him in beating John McCain for the office of the President. Some people use this occasion to remark that racism is somehow over. That remains wholly false. It shows that sometimes, racism can be overcome. If the person running for President is black, America will overlook/"Allow," it if he's super-smart, one of the best public speakers ever, has little to no skeletons in his closet. After all, "At least he's still a guy." 

Barack's wife is a beautiful, smart woman named Michelle who has spent her life committed to various causes aimed at helping others. Obama will serve two full terms, and before leaving office in January of 2016, will receive some of the most vicious, hateful treatment from the media and general populace any political figure could imagine. Arguably, the only person to get it worse during those eight years is Michelle.

Inauguration Day, January 20th, 2009

It's June 14th, 2026. Donald Trump is President, again, after serving from 2016 to 2020. He's only the second person to ever serve two nonconsecutive terms (the other is Grover Cleveland). It is the 250th birthday of America, and it also happens to be Trump's 80th birthday. The White House lawn is featuring a number of UFC bouts. The head of the UFC happens to be friends with Trump. The event is streaming exclusively on Paramount+, with its owner also happening to be a chum of Trump. 

A man named Josh Hokit wins his fight against Derrick Lewis, and during his post-match interview with Joe Rogan (because, of course, he has to be in this story somehow), Hokit randomly declares, “And lastly ‒ Michelle Obama is a man! Am I right, America?” It's 2026, but somehow it is simultaneously 2008, 1990, the Jim Crow era, and all the way back to the past when a white person first decided that a black person was somehow, "Less than," them. "Fear of a Black Planet," shifts into a smaller-scale but just as potent fear of a black First Lady. Almost ten years later, Barack and Michelle somehow still take up so much space in many conservatives' heads.

I sit here, now, on June 15th. I am not surprised in the least that Donald Trump had a bunch of people pummel each other on the lawn of the Capitol as a birthday gift to himself. I am also not surprised that someone said something horrific about the Obamas because even though it's nearly been a decade since Barack has held office with his wife as First Lady, Donald Trump and others just can't--as Elsa would sing, "Let it go." Let it go Obama was a good (but not great) President. Let it go people will always like him more than Trump. Let it go that he's just genuinely a better human than Trump, which might be part of the problem.

Barack and Michelle were too perfect for conservatives. There must be some dark secret. A popular conspiracy theory that started to spring up was that Michelle was somehow formerly a man, or still secretly a man. This rose to prominence along with the other old chestnuts that Barack was born in Africa or a secret Muslim. This way, you could also throw in some homophobia and transphobia with the racist/religious attacks. None of these ideas are rooted in facts, but to some people they just feel true. Falsehoods don't care about facts; they thrive on half-truths and imaginings.

Michelle Obama once said, "When they go low, we go high." A wonderful sentiment, a thought I respect. That said, I sadly disagree. I am more with popular radio personality Lenard McKelvey AKA Charlamagne tha God, who counters that statement with the idea that when they go low, sometimes you have to go down to the floor with them. Democrats and their philosophy that they are too good to, "...get down in the mud with the fucking elephants," (a great quote from the movie, "The Ides of March,") has resulted in the party looking weak, ineffective, and capable of earning defeat in situations where victory should all but be assured. 

The first time Trump, "Won," against Hillary Clinton, he lost the popular vote. That is true, despite Trump's loud protestations otherwise. The second time he ran, Trump lost to Joe Biden. On the third occasion, he handily defeated Kamala Harris (if America can barely stand a black first lady, it seems it will all but surely decline a black and female President), with Trump saying awful things and showing awful tendencies the whole time he was running. America wanted the (supposedly) rich, loud, angry fool--as long as he was white.

We're still here, June 15th of 2026. I still am not surprised at how bad things have become politically. I hold some hope, and a lot of rage. Rage can lead to destruction or simply feeling defeated. It can also inspire action to make things better. I've worked with political groups on smaller scales and larger scales quite recently in an effort to focus the anger positively. It is 2026, and America has a fear of a black planet, an LGBTQ planet, or frankly, any kind of planet with equality and diversity. That doesn't mean we'll stop fighting for it. We will go high, low, or any direction necessary to bring about positive change.

Some People Are Mad at the new, "God of War: Laufey," Because You Play as a Female Character. Wait, Seriously?

“God of War,” is a long-running game series. The earlier ones were extremely over the top and followed a protagonist named Kratos as he killed a bunch of Gods who had wronged him. The series restarted its numbering for a new thematic era but kept the continuity, focusing on Kratos and a young son, Arterus, whom he had later in life. Those games also involved Kratos mourning the death of his wife (and Mother of their child), Faye. All the GOW games are extremely popular (especially the more mature and thoughtful ones with Kratos as a Father). I have to be honest and say that I have never played them but have watched clips and find the assorted entries interesting to learn about. I’ve aimed to play some of them eventually, but my backlog of games is truly ever-growing. To get to the point of this article, a spin-off game focused on Krato’s deceased wife, Faye, was just announced. It takes place concurrently with the other games and follows her working to navigate the afterlife. It does not appear to have any political message or anything but some people immediately made it another lightning rod in the internet’s unending culture wars.

People have argued that Faye looks dirty or ugly and needs to be prettier, with it some kind of concession to liberals that she isn’t a smoking hot big-breasted MILF. The most generic statements I've seen basically say that it is somehow, “Woke,” to tell a story with a lady as the protagonist. I am a very politically active person who holds many opinions, but even I know that sometimes a game about a woman slaying demons in the afterlife on an epic quest is just meant to be fun without any super-secret sociological statement. Some video-games do have a particular big message, whether it is, “War never changes,” even with a nuclear apocalypse (Fallout) or weird metaphors about racism via robots (Detroit: Stay Human). Not every game is trying to spark a complex dialogue, however.  Even the latter, “God of War,” games have a lot of drama about how hard it is to be a parent while grieving (Kratos loved and misses his wife), and that’s not a controversial statement! It is a relatable topic for many. The idea of Faye missing her husband and son while slicing up foes could be covered in the game, but that’s hardly anything to spend hours arguing about online as if this game asked to be the new poster child for all that is great and/or awful about games and politics. Just chill, everyone.

Immense Hate, Powerful Love, and Observing Pride in 2026

We went to a fun Pride Month event at one of our local libraries today. It had a bunch of folks with tables discussing an assortment of organizations that assist LGBTQ individuals and those who care about them. There were also fun little games, plenty of coloring sheets, and it was very chill and nice for all ages. It showed how Pride isn't about, "Teaching kids about sex," or anything the haters claim, it is about embracing identity and how some people might have two daddies, two mommies, a nonbinary child, a relative who lives with a man as well as a woman, and so forth. Pride is about people just living their lives and being comfortable, feeling open and free, instead of trapped in a metaphorical closet. Pride isn't just parades or fun events. It is about using one's voice and the voices of a group to insist on equal rights. stopping discrimination, and pushing back against those who would try to legislate LGBTQ people out of a public presence, or even violently try to end their lives.

It isn't hyperbole to state that 99% or so of the anti-LGBTQ sentiment comes from conservatives/Republicans/the right wing. There isn't always a religious element, but oftentimes that has a role too, as people try to interpret the bible in a fashion that allows their supposed Christian love (it's usually right-wing Christians) to morph into bigoted hate. Some people believe that being gay or trans is some kind of social illness, a psychological bacteria that if you expose a young person to it they will somehow become infected and, "Turn," into a homosexual or be trans...which is apparently bad? I personally would prefer my children to be gay or trans than hateful jerks who spend multiple hours of their days trying to rob others of rights. I don't think seeing a Drag Queen reading a book about a wolf blowing down the houses of pigs is going to make them want to be a Drag Queen too, any more than it would give the idea of trying to use their breath to assault a swine's house of hay.

Some folks say they are fine with, "The gays or trans," as long as they, "Keep it in the bedroom, you know, to themselves! That's not appropriate for the public." These are often the exact same people who put their 2-year-old little boy toddler in a shirt that says, "Ladies' Man," or don't have a second thought when it comes to encouraging their little girl to play with baby dolls, whilst their sons go roll toy cars through dirt piles. Letting your boys pretend to have a baby won't, "Make," them gay, but might help them be prepared for if they have children someday. If your daughter goes and gets some toy cars dirty, maybe she'll grow up to be a mechanic--and very well still be into men regardless of doing a, "Masculine," job. We as human beings can love all different kinds of people. I am a man who has only ever wanted to be a man and who has only ever felt attraction to women. I can still be an ally to those who feel their gender does not match what they were assigned at birth or who feel an attraction to the same sex, both sexes, or let's make sure to acknowledge our Asexual (or Aromantic) humans as well!

Even if you don't, "Get," LGBTQ people, that doesn't mean you have to be homophobic or transphobic. Hell, you don't even have to be what one would consider an ally. You just have to be willing to let people live their lives without making things harder for them. Giving LGBTQ people rights doesn't result in you having any fewer rights; it just means you recognize we're all human, regardless of what gender/sexuality/etc. As efforts ramp up more and more to rob people of rights, it further illustrates why Pride is important in 2026.