Hello my friends – here’s the latest episode of “Hard Truth and a Big Hug”. It’s a small part of a book that I haven’t yet got around to publishing – but I thought the big ideas and the final take-away were
It’s all about the flight-hours (top photo) I think “How to do anything” is one of the best short things I’ve ever written – holds up and has proven useful to many people for many years (and also provoked laughs from a
There is no such thing as weather control (top photo) Hello my friends – here’s the second episode of “Hard Truth and a Big Hug” – called – Every Trick They Know – an all new piece of political stand-up, exploring conspiracy
When the misses picks your safety gear (top photo) My incredible wife has been through the wringer lately – after years of stoically facing down chronic health problems, she had a frightening acute crisis a few months ago – and things for
Hi Folks – firstly, I’d like to wish everyone a funky solstice. Seems like a perfect time for a solstice book sale (special pricing for the chill months of Winter). If you’re curious about the books, and what sort of themes I
Here’s another bit of political stand-up, this time with the gloves off, because big lies really are not ever helpful, and memory almost always is. And also because it’s important to recognize the seriousness of the challenges before us – life or
One of my favourite human beings who I never met passed away on the 21st of November. What I loved about him was not only his art itself, but the extraordinary vision behind it. He’s also interesting, because his combination of talents
Sorry it’s been so long, folks. Thanks to a medical emergency, life got extremely frightening there for a few weeks, and Catherine and I are only just beginning to recover our normal selves, from dire emergency mode. I’m working hard in two
Here’s a stand-up both gentle and fierce, in which I try to make a few big challenging points that some of my friends will no doubt find irritating. Hopefully stimulating and funny also, and above all, may they ultimately prove productive and
The kid’s got charm (top photo – original image UPC Chris Swartz (from the excellent Ryerson Image gallery exhibition of American press images of Canada) Canada is having a federal election soon, and it seems the left is determined to shoot itself
Hey folks – thanks for stopping by again – here’s part two of my getting over my shyness project, entitled “Three Books” in which the publisher discusses his various splendid offerings. Not exactly industrial light and magic (four bucks worth of green
“You should expect grace, that which makes life more than manageable, but you look elsewhere, seeking some delight other than that. Your conscious being, with what you’ve been given, should be like a beautifully laid-out park with wildflowers and cultivated wonders, a
How far will they push us? (top image) (When you say “I want to be a cartoonist” – is this what they think you mean?) Wow, the world sure does tilt awfully fast these days, doesn’t it? With a number of my
DC-3 First practical (reliable, passenger-profitable) airliner – 1936 – 333 KPH cruise – 2575 KM range NACA cowlings/airfoils, retractable gear, feathering props, blind-flying panel (all new, soon standard) At a certain point, one must admit to being a geek. I follow a
Soviet Space Composite (all illustrations by the author) History is strange stuff – and it gets stranger if you pay attention for a few decades, because you begin to realize – “Hey, they’re writing it all down wrong – and then newer
Rain-happy (top photo) HOPE! I don’t mean sweet misty-eyed delusion (the artificial substitute), but the real stuff that you could gather around and use to build serious functional things. Anyone remember how great it truly was? The profound confidence that with patience
Only way to fly (top photo) Why? Simple as heck, folks – we’re all permanently pushed into small-mind panic mode – still emotionally desperate to feel like we are heroes, just the way we are, instead of buckling down with new modesty
Dark knight of vengeance and children’s parties (top photo) Frank Miller is one of the most influential artists of our time – and the most curious thing about this, is that he retains great underground ‘cred’ – even while his refined aesthetic
“Those were more sophisticated times, my friend.” Newton said, with such a sad sweet smile. It’s funny how certain things people say can stick with you. I heard that many years ago, from a dear somewhat older friend, in response to my
“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act
Exchange entrancing (top photo) Back in the eighties, my friends and I all thought of ourselves as young social revolutionaries. We could clearly see that militarism, economic predation and the disgusting abuse of the environment were all accelerating, and understood very well