No Future for Oldpub

Pulp Speed exemplar Dean Wesley Smith isn't exactly bullish on oldpub's long-term prospects. Most writers who break into traditional publishing are done in two books. Maybe three if they are lucky. And when I say most, I would give a conservative guess of 95%, more than likely closer to 99%.…
July 7, 20209 Comments

President West

This July 4th weekend brought a number of surprises, and the most unexpected came courtesy of rapper Kanye West: Now, I understand the temptation to dismiss Kanye's announcement as a joke. But there is evidence that he has in fact been planning a presidential run. This isn't the first time…
July 6, 202014 Comments

What They Do in Darkness

Mister Metokur's good friend Mister Anti-Bully has become the latest high-profile victim of the renewed social media purge. Given the account's outspoken proclivities, its termination isn't exactly a mystery. What does raise questions is the timing. Mister Anti-Bully survived Twitter's previous purges aimed at suppressing the spread of "misinformation" pertaining…
July 3, 202045 Comments

Low Strangeness

Sometimes the most fascinating curiosities aren't to be found in the skies above our heads, or even in the dark woods beyond our doorstep. Sometimes they're right under our feet. A reader passed along this immersive story: A resident who plummeted “into the abyss” below a New England home that…
July 2, 202014 Comments

Doom Garden

Have you ever wondered what would happen if Doom Guy retired from demon slaying and took a part-time job at a magic school? Ben Wheeler and Ken Dickason give us a glimpse. Find this and other magical tales in the Fantastic Schools anthology!
July 1, 20205 Comments

Another Definition of Civilization

You've heard civilization defined as old men planting trees in whose shade they'll never recline. I submit another definition: Chances are you've come across that quote somewhere. it's attributed to George Mallory, the legendary English alpinist who took part in the first British--and possibly the first successful--attempt to summit Mount…
June 30, 202010 Comments

Martyrdom Is Coming

The next time some Fox News viewer tries to tell you that the current chaos is a result of conflicting 19th century economic theories, show him this video: Republican candidate for local office and professed Catholic Conor Martin documented the attack on Twitter. Yesterday, while praying for peace and unity…
June 29, 202022 Comments
Another Triumph

Another Triumph

The crowdfunder for Combat Frame XSeed: S concluded yesterday on Indiegogo. Here's the final tally: A few relevant metrics: We set a new funding record. That record is higher than the total amount raised from the prior 2 campaigns combined. Almost half of all contributions came directly from Indiegogo itself,…
June 26, 202020 Comments
Expulsion from Paradise

Expulsion from Paradise

Loyal readers know that a key mission of this blog is shedding light on Hollywood's hatred of their audience. Much as A Bridge Too Far proves Pigman's Caine-Hackman hypothesis, the1998 movie Pleasantville epitomizes Hollywood Death Cultism. YouTuber Devon Stack, who reviews movies with a keen eye for both literary criticism and propaganda,…
June 25, 202020 Comments

The Paradox of Tolerance

A favorite pseudo-dialectical tactic of the Left when it comes to defending cancel culture is the paradox of tolerance. As explained by philosopher Karl Popper, the argument goes that a total commitment to tolerance would end up destroying tolerance since intolerant people would eventually take over through coercion or threats.…
June 24, 202024 Comments