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Storyblogging Carnival XXXII

By on November 20, 2005 in General Skwib, Skwibby fiction

Welcome to the 32nd storyblogging carnival. Storyblogging is essentially just storytelling in blog format. Quite often it is fictional, but as you can see, this edition we have two non-fiction posts too. (I’ve split the entries by fiction and non-fiction, and I posted the one audio submission at the end — for some reason, Quicktime files just don’t work on my computer.) I haven’t submitted anything to this carnival, but if readers are looking for fiction from The Skwib, the best thing to do is look under the “skwibby fiction” category, where you’ll see the latest. You might also want to check out the fiction (short story) section of my website, where you’ll find some of my published work.

Fiction

Ink Magic (part II)
Dave Gudeman at Doc Rampage gives us the entertaining second part of this story.
Description: After his fight with the demonic blob, Steve has a sandwich and then goes home for a nap.
(3017 words, PG)

Opportunity
by Darleen Click at Darleen’s Place
Description: She’s the sweet old lady to the children of the neighborhood, but she’s haunted by her past and one night it all comes home in a frightening confrontation with a stranger.
(2676 words, PG13 (language)) Continue Reading →

I read my blogroll (#3)

By on November 20, 2005 in General Skwib

Norse PastafarianismIn The Skwib’s quest to justify the blogroll, here is cull of the stuff we quite enjoyed from the blogroll this week. We’ll start with a focus on science. As you may know, Mark writes science fiction in addition to satire, so it always peaks his interest.

Obi-Wan at Forward Biased has forgone his usual political preoccupations to write a great post about quantum mechanics. On a related note, via Mr. Snitch! here is the wit and wisdom of Stephen Hawking on a number of subjects Continuing in the science vein, Tasteful Future points us to Noam Chomsky’s article on intelligent design & global warming. We were outraged to see no mention of Norse Pastafarianism alongside ID.

Grumpy Old Bookman has a great post about Harlan Ellison, one of the more important writers in science fiction (or speculative fiction, the term that Elison prefers). If you haven’t been to GOB’s site, I highly recommend it. While you’re there, you can discover how the study of English literature has led to the death of the short story. (Except in genres such as SF — sorry Harlan, speculative fiction.)

On a more serious note, Mr. Sun tackles political slogans in Bush Lied. People Died.

Carnival Catch-up

By on November 19, 2005 in General Skwib

A few carnivals to note before these links back become meaningless. First off, there is always a few chuckles at the Funny Stuff provided by Conservative Cat. This edition includes something from The Skwib. There was also some humor on hand at the Carnival of Comedy hosted at Radioactive Liberty. And yesterday, you may have missed The Friday Ark at The Modulator. Beware! Here be cat blogging. (And lots of other animals.)

Spleen Saturday

By on November 19, 2005 in General Skwib

Remember the movie Princess Bride? Remember how Wally Shawn’s character, Vizzini, kept saying, “inconceivable” every time the hero chasing them (Westley, aka the Dread Pirate Roberts) managed to continue following them? Remember how Mandy Patinkin’s character, Inigo Montoya, eventually said: “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. ”

Notice how the new Open Source Media logo has a trademark symbol next to it?

The Skwib shall speak no more of this.

If you want to kvetch further, then perhaps you can read the post and comments at The Talent Show. Even more entertaining is Iowahawk’s (a member of OSM) explanation of the business model.

The Lost PowerPoint Slides (Elizabethan Era Edition)

By on November 17, 2005 in The Lost PowerPoints

Elizabeth the firstGood Queen Bess presents: My Reign (slide 2)

  • shall be, ahem, The Virgin Queen
  • therefore, last of the Tudors
  • don’t ask, don’t tell policy: you don’t ask, I don’t tell them to cut off your head for treason.

Good Queen Bess presents: My Reign (slide 3)

  • religion of England shall be Protestant (Act of Uniformity)
  • no papists, really
  • England for the English
  • Ireland for the English too.

Sir Francis Drake makes diplomatic overture to Spanish (only slide)

  • kiss my Golden Hind.

Sir Francis Bacon presents “knowledge is power” (slide 12)

    “Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested: that is, some books are to be read only in parts, others to be read, but not curiously, and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.”

Sir Francis Bacon presents “knowledge is power” (slide 13)

  • that was a metaphor, dumbass
  • don’t actually eat books.

William Shakespeare presents “Better than Marlow” (slide 25)

    Blank verse Marlow made first, improved did I.
    Say ye no? Fie, fie, on your poxy yard!

Sir Walter Ralegh presents: taters! (slide 4)

  • slice, fry in oil
  • call these … hmmm, chips
  • oh, good for Irish too.

Inspired by:
Begin of Elizabeth I’s reign: Nov. 17, 1558

The Carnival of Satire #9

By on November 17, 2005 in Carnival of Satire

The Carnival of SatireThis week’s Carnival of Satire has a fun mix of satire that lampoons religious, political, sports and media figures. Note, the graphic for this COS was supplied by someone who says they think this dancer actually looks like Pat Robertson. [A close-up here, potentially nsfw.] We don’t think so. Not at all, because we found it oddly arousing, and that would be wrong on so many levels.

Following up on The Skwib’s recent curse on the reverend (may a plague of rabbits nibble his bum) Ahistoricality at Ahistoricality sets Pat Robertson’s theology to music in Stick Your Finger In God’s Eye. Hooot!

David Brazeal at Horn+Swoggled introduces us to the X Games, which are two “xs” short of being really fun, and Willow Creek in X Games Signs Deal with Willow Creek. Now that’s good satire!

With the newest Hairy Poiter movie about to be unleashed on us, Playah Grrl at Little Green Colloquium is quite timely in helping us with a persistent web problem (for some), to whit: Defense Against the Dark Arts Manual Update: Emo-Kidz.

Bob at either orr takes us to lotusland, where The government in the whorehouse business?. If that isn’t enough to get you interested, Bob “interviews” Jack A. John, a self-described “connoisseur of courtesans.”

Laurence Simon at IFOC News presents Rice Says Al-Qaida State Will Help American Security

Hoodlumman at File it Under explains why it is that Mayhem Grips FOXNews. And no, it’s not because they’ve run out of jingoistic theme music.

Finally, an explanation for why the White House is right all the time! Tommy at Striving For Average makes it all clear in A Revised Transcript

Buckley F. Williams at The Nose On Your Face presents Top 9 Other Terrell Owens Complaints Against The Eagles.

And to wrap up, The Man at GOP and the City presents Macgyver/Bauer 2008 . We really wish this would happen. Dr. Tundra, Thag and Mark would all vote for Macgyver in 2008. (That is, if we were allowed to.) If he’s not running himself, General Kang is most definitely a General Zod man, er, primate.

Okay, this week’s was good fun, and once again we look forward to next week’s submissions. (Really.) Remember you can submit here with this handy form, and the COS is listed at the Ubercarnival, and at the Blog Carnival too.