Links, we got links.

I’ve been working on the links here of late to try and make them as much fun and as eclectic an assortment as I can, within the parameters, obviously, of my own peculiar tastes. With that in mind, I offer for your clicking pleasure, four of the newest additions:

Mediaite

Idiocracy Index

XKCD

Blog of Unnecessary Quotes

Comments and opinions welcome. And new suggestions for offbeat links enthusiastically welcomed (only three per week, Carl).

CIS redux.

As I noted on FaceBook or Twitter or one of those places, Mama Curtin didn’t raise her no fools.

Gonna ride this horse until it collapses.

Trouble is, I’m facing a slew of deadlines and they pay the rent so my time is gonna be limited.

I hate it when reality interferes with my life.

For a time  I dwelt among the comics geeks and then the path took me to the beer geeks. Now I am potentially surrounded by both. I may have achieved nirvana.

I feel like Sarah Palin at a whine-fest.

Anyway, here’s some more extensive background on the CompuServe service for those who are interested.

Plus be aware that I am in possession of photos.

Stay tuned.

Once upon a time, when the world was young and all things seemed possible,  I was 72437,506.

The Borowitz Report explains everything.

It’s a mental health epidemic.

CIS, Ave Atque Vale.

Last night I held a bit of an email wake with the subscribers to Jacey Services over the death of CompuServe.

I noted in the message which kicked it off that my comics service would never have survived this long (coming up on 29 years next month!) without the word-of-mouth support from members of the old Comics & Animation Forum, nor would I have had an almost decade-long writing career in the comics industry trade press and for the promotions department at DC Comics. My thanks for those two gigs to Pat O’Neill, who shows up here now and again, and Jeff Lang, wherever you are. Comes to that, special thanks to Doug Pratt, the forum sysop.

As the obit linked notes, many of the things we take for granted on the web these days were part of the CIS experience way back in the day. As a “social network” sort of thing, it was, and remains, unparalleled in terms of ease of use and threaded message capabilities. And, under wise sysops, it was relatively free-form and encouraged participation beyond the restrictions of the main topic. In the comics forum,  for example, a special section set aside for never-ending and oft-time bitter exchanges over politics and other controversial issues. It was, as you might expect, my favorite place to hang out.

I made some great friends in the forum, many who remain part of my life today (and some of whom I’ve never seen in person), along with a few enemies. Most of the latter relationships were passing things, wiped away when we met in person, but one guy was a committed wingnut (before the term existed) and outright racist with whom personal accommodation would have been impossible. He sent me an off-forum email at one point with such a vicious anti-semitic attack on another forum member that I actually sat stunned and stared at it for a good ten minutes.

Even that connection was informative, however. A comics anthology, never published, was planned by one forum participant to raise funds for abused children and I signed on to write one of the stories. When it was done, the artist assigned to it was the bad character just described. What I learned was that, despite personal differences, it was possible to work together professionally and creatively. Indeed, one or two changes he suggested to the script were major improvements.

All that, and much more, died with CIS, although a mailing list was created a while back among several old members following the death of one of our best known and liked  fellow CIS-ers. It died out rather quickly, though, aside from the occasional post which turns up in my mailbox, a lonely cry from a time forever gone.

Yesterday is an ethereal thing.

Jack & Rob’s Comical Commentary #16.

On a Claire Day understands the real meaning of this day

Go here for the original.

A peek into the future.

WASHINGTON, DC  January 21, 2013 — Less than 24 hours after being sworn in as the 45th President of the United States following her stunning upset of Barack Obama last November with her “You Betcha!” grassroots campaign, Sarah Palin announced today that she is resigning the presidency.

In an unprepared statement made in the White House press room early this morning to three reporters who have been sleeping there since the last newspapers shut down in 2011 and a cleaning crew, President Palin said that “I have good reasons for this and I have told you that my reasons are good and a lame duck is not a moose which means point guards pass the ball. Some people hit the road and get a paycheck but positive change is not a distraction.  Also my father’s refrigerator has a sign that says ‘WTF?’ and the world needs more Trigs.”

Palin did not take any questions, concluding with “God Bless Alaska and the Lower 48 and that other one.”

With newly elected vice president Michelle Bachmann incarcerated for life after her conviction for multiple assaults on census takers in Minnesota two years ago, the presidency will pass to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who immediately announced that her first official act would be to appoint former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to the U.S. Supreme Court “just because I can and because it will drive Rush Limbaugh crazy.”

There was no word on Palin’s political future, but William Kristol, the last editor of the Washington Post before it shut down, said that her resignation was “a shrewd move” and commentators on Fox News agreed unanimously that “this is good news for the McCain Campaign.”

Palin.

There is another shoe.

There is always another shoe.

What she said.

No really. What she said.

Of nipple upgrades, ravaging seagulls and collateral souls.

from today’s Harper’s Weekly Review:

Cosmetic nipple surgery was on the rise in
England, seagulls off Argentina were attacking whales and
eating their skin, and Latvians, asked to provide
collateral for loans of up to 500 lats, were offering
their eternal souls (must be previously unmortgaged).

I’ve mentioned this weekly missive before. At the time, I believe, I  neglected  to express my appreciation to Carl P for his tireless efforts to explore every corner of the web and send me links to a goodly portion of same.

His efforts are hit and miss for sure, but this one is a definite winner,  a delightful addition to my weekly email load, engaging, informative and, as the above evidences, slightly askew in its coverage.