This Week's Writing 2/11/23

Kamala Harris' authenticity, X: The Man with the X-Ray eyes, and much more.

This has been a crazy week on Substack; my followers grew about 25% and traffic was up about that much as well.

So…hello! It’s great that more of you are interested in reading what I scribble! I hope some of you (or, even all of you!) consider becoming paid subscribers at some point. Lots of paywalled posts to read at this point, and your support helps me keep on keeping on.

Anyway! Here’s what I published this week. Comments are open, so say hello if you’re so inclined!

If you read one thing by me, read:

The very natural films of Alice Guy-Blaché, the first woman director. (EIH)

On Politics

The GOP uses free speech concerns to silence free speech. (Independent)

Democrats rally behind Biden—and the political press weeps. (Public Notice)

The GOP is coming for your social security. (Editorial Board)

People think Kamala Harris is inauthentic for the same reason they thought disco was inauthentic. (EIH)

Tucker Carlson helps Nazis find targets. Mainstream media doesn’t care. (EIH)

White evangelicals like Trump because white nationalism is their religion. (EIH)

On Movies

Dario Robleto’s exhibit at the Block Museum and the associated film series explore the beauty and the price of humanity’s quest for knowledge. (Chicago Reader)

Pamela Anderson survives. (Splice Today)

Barbara Crampton talks about Alone With You and women in horror. (EIH)

The Sadness is a zombie movie for the Covid era. (EIH)

The Mummy and colonization with a Tom Cruise grin. (EIH)

Deep Water is terrible. (EIH)

The 355 fights for the female buddy action film and loses. (EIH)

On Poetry

My poems “Cyborg” and “hototogisu.” (Five Fleas)

Cyborgs
without brains
smoosh.

hototogisu
I still don’t understand you
hototogisu

My poem “L=A=L=A=L”. (Five Fleas)

L=A=L=A=L
You can't have art without heart.
What about a ham sandwich?
Yes, yes. It's quite dead.

My poem found/collage poem “Against Expression.” (Five Fleas)

Against Expression

humidity forty-nine percent
unknown, unbroken
error message

On Steven Van Allen’s lovely haiku and poetry that isn’t there. (EIH)

Miscellaneous criticism

Burt Bacharach, 1928-2023 (EIH)

Star Trek TOS rewatch: S1E7: What Are Little Girls Made Of?—Heart of Darkness in space, with robots. (EIH)

Star Trek TOS rewatch: S1E8 Miri—the kids are all right but maybe not the adults. (EIH)