Last week we decided to get together at Chicago recluse author Clive Javanski’s new Bucktown apartment and have “a sort of a housewarming” during which we would engage in another go-around of our Asshole Book Club. This time it was myself, Aidan, Clive, Cookie Roy, Depressed Johnny, Spider, and our lone female guest, Kyna – pronounced key + na. In Irish it means love and affection, although she offered neither on this particular night. The book list this time included Clive’s original essay, Road Pants. I brought an Irish play, The Cripple of Inishman. Spider brought an old copy of the Chicago Reader, Cookie Roy something about the Chicago polka scene, Aidan had with him linear notes from an R.E.M. album, and Kyna brought…
Essays, Interviews, Observations, Pop Culture, Stories, and other Dodginess
Posts from the “Essays/Writing” Category
“It could have been worse. She could have claimed she was raped by a bottle of alcohol” – United Arab Emirates Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed al-Nahyan The United Arab Emirates has changed its rape law in the wake of a high profile case involving a Norwegian woman’s sexual assault claim in a Dubai hotel. Previously, the law stated rapists can only be convicted if either the perpetrator confesses or if four adult Muslim males witnessed the crime. Under the new law a rapist can be convicted if he confesses or the crime is witnessed by two adult Muslim males, a monkey, and “a guy in a wizard’s hat.” Marte Deborah Dalelv was recently pardoned after being sentenced to 16 months in…
The city of Gary has announced that all vacant buildings will be used to sell fireworks. Some will operate through July 4 while others will remain open year-round. In other news, neighboring Hobart says its opening a new fireworks store on Route 30 inside one of its existing fireworks stores. “Hoosiers were calling for this,” said Hobart spokesman Dan Trillo. The Indiana General Assembly just convened an emergency session where it will allow all liquor stores, closed on Sundays by law, to be open on Sunday strictly to sell fireworks. “No Miller Lite for you, but feel free to purchase Cherry Bombs, Roman Candles and shells,” state Sen. Randolph Gerry said. Indiana is embracing itself as the Fireworks State. Back to Gary, the city…
The Dodgy 