Bertie Makes it Worse (2011)
If I said this story wasn’t influenced by Mark Twain’s Mrs. McWilliams and the Lightning, I would be lying.
Read MoreIvan, You’re Busted! (2000)
When I became editor of Tapestry the office staff passed on to me a packet of correspondence which included several strange letters which seemed to me to be written by the same hand. “Oh, that’s Ivan,” they said. “He’s been sending us letters for years.” Ivan was their pet name for the letter writer. And so, I came up with this. IFGE never received another letter from him.
Read MoreChronology of Transgen Group Postings (1996)
The early internet group communication system USENET was famous for its flame wars; a number of trolls who continue to flame others on the internet today were already active in the mid-1990s. I wrote this in response to some of them.
Read MoreWanted: Nation/State to Fill Vacant Axis of Evil Slot (2003)
Wanted: Nation/State to Fill Vacant “Axis of Evil” Slot
Read MorePopular Authors and Characters, Moonlighting (1981)
For the better part of two years I was a child protective services worker for the state of Tennessee. That, and my twisted sense of humor, explains this post.
Read MoreReader’s Favorite Graffiti (1983)
When, in the early 1980s, I read a book about graffiti by Marina Naan and Richard Hammerstrom, I sent them these selections for a forthcoming volume. It was and remains my only involvement with graffiti.
Read MoreThe Brief but Illustrious Career of Reggie Ramloose (1983-1987)
When I arrived in Nashville for grad school I ventured to a computer store on 8th Avenue North for the formation of a users group for the VIC-20. There were about a dozen people, and each of us was eyeing all the others, wondering what sort of weirdo would have a computer in their home. The group grew and in 1983 merged with a forming C-64 group to form The Nashville Commodore Users Group. Soon there were more than 450 members and there was at least one meeting every week.
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