Category Archives: Uncategorized

My fall from grace: getting a smart phone

Posted on August 24, 2015 by Brian Bixby

My younger readers are laughing their heads off, while my older ones are nodding sagely, or perhaps ruefully. Smart phones are no longer cutting edge; they are the norm. But let’s be clear: a smart phone is not a phone. It … Continue reading →

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Riding the MBTA subways . . . all of them!

Posted on April 25, 2015 by Brian Bixby

The Orange Line gets more upscale advertising than the Red Line’s Mattapan extension. The riders on the B branch of the Green Line are on average much younger than on the other lines. A free doughnut may not taste better, … Continue reading →

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Stop the War on an American Tradition!

Posted on April 1, 2015 by Brian Bixby

THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE IS UNDER ATTACK! Oh, it started innocently enough. First there was the war on slavery. Then there was the war on drugs. Then there was the war on Santa, even questioning his racial status. And … Continue reading →

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Chapter 7 of Summer of the Netherfield Witch, and the role of comedy in horror

Posted on March 20, 2015 by Brian Bixby

One wouldn’t think comedy and horror go well together. Yet they do. It’s a matter of balance and perspective. If a book or movie just keeps piling horror on top of horror, they begin to pall after a while. Worse, … Continue reading →

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Snow days, no days, in a daze

Posted on February 9, 2015 by Brian Bixby

The news reports tell me Boston has just set a record for snowfall in 30 days, a bit over 61 inches. This is more than we received in the month of the Blizzard of ’78, which all but shut the … Continue reading →

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On the third (or fourth) day of Christmas

Posted on December 28, 2014 by Brian Bixby

It was the third or fourth day of Christmas. Santa wasn’t sure which. He’d been mixing a lot of brandy with his eggnog; got to do something to appear fat and jolly, you know. And he got to thinking about … Continue reading →

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The year in review: 2014

Posted on December 9, 2014 by Brian Bixby

I just finished up writing the last chapter of Prophecies and Penalties Sunday night, so it seems like a good time to review where Sillyverse has gone this year. It’s been a year of consolidation and retrenchment. The blog has featured one … Continue reading →

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Posted on November 27, 2014 by Brian Bixby

Originally posted on No Humble Opinion:
I actually like Thanksgiving. It’s a reminder of what is good about people and bad about people. It’s about surviving a tough year in the wilderness with the help of some friends . .…

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The parting of ways

Posted on October 22, 2014 by Brian Bixby

Back a while ago, I mentioned that I was going to be teaching some history courses and set up a blog called Sillyhistory to cover material related to those courses. Well, I’m broadening the scope of Sillyhistory to cover all … Continue reading →

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Wishes for a birthday

Posted on September 27, 2014 by Brian Bixby

May you stand at your ease, a creature to behold; the sun on your face, lit by a smile from within; the land spread out before you, its beauty matching your own. May a trove of good wishes fall upon … Continue reading →

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