The Weekly Screed

Vacation season

By David Benjamin | 11/07/2017 |

The Packerscreed, by David Benjamin (11/7/17) Vacation season “My life, as I know it, has been taken away from me.” — Nick Buoniconti, brain-damaged former Dolphin linebacker PARIS— Like Bob, in the film What About Bob?, I’m taking a vacation from my worst mental illness — namely, the Green Bay Packers. My vacation officially started…

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"… But I know what I like"

By David Benjamin | 11/02/2017 | Comments Off on "… But I know what I like"

“… But I know what I like” by David Benjamin “Mona Lisa looks as though she’s about to be sick.” — Noel Coward PARIS — As I was passing an art gallery yesterday on rue St. André des Arts, a painting caught my eye. It depicts three female figures sculpted in stone against horizontal panels…

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The war between Ellen DeGeneres and the Serbian Marines

By David Benjamin | 10/25/2017 | Comments Off on The war between Ellen DeGeneres and the Serbian Marines

The war between Ellen DeGeneres and the Serbian Marines by David Benjamin MADISON, Wis. — My latest dispatch from the Right-Wing Chain-Letter Network hails from a high-school classmate whom I’ll call Big Red (not his real name), because he’s innocent and deserves to be protected. Big Red forwarded a neatly formatted photo montage of five…

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Crazy for the blue, white and red — and yellow fringe

By David Benjamin | 10/18/2017 | Comments Off on Crazy for the blue, white and red — and yellow fringe

Crazy for the blue, white and red — and yellow fringe by David Benjamin MADISON, Wis. — When he stood atop a pedestal for the national anthem, Tommie Smith, gold medalist in the 200 meters at the 1968 Olympics, raised a black-gloved fist. His gesture was mirrored by fellow African-American John Carlos, the bronze medalist.…

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Shutterbug

By David Benjamin | 10/12/2017 | Comments Off on Shutterbug

Shutterbug by David Benjamin “Photography records the gamut of feelings written on the human face, the beauty of the earth and skies that man has inherited, and the wealth and confusion man has created. It is a major force in explaining man to man.” — Edward Steichen MADISON, Wis. — My camera bag, which weighs…

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My name is David Benjamin and I approve this message

By David Benjamin | 10/03/2017 | Comments Off on My name is David Benjamin and I approve this message

My name is David Benjamin and I approve this message by David Benjamin “Posting a malicious rumor on Facebook, or writing a false news story that is indexed by Google, is a nearly instantaneous process. Removing such posts require human intervention. This imbalance gives an advantage to rulebreakers.” — Kevin Roose, “The Shift,” New York…

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Six words (FCUCPW)

By David Benjamin | 09/28/2017 | Comments Off on Six words (FCUCPW)

Six words (FCUCPW) by David Benjamin “The longer they talk about identity politics, I got ’em. I want them to talk about racism every day. If the left is focused on race and identity… we can crush the Democrats.” — Steve Bannon MADISON, Wis. — As creepy as it feels to agree with Steve Bannon,…

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'The Wheel of Life or Death' in the Casino of Care

By David Benjamin | 09/21/2017 | Comments Off on 'The Wheel of Life or Death' in the Casino of Care

‘The Wheel of Life or Death’ in the Casino of Care by David Benjamin “If your baby is going to die and it doesn’t have to, it shouldn’t matter how much money you make.” — Jimmy Kimmel MADISON, Wis. — My friend, Dr. Wilhelm “Doc Holiday” Bienfang, America’s foremost “idea man,” is sweating out the…

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The Day of the Dope

By David Benjamin | 09/14/2017 | Comments Off on The Day of the Dope

The Day of the Dope by David Benjamin “I will give you everything. I will give you what you’ve been looking for for 50 years. I’m the only one.” — Donald Trump MADISON, Wis. — Most of us who remember Albert Schweitzer regard him as a selfless healer who forsook his religious and academic vocation…

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Black Tidings greet the next Olympics

By David Benjamin | 09/07/2017 | Comments Off on Black Tidings greet the next Olympics

Black Tidings greet the next Olympics by David Benjamin “We shall not have peace until the prejudices that now separate the different races shall have been outlived. To attain this end, what better means than to bring the youth of all countries periodically together for amicable trials of muscular strength and agility?” — Pierre de…

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