Author Archives: dave cieslewicz

Occasionally, a reader will suggest I run for something, usually governor. That happened again last week. I gently suggest they find a quiet place or maybe a twelve step program so that they can reintroduce themselves to reality. I’m not running for anything. But when somebody suggests that, the old pol in me starts twitchingContinue reading “The Uphill Road For Moderates”

32. Party prep Sam arrived at the school cafeteria at noon to assemble her volunteers and get them decorating for that night’s alien ball. The turnout of volunteers was more than she expected. Everyone who signed up showed up and some brought kids or curious friends. A good sign, thought Sam.  Throughout the afternoon theContinue reading “Alien Parade: Installment 9”

I’m pretty much a law and order guy. Last week I wrote, not for the first time, that we should Lock Up the Bad Guys. But one thing I’ve never liked is the unseemly spectacle of victim statements near the end of murder trials. Under these made-for-television events the family and friends of murder victimsContinue reading “No More Victim Statements”

30. Lemonade The post lecture party at the Flying Saucer was going nicely. Martin Boyd was holding court with a group of locals near the billiard tables. Pauline was pouring the special one-dollar “alien taps” right and left. Even Sheriff Harold Rhude was having one now that he was off duty. He glanced over atContinue reading “Alien Parade: Installment 8”

The Supreme Court will hear arguments today in two cases that could end affirmative action. While not a single Democrat will say it out loud, this is what they should be hoping for. Like abortion, affirmative action has been a millstone around the party’s neck for over half a century. And, like abortion, this conservativeContinue reading “Why Dems Should Hope for the End of Affirmative Action”

27. Belief Sam sipped Darla’s strong coffee as she waited in her kitchen for Martin Boyd to finish his afternoon’s meditation upstairs in his room.  Darla couldn’t suppress a smirk at the expense of her friend.  “Wipe that off your face, Darla,” snapped Sam while she sipped and stared at the old linoleum on theContinue reading “Alien Parade: Installment 7”

In a week and a half Democrats will lose a bunch of elections. The only question is whether all that red will come in the form of a tsunami or a breaker. They’ll lose primarily because of inflation (which they didn’t have much to do with), but also because of crime (which is a moreContinue reading “Lock Up the Bad Guys”

Here’s the sixth installment in my short novel, Alien Parade, wherein we meet Dr. Martin Boyd, UFO investigator. 22. Arrival Now it was inside of two weeks to Alien Days. The weather had turned “ducky,” which is to say cloudy, cold and windy. And Larry Mercer was nowhere to be found. The Mercer Flying SaucerContinue reading “Alien Parade: Installment 6”

It has become fashionable for extremists on both right and left to argue that broad principles and time-honored institutions should be shoved aside when they get in the way of some policy goal of the moment. So the hard-right would trash our system of free and fair elections anytime their candidate loses. The hard-left wouldContinue reading “The Higher Principle”

This is the next installment of my short novel Alien Parade. Previous installments can be found at https://yellowstripsdeadarmadillos.org. In this episode, Narvik Mayor Claire Kornstedt explains politicians. 20. Grand Marshal  The news from Joe about progress on the Larry Mercer Flying Saucer Chevy buoyed Sam’s spirits to the point that she got up the courageContinue reading “Alien Parade: Installment 5”