June 5 | A brief review of the Weltschmerz book, Attack of the Same-Sex Sleeper Cells, appears this week at rabble.ca.



June 2 - 2:30 pm | Global News drove out to interview me and find out if I could spell Weltschmerz on camera. I did, correctly. I'll be on the Toronto 6 pm news.

June 2 | In the National Post this morning:
German word stumps Finola: Weltschmerz -- meaning sadness at evils of the world -- defeats teen
Isn't weltschmerz always a problem for teens? I've always said it's crucial for Canadians to be able to spell this word. You never know when you'll need it.

This audio clip documents a historic moment in the history of weltschmerz. Courtesy the CBC.



June 1 | I'm pretty sure the quote from Reagan that commences this strip is valid; I sourced it to a number of reputable sites, as well as a few books. But what creates a shadow of doubt is that he said the same thing about the contras in Nicaragua, who were also engaged in U.S.-sponsored guerilla war. I guess any group of U.S.-sponsored guerillas was "the moral equivalent of the founding fathers" because - well, otherwise, the U.S. would not be sponsoring them. This is all somewhat beside the point of the above strip, but I needed a lead-in to a somewhat dry episode and Reagan provided it, post-mortem.

Also, you'll notice that I've tweaked the site's design this week. One web geek told me he didn't notice how to buy the new Weltschmerz book, so I made it painfully clear. Perhaps a little too hard-sell? Also added a short "about" blurb, rejigged how the nav bar looks and added space for links. I hope you like it. Many thanks to Matt, who handled the programming.

Attack of the Same-Sex Sleeper Cells Reviews:

Exclaim! says: "Slyly meshing Doonesbury politics, slacker culture and relationship dramas, Lind accomplishes a remarkable balancing act. …Smartly political without being preachy, (Weltschmerz is) a current jolt of satire served with a soothing cup of interpersonal angst.�?

Eye Weekly says: "Weltschmerz successfully straddles the line between humorous and depressing, taking well-deserved punches at some of the most infuriating political events and trends of 2005."

Echo says: "Mating excellence in design and print quality and Lind’s thoughtful and incisive social commentary, the inaugural collection from the Weltschmerz series sets a high standard."

Retailers:

Toronto:
Pages, 256 Queen Street West (at John). On the graphic novels table.
The Beguiling, 601 Markham Street (near Bloor and Bathurst)
Book City, three locations - 501 Bloor St. West, 348 Danforth Ave., 663 Yonge St.
Hairy Tarantula, 354 Yonge Street (near Dundas).
David Mirvish Books, 596 Markham St.

Guelph:
The Bookshelf, 41 Quebec Street.
Macondo Books, 18 Wilson Street

Waterloo: Words Worth Books, 100 King Street South

Kitchener: KW Bookstore, 308 King Street West

Hamilton: Bryan Prince Bookseller, 1060 King Street West

Ottawa: Collected Works, 1242 Wellington Street West (at Holland)