The current issue of “Fate” (June 2008) contains my literary outburst “Fort and Those Damned Books of His.”  In it, I link Charles Fort to Pyrrhonism and ‘pataphysics, celebrate his eccentric style, and thread together other words to debunk the dogma that he was a credulous crank.  The occasion is the release of Jim Steinmeyer’s excellent new biography of Fort: he too contributed an article, and, wonder of wonders, Fort himself appears for the first time on a “Fate” cover.  The current issue of “Fortean Times,” while we’re on the subject, also contains a couple of Steinmeyer articles on Fort, as well as a history of “Fate” by Jerome Clark.  Dear old “Fate” is now sixty years old; lift your ullage in a toast.

My long-time collaborator, Michael Smith, has a large and entertaining retrospective, “Mike’s World,” at the Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia.  Included is that puppet stage the two of us dragged around in the ’90s, as well as a monitor showing Doug & Mike bits.  When I was there, the security guard was dancing to the Mr. Woodie song.  Maybe she’ll dance with you.

(Posted by Doug Skinner)