Thanks to You know Who

Met up with a soldier fresh out of Afghanistan. Man the stories. I never knew or even heard what a FOP was. I know now. Important stuff for a writer of litary fiction don't ya think? 

Allen Eskens

Very excited to have the opportunity to have lunch with this talented author soon! Check him out at this link . . . Eskens

Until then . . . consider me sequestered at The Frontanac Writers Retreat. No cells. Not much by way of emails. Only writing my dear friends. Only writing. 

What is the most Important Attribute to being a Writer?

I suppose this is truly a personal choice to be sure. My driver or push to complete a story comes from my firsthand experiences and a desire, a true desire, to be a part of the solution. To make reading worthwhile.

Another Peek at Heroes

All's perhaps not as it seems. This article was written regarding Peyton Manning. So is Peyton a Real Hero?

Oh Come On

They also serve as a reminder that we don’t truly know athletes. That, increasingly, in an age when public figures can carefully craft their image through social media, traditional media and endorsements, what we think we know of men and women considered heroes for their achievements in sports is often times a mirage.

The Truth & Nothing but The Truth

I am not interested in being original. I am interested in being true. 

Agostinho da Silva

Ditto

'Hero' vs 'True Hero'

This is part of a well thought out response to my post yesterday.

Recently I was dressed down by a citizen claiming that all police and firefighters are a waste of public funds as they could never handle a REAL JOB. My public live values kicked in and I thanked the person for their service in paying for my pension and this made them even more in-raged. I guess it has something to do with this being a leap election year.

How soon 9/11 heroes are forgotten.

Okay here goes - with the realization - we could be entering the 'feelings hurt' zone. A soldier in Viet Nam dove on a grenade knowing full well he was going to die to save his companions. Clearly he's a 'Real Hero'.

There were some, as in an office manager in the World Trade Center who assisted others, to get out of the building, knowing his time to escape was vanishing. Some of the firefighters must have met the criteria for being 'True Heros' on that day, but did all of them? Can we say all of the firefighters entering the building realized they were going to die? Perhaps they were relying on their training and following orders. That would simply render them 'in the wrong place at the wrong time' type of 'Heros'.

When truckers are killed in accidents they aren't referred to as ''True Heros' because they gave their life feeding America. Right? I feel some sectors i.e. Police Deaprtments are so busy building memorials and honoring each other that it is simply a self-glorification PR Campaign. Trouble lurks around these notions i.e. Some who are called heros start to believe it.

Great post by-the-way.

The Term 'Hero" Undone

Some of us point to the police as our hometown hero's. How about firefighters anyone? Perhaps a priest will do. I suppose some claim soldiers are hero's. Then all of a sudden Bowe Burgdahl lands in the White House before finding himself in front of a Military Tribunal. If Bowe prevails in court do we reassign him to the "Real Hero" class of hero's?

I'm slightly confused here, but at least one thing is for certain . . . the birth of a new term. Now bonified heroic individuals are referred to as "Real Hero's". Funny how that happened. Must of had something to do with those so adapt at dishing out misinformation.

So when someone points at you and says you're a hero. Be careful. It could be an insult. 

Inspiration from Soldiers

Look . . . I hung out on the Malmstrom Airbase and listened. Hung out around Peterson Airbase and listened. I followed that up with an infantry man just back from Afghanistan. I'll keep my word and you will be my secret. Many - Many thanks for taking me under your wing.

Here is a deep thought. A Day without Sunshine is like . . . well . . . Night.

Should I stay or Should I go? I mean, its cold back there!

Ode to Young Folks

So Peterson Airbase is just down the road from me. Man . . . talk about perspectives and concerns from those who were on the front line. I had no idea what a FOP was until I was sworn to secrecy. Then the stories flowed. Many thanks to all who took me under their wings for my next piece of social fiction. It is shaping up to be a dozy!

Can't imagine going back 'There' to the blizzards and such. Man it's Springtime in Colorado Springs.

Many thanks for all the messages and what not. I filled my phone up on several occasions. Will reach out to all once the valuable commodity of time comes my way.

So I'm asked if I'm Nuts

Got ta thinkin' on that question. An oak tree is nothing but a nut that stood its ground. So I guess I agree as I plunge into another day scouting out truth in the layout of the land. 

Many Thanks in all Seriousness to The TSA

Terrorist Watch list WOW.. I believe it. My last trip from San Diego I arrived at 7am to be in Austin at noon straight through. They stopped me because I had a rock tumbler for Marcie in my bag. Induced an argument. Never belittle security. They finally let me through. Diverted to Nashville and arrived in Austin at 1:30am. Met some cool people in Nashville during the lay over though. Are you going back to Colorado?

I find my inclusion on some sort of 'Watch List' as silly but hey . . . its happened to many good folks as evidenced by this email. I am very gratiful for the work they do. I never complain when waiting in long lines.

Talking about What I Write about

So help me God!!! I had the thought of the day. You might also become a very outstanding Rabbi. You can blame the above suggestion to the pills I am taking. At least they make me laugh today anyhow your very Jewish Angel and who knows what else.

I've bounced all over this country talking up what I write about. Its amazing . . . truly amazing how many wonderful folks I've had the opportunity to meet.

The Truth & Nothin' but thee Truth

Are you fucking nuts? Posting you with that book and poking fun with the TSA folks.

These guys have no sense of humor and picking a fight with them is not going to get you off their silly lists.

I fail to see how this works in promoting your books. Did you not study the McCarthy years?

I loved this question. In a nutshell . . . I thrive on the Truth 'bout like a dandelion hungers for sunlight. It's true . . . I've landed on some sort of 'Watch List' and have no explanation for it. I will, dear friends keep ya posted on what transpires in the near future. I'm flying out west soon. Anyone read any good books lately? Just kidding.

Making a Murder

Hey stranger. I love watching what you are doing. Good for you. Just curious if you have seen the Netflix documentary? I have watched it twice. Tell Peggy I said hi.

I've been asked again and again what I think of Netflixs' effort. I'm thinking they are spot on and applaude the film. The issues raised were exactly the motivation behind my writing 'Brand of Justice'. I was a cop. I was wrongfully prosecuted. I was there and it's a driver behind me wanting to shed some light on the need for Criminal Justice Reform. I was yelping about this issue before the President mentioned it. Yes sir . . . I wrote of police sexually assaulting folks, I wrote about cops wrongfully arresting individuals. I was told by stories are dark but could never happen and then along comes them pesky cameras.

Different View on Black Lives Matter

So I'm driving. I get pulled over and slid my hands out the window and holler "I'm unarmed! I mean you no harm officer." He takes my info back to his squad and my passenger, who just so happens is a specialist in proof reading books, not that that matters, says . . . "Oh aren't you overacting. You're not black, he isn't gonna shoot you." Officer comes back and thanks me for how I handled myself. Oh yeah! I have to remind my passenger that I'm a professional on these matters.

Then I got to thinking just how fractured the police/black relationship really is.

'Compassion Over Killing' The Truth

Click-if-Ya-Dare

This 'evidence' was gathered and handed off to the Police and USDA. Animal Abuse allegations which were all denied until the video came out. Right? What do you think? We are discussing accountability and these incidents were occurring on private property so they can do whatever they want. No charges were ever issued . . . nothing like we'll drop charges if Hormel makes a donation to PETA or what have you.

Anyways . . . this just in . . . after this incident another one occured where an employee took some kind of action to minimize an animals discomfort. Entire Story He did it in front of a Department of Agriculture Rep who immediately shut down the plant for a bit. I get why a happy face is planted on this by a Food Processor but how can a public employee (USDA Rep) remain mum? Where's accountability? None, they want you to believe in them as you swallow food produced by them. When you watch this do you get that . . . 'I've been BS'd' feeling? Mister Upton Sinclair . . . the story remains the same. Praise goes out to Compassion Over Killing for the truth and the reader who tipped me off to this atrocity.

Better a cruel truth than a comfortable delusion. 

Edward Abbey

Oh Where Oh Where has the Accountablity Gone . . .

We've discussed Accountablity by way of technological advances and have seen it roll over police officers. This just in, this site points out another round of players in the system. It appears the lawyers called out are infact guilty as charged so what gives? Check the list out and let me know if I missed any Accountability.

Attorney Perverts

Title Filter     Display # 5101520253050100All # Article Title 1 ► Attorney Stephen Addison of Madison, WI; convicted of public sex act 2 ► Attorney Gilbert Abramson of Saratoga County, NY; pervert, Il Duce Wannabee 3 ► Attorney Mark H. Adams of Tacoma, WA; peeping Tom, Pervert 4 ► Attorney Stephen Addison of Madison, WI; convicted of public sex act 5 ► Attorney Luis Aguilar of El Paso; potty mouth pervert, Gadaffi Wannabee 6 ► Attorney Gary Appelblatt of Sacramento; pervert, criminal 7 ► Attorney Javier Armengau of Columbus, OH; pervert 8 ► Attorney Frank Astrella of Joliet, IL; pervert 9 ► Attorney Lawrence Baker of Rochester, NY; pervert 10 ► Attorney Michael Baker of Encino, CA; serial pervert 11 ► Attorney Steven Barr of Colorado Springs; pervert, repeat offender 12 ► Attorney David Bell of New Orleans; pervert, moron 13 ► Attorney Vincent Bernabei of Beaverton, OR; convicted pervert 14 ► Attorney L. Frank Bergner Jr. of Aurora, CO; pervert 15 ► Attorney Arthur S. Block of Riverside, CA; pervert, ethically impaired

A Leather Coat from Pakistan

I was throwing on my coat and noticed it was made in Pakistan. Perhaps that could be the reason I landed on a terrorist watchlist. who knows?

TSA Watchlist? Me?

Just picked up tickets to head west and found out I'm on a Terrorist Watchlist. Glad to see their being deligent but me? Really?

Goodreads 2-star Review on Joe Arpaio way back . . .

Look . . . I sensed an enormous ego run amok with Ol' Joe way back in March. Jeez I'm like reading this story about green bologna and Tent City and how much Sheriff Joe has drawn a line against crime. You do the crime you do the time. As I said at the library last night to a group . . . Sheriffs are never elected for their smarts . . . just their image. It works out until they start believing in their own bullshit as an old friend told me. Now old Joe is facing serious charges. Is he going to continue with his stance against crime and demand sometime in Tent City? This is just another example where this blog has landed it's readers way ahead of the pack.

Here's a piece of the Review.
In America, we have tough sheriffs fighting the war on drugs and our fellow citizens continue to die. I am not a Molly user but I'm anti-bullshit. All this war on that and toss 'em in jail and throw the key away just gets kinda sickening to me. Lets get real. Lets cut the bullshit. The message here just seems to be too much bullshit. Enough said?