Empathy Under Fire

Brunei has just enacted legislation to Stone Homosexuals. Get caught stealing and its off with a hand. Second go round ya forfeit a foot. Only thing for sure is politics pay well in this country. The leader is worth 20 billion. 

Violence begets Violence

Really? Something has to be done about this. First educate yourself. Seek to Understand before being Understood. Read stories by Hosseini - whether it's A Thousand Splendid Suns or Never a Child or . . . you get the picture. Tons of books for you to get after.

Jakelin Caal Maquin

Autopsy For 7-Year-Old Migrant Who Died In U.S. Custody Shows She Died Of Sepsis

No . . . this life wasn't extinguished by Sepsis. Oh I get it. But . . . Hemmingway and Steinbeck already told us the 'how' and 'why' of Jakelin's demise. Then you have recent stories, highlighted in the previous post. Never a Child - The Kite Runner or how about The Son of Hammas anyone? Hopefully these stories will hoe the Devils Lettuce from the Garden of Humanity.

A Read for the Weekend - A Thousand Splendid Sun Rises

Man . . . I envy you if you haven't read this book yet. That is because you get to read it for the first time. The story takes place in Afghanistan, just as this authors other book, The Kit Runner did. Khaled Hosseini puts so much into human terms. Breathtaking! If you love these reads checkout Never a Child. I see it's available for the Kindle. These reads will change how you view your world!

White Rage

Man . . . talk about a socially responsible gig that'll turn your world upside down. Read this story and be better for it. Runner up? The New Jim Crow . . .

A Rumor of War

Philip Caputo nailed it with this work. He digs, I mean really digs to establish just what War does to the civilized man. This is a must read for anyone who has sent a friend or relative or neighbor or well you get the picture into conflict. It is an ugly story that must be read and understood. A companion story would be On Killing by Lt Col Dave Grossman.

Sandy Hook and Parkland Florida

So three individuals who survived Mass Shootings or lost loved ones have committed suicide in the last couple of weeks. PTSD is horrible and the reason I highlighted it in The Bee Killer. It's available on Amazon for the minimum price of .99 cents and I'd love to donate proceeds to address this problem. David Hogg, survivor of the Parkland Mass Shooting asks . . . "How many more kids have to be taken from us as a result of suicide for the government / school district to do anything?" he wrote. "Rip 17+2."

Oh Those Silly Cops

Craziest Video Ever

Rochester Police Department Patrol Lieutenant Craig Anderson said, “It’s really kind of a good thing she got out and did this just because it is a reminder to everybody don’t take it for granted when you are leaving school.”

A good thing, but a problem RPD cannot fix, “Wouldn’t be one of our top traffic concerns to try to set something up as far as enforcement goes being that we do not enforce the private parking lot,” said Lt. Anderson.

The stop sign is on Mayo High School property so RPD does not have the authority to site someone until an accident.

Lt. Anderson says there are instances where they would cite someone on private property, “We do enforce laws on private property like DUI, careless driving and reckless driving and things like that.”

Lt. Anderson does not think a car crash is likely, “She’s right cars are not stopping for the stop sign but they are yielding to traffic, if you noticed there is really no traffic because it is a dead end street.”

He says maybe a stop sign is not needed, “A yield sign would be actually what they are required to do by actual statue.”

First quote . . . "kind of a good thing" Does that mean it isn't a good thing?

Second quote . . . "we do not enforce the private parking lot" It's a public school thus a public lot - right?

Third quote . . . "can't site someone (or is it cite?) We do enforce laws like DUIL, careless and reckless driving and things like that." What does 'things like that' mean?

Fourth quote . . . "there really isn't traffic because it is a dead end street." But didn't the lady video vehicles leaving a parking lot?

Fifth quote . . . "A yield sign would be actually what they are required to do by actual statue." Is this the Statue of Liberty or did the writer mean statute? What law mandates a yield sign?

Hunter Thompson said "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." I suppose he could've put it this way . . . "When the going gets weird, the weird become Police Lieutenants in Rochester Minnesota."

Many thanks to Lt. Anderson . . . I needed a good laugh and he delivered!

Joy Sillesen

Had the opportunity to work on projects with Joy. She was responsible for the Brand of Justice and JusThis Covers. She's an amazing talent if I say so myself.

Must Reads for Me

I've always been drawn toward stories that have a foot in the door of reality. Having been a cop for years and years has resulted in an inability to read the likes of Sanford. Here are some books that are spot on.

A Rumor of War explains the ramifications of war on the participant.

White Rage points out problems with blacks and whites in America.

A Thousand Splendid Suns points out the ramifications of violence.

Song Remains the Same

So George W. went to Yale. Has he been known as a scholar? Now we have surprised folks tossing out 500 billion dollar lawsuits leaving me to wonder why.

Jussie Smollett

This guy allegedly falsely reports 'a' crime and is hammered with '16' felony charges. The math is off here. Common Sense once again is trampled by amoral lawyers. Makes my skin crawl. Should you care? We all live under this threat.  

Ever Wonder?

Why folks on TV are never watching TV?

Oh that Robert Kraft

One difference between me and Mr Kraft is I can donate to the American Red Cross.

Montana Meet and Greet

Here's a topic of conversation . . . Empathy vs Accountability.

Muthana's lawyer said she was "just a stupid, naive, young dumb woman," when she became enamored of Islamic State, believing it was an organization that protected Muslims.

Democrat, Republican or Whatever, ya gotta admit, Trump could've got it Right!

Lookin' more and more like Jussie Smollett put together a fake news story. He was attacked by fellas wearing MAGA caps because he was black or gay, or perhaps, a little of each. News Organizations ran wild with the story and it could've been a piece of staged 'Fake News' all along.

The questions begs to be asked . . . Why do something like this? Is this guy running low on the ego deal? Does he need to be the center of attention? True example of Sympathy for The Devil if this actually is the case.  

Minneapolis St Paul Fox Morning Show

Did Fox Nine and The Dawn Stevens Show and no, I'm not an American Idol Contestant.

Another Violent End for Maintaining Peaceful Intentions

The assassination stunned the country, and tens of thousands of mourners attended Ko Ni's funeral. Ko Ni, a Muslim in the predominantly Buddhist country, had written several books on democracy and had just returned from a Jakarta visit to study interfaith peace in Indonesia. A legal adviser for the country's ruling National League for Democracy, he routinely condemned state violence against the minority Rohingya population, which human rights investigators have since said could constitute a genocide.

Gonna Get Back to The Mountains

Well here goes to y'all out in The Wild West. It's getting so close I can feel it. Looking forward to the Meet and Greet. My books are available on line or at Barnes and Noble. Higgins Books have 'em so pick-up a copy and I'll sign it for you guaranteed! That being said I do not travel well with a ton of books so many thanks in advance.

Edgar Allan Poe's Thoughts on The Taliban

The Taliban has this to say . . .

Durrani said if US troops leave, "we might repeat history where women will be beaten, shot in the heads, and their noses cut. Where women will be treated as second class citizens, just because they are women."

Taliban promises moderate stance

A senior Taliban member, speaking to Al Jazeera anonymously, said the group would strike a moderate tone on women's education and their right to work.

"It won't be the same for women like it used to be during our regime in Afghanistan. They will have access to education and will have their rights," he said.