About a month has passed and Flight 370 still hasn't been found. The Australians have picked up on the pings form the black box, but they haven't located, or found anything yet. Very sad for the victims and especially the families of the passengers. And in the squalor and ineptitude of their helplessness the Malaysian authorities claim that every passenger remains a suspect. How nice, these families have lost loved ones in a tragic and mysterious lost plane and the authorities insult them by claiming all of them are suspects. Possible perpetrators of what has happened. It can't be called an accident yet, because no one knows or has evidence that it actually was an accident. Could a passenger be responsible for what happened? It's possible. Could a pilot have been responsible? Of course. In fact that scenario is a lot more likely since they were driving the damn thing. Given the level of sophistication the world intelligence community has reached, one would think it would be known if there were a terrorist on board. But those slimy little bastards seem to crawl in and out of places before the spooks can catch up to them. But they also like to claim responsibility for their vileness. They want the world to know they killed infidels before they go off to enjoy their 72 virgins or however many it is... I think it would be safe to say it wasn't the work of a terrorist. Could it have been a mechanical malfunction. Once again, it's possible. But airplanes don't have a habit of turning around and flying the other direction unless someone with a pulse takes the controls and turns it around. Again, I think it's safe to say, no mechanical malfunction. So, we are left with the arrow of guilt pointing at the pilots. Was it just one of them? Big jets have at least three in the cockpit. Did all three conspire to ditch their own jet? Probably not. Radical thinking capable of something like that usually doesn't come in triplet form. Could the perp have 'disabled' the other two somehow then executed his plan and 270 people alone? Now we're really getting into the field of likely scenarios.
But, there's always a big but in every story. But, we don't know that for sure, and the sad thing is we never will. We can figure out some likely scenarios but we'll never know which one it was. There's certainly no survivors and any and all evidence is lost at the bottom of a very big and very deep ocean. It's really hard to find stuff in a place like that. But, there's another one. The last thing anyone needs to do is say that 270 passengers are suspects. Or, is it maybe 269...
Yes, Google. Interesting subject for a blog post by a writer, huh? I think it is. If you think about some things that have really significant influence on our lives these days, Google has to be on that list. Technology in general is changing and shaping our lives in big ways, huge ways but Google in particular is leading the way. Think about it, if you're a boomer when you were in college and had to do research you went to the library and spent long hours ensconced in the stacks. That's just the way it was done. If you're a Millineum you don't even know what the stacks are. But you sure know your way around the internet and it's not likely that you're going to log on without going to Google at some point. However, Google is no ordinary company. They are a technology company, for sure. But 97% of their revenue comes from advertising. And their revenues last year were in the order of $33B. That's one hell of a lot of advertising. They are a tech company but not really in the business of making and selling computers or software. They do make and sell computers, Chrome Book, Google Glass among them. What little they do produce and sell is highly innovative, out on the edge stuff. They employ some of the best code writers on the planet. And you can bet the code that makes their stuff work is as highly guarded as the formula to Coca-Cola. The two fellows that founded this company are two bright visionaries who found the intersection of luck, fate and hard work and took advantage of everything it had to offer. And of course, they're still there running the company. As far as building a search engine, they hit it out of the park. Practically everyone who uses a computer uses Google. So when you have that many people using your product, if you stick some advertisements on there, literally hundreds of millions of people are going to see them. Ask anyone in the business if advertising works. And if the audience is hundreds of millions around the globe, everyday, need I say more.
As a corporation though, the way it's organized, the way it's run they're probably not any better than the average American company. The two founders who are high level functional managers in the corporation now, are by training programmers. They're not business men trained in finance or marketing or management. They have those types on the payroll but those two just sit around and dream up the wild and crazy stuff the corporation is going to do. And that company does a lot of wild and crazy stuff. They have plenty of money to afford to do wild and crazy stuff. That's a good thing though. We need companies to do wild and crazy stuff. That's the way cool, new things that make life better are created. But in the background they're just an ordinary company with a bunch of jerk-off mid-level managers plodding along. What makes them so successful is not their proficiency and organizational effectiveness. They've got some really good, top-tier people and they're got some muttonheads, just like every other corporation. What makes them different and unique is they came up with something that everyone needs and uses, and it's free. Now tell me, how many companies have done that? You can jump on the internet and find anything, literally, and find it fast with Google. And it's completely free. Yeah, those annoying ads are there but you learn to ignore them. Or at least you think you are ignoring them. Those ads are the vehicle that help sell trillions in goods and services around the world. As long as they keep that search engine out there, keep improving it where they can, and keep it free, the money river will remain at flood stage.
They're coming up with some cutting edge innovation and ideas. I just watched a TED video interview with Larry Page. He talked about bicycles running on wires above the street, automatic cars that drive themselves, and computers that are artificially intelligent. That can think, sort of like people do. And I'm sure some of his wild and crazy ideas will eventually come to fruition. Not one word from him about shareholder value, acquisitions, shedding assets, market share or stock splits. Things you often hear CEO's talk about. He doesn't really know about stuff like that nor does he give a shit. He's busy trying to make the world better and improve life and all that stuff. Do you think the CEO of American General Life Insurance is thinking about the same things Larry Page and Sergei Brin are? If you do you probably also think there is ocean-front property in Arizona. Being the CEO of one of the worlds largest and most innovative companies and your job is to dream up wild and crazy things to make the world better?... All of this made possible by selling ads.
As a corporation though, the way it's organized, the way it's run they're probably not any better than the average American company. The two founders who are high level functional managers in the corporation now, are by training programmers. They're not business men trained in finance or marketing or management. They have those types on the payroll but those two just sit around and dream up the wild and crazy stuff the corporation is going to do. And that company does a lot of wild and crazy stuff. They have plenty of money to afford to do wild and crazy stuff. That's a good thing though. We need companies to do wild and crazy stuff. That's the way cool, new things that make life better are created. But in the background they're just an ordinary company with a bunch of jerk-off mid-level managers plodding along. What makes them so successful is not their proficiency and organizational effectiveness. They've got some really good, top-tier people and they're got some muttonheads, just like every other corporation. What makes them different and unique is they came up with something that everyone needs and uses, and it's free. Now tell me, how many companies have done that? You can jump on the internet and find anything, literally, and find it fast with Google. And it's completely free. Yeah, those annoying ads are there but you learn to ignore them. Or at least you think you are ignoring them. Those ads are the vehicle that help sell trillions in goods and services around the world. As long as they keep that search engine out there, keep improving it where they can, and keep it free, the money river will remain at flood stage.
They're coming up with some cutting edge innovation and ideas. I just watched a TED video interview with Larry Page. He talked about bicycles running on wires above the street, automatic cars that drive themselves, and computers that are artificially intelligent. That can think, sort of like people do. And I'm sure some of his wild and crazy ideas will eventually come to fruition. Not one word from him about shareholder value, acquisitions, shedding assets, market share or stock splits. Things you often hear CEO's talk about. He doesn't really know about stuff like that nor does he give a shit. He's busy trying to make the world better and improve life and all that stuff. Do you think the CEO of American General Life Insurance is thinking about the same things Larry Page and Sergei Brin are? If you do you probably also think there is ocean-front property in Arizona. Being the CEO of one of the worlds largest and most innovative companies and your job is to dream up wild and crazy things to make the world better?... All of this made possible by selling ads.
Where does it end?...
OK. I said last time I posted that I was going to get away from politics on here. And I am, really. But like that diet that you're always going to start 'tomorrow', I'll start getting away from politics next time. Every time I read about some asinine, egregious stunt our ass-hat president pulls I can't help myself. Does this make me an activist? I don't know and I really don't care. I don't go around looking for opportunities to engage in political discussions but hey, this is my blog and my stage to sound off. I think many of you will agree with me anyway.
I read in the news this morning that Barry has decide to use executive fiat (once again) to force business to pay more in overtime wages. Any true American who understands that the Constitution is the basis of law and order in our great country would (and should) be outraged at this. For two very big reasons. One, the constitution does not allow him or give him the authority to do this. This authority appears to be entirely self-granted. The president is part of the executive branch of government. Congress is part of the legislative. Congress shall make or change the laws of the country, not the president. Once again, he is assuming the role of a despot, unilaterally making or changing laws. My fellow Americans, we are a democratic republic. We have laws and our constitution provides a legislative body to make and change those laws. And that legislative body does not include the president. Unfortunately, I think most Americans do not comprehend the gravity and the implications of what he is doing.
The second big reason is we are a free-market, capitalist society. That means the market sets prices and wages. Both are determined by the forces of supply and demand. We even have laws that encourage and support this. We have anti-trust laws to prevent companies from colluding and fixing prices. To prevent enterprises from stifling free-trade and competition. We have labor laws that protect workers. We have minimum wage and overtime laws. And my fellow patriots, all of these laws were passed by majority votes of both houses of Congress. ALL OF THEM. Are we now to break the law and precedent of 238 years as a nation and allow the president to make or change laws and bypass our law-making body, with impunity?
Where does it stop? When does someone stand up and say, "Mr. President, you can't do that. You have broken the law." What are the implications? They are vast. This is heresy. While it is true that business is regulated, the regulations are designed to ensure that business does not ignore the considerations of health and safety. And that monopolies do not form and quash competition. That workers are not discriminated against. They are not designed to force business to operate in a way that is counter to the forces of the free-market. Specifically, if the demand for a good or service is such that a company needs to have it's workers work overtime to produce the good or service, then they will adjust their operations to do that. If the demand is not there, they won't. For the president to force them to pay more overtime that is not supported by demand, will also force many businesses to cease operations. Which will lead to lost jobs for many.
So, where does it end. And what will be next? Will he force companies to hire more people, so more people will have jobs? Even if they don't need them? Our free-market system and our current government regulations are designed to foster economic growth. From economic growth we all prosper. Jobs are created and wages increase from economic growth. Profits generated from economic growth provide dividends for stockholders. Wages for workers. Taxes for the government to provide services. Most responsible corporations give back to their communities, generously. I don't care who you are and how powerful you may consider yourself, you can't dictate profits. Want an example? Ask doctors in England if working for the National Health System is profitable. Ask Norway. Ask the citizens of both countries if their income taxes are reasonable and fair.
What could be worse than having a president who would dictate laws to free-market enterprises unlawfully? Having a populace that would allow him to do it...
I read in the news this morning that Barry has decide to use executive fiat (once again) to force business to pay more in overtime wages. Any true American who understands that the Constitution is the basis of law and order in our great country would (and should) be outraged at this. For two very big reasons. One, the constitution does not allow him or give him the authority to do this. This authority appears to be entirely self-granted. The president is part of the executive branch of government. Congress is part of the legislative. Congress shall make or change the laws of the country, not the president. Once again, he is assuming the role of a despot, unilaterally making or changing laws. My fellow Americans, we are a democratic republic. We have laws and our constitution provides a legislative body to make and change those laws. And that legislative body does not include the president. Unfortunately, I think most Americans do not comprehend the gravity and the implications of what he is doing.
The second big reason is we are a free-market, capitalist society. That means the market sets prices and wages. Both are determined by the forces of supply and demand. We even have laws that encourage and support this. We have anti-trust laws to prevent companies from colluding and fixing prices. To prevent enterprises from stifling free-trade and competition. We have labor laws that protect workers. We have minimum wage and overtime laws. And my fellow patriots, all of these laws were passed by majority votes of both houses of Congress. ALL OF THEM. Are we now to break the law and precedent of 238 years as a nation and allow the president to make or change laws and bypass our law-making body, with impunity?
Where does it stop? When does someone stand up and say, "Mr. President, you can't do that. You have broken the law." What are the implications? They are vast. This is heresy. While it is true that business is regulated, the regulations are designed to ensure that business does not ignore the considerations of health and safety. And that monopolies do not form and quash competition. That workers are not discriminated against. They are not designed to force business to operate in a way that is counter to the forces of the free-market. Specifically, if the demand for a good or service is such that a company needs to have it's workers work overtime to produce the good or service, then they will adjust their operations to do that. If the demand is not there, they won't. For the president to force them to pay more overtime that is not supported by demand, will also force many businesses to cease operations. Which will lead to lost jobs for many.
So, where does it end. And what will be next? Will he force companies to hire more people, so more people will have jobs? Even if they don't need them? Our free-market system and our current government regulations are designed to foster economic growth. From economic growth we all prosper. Jobs are created and wages increase from economic growth. Profits generated from economic growth provide dividends for stockholders. Wages for workers. Taxes for the government to provide services. Most responsible corporations give back to their communities, generously. I don't care who you are and how powerful you may consider yourself, you can't dictate profits. Want an example? Ask doctors in England if working for the National Health System is profitable. Ask Norway. Ask the citizens of both countries if their income taxes are reasonable and fair.
What could be worse than having a president who would dictate laws to free-market enterprises unlawfully? Having a populace that would allow him to do it...
Checkin 'In...
I don't get over here often enough, some of you who check my blog now and then have noticed that. It isnt for lack of desire, this damn day job gets in the way, like it gets in the way of all of my fun. But I'll work on that. Some of my recent posts have been about current political topics. That's what's in the news and it's what affects our lives. And a lot of people are very passionate about that subject. It's a shame because the leadership of this country and politics in general is a sad state of affairs at present. I don't care what the libtards say, that idiot in the white house is doing a terrible job.
But I need to get off politics because this is a blog about writing and books. Current politics, I mean. If you're writing a thriller it's hard not to involve politics in some way. My first novel had a political current in it. And the one I'm working on now does as well. The difference is mine are made up, they are pure fiction. I got the ideas from real events but it's all made up. I wish all that was going on now like the national debt going into the stratosphere was fiction. Damn, there I go again. Who knows, maybe my next novel will be about an inept president, boy, I could do a number with that subject...
A huge part of writing is coming up with ideas. You can't come up with good ideas by anal extraction alone. Dont get me wrong, there's a lot of good ideas that have come from anal extractions, but there has to be other sources. (Probably better sources...) You need inspiration, and you get that from people you meet, places you go, things going on around you, things going on in the world. You take that idea and mix it up with a good batch of imagination and viola! You are on you're way to spinning a good story.
What's strange though is this inspiration. It seems to come and go. Sometimes the ideas are flowing like a rain-swollen hill-country river. Others times it's more like a bone-dry West-Texas creekbed in August. Lately, my imagination has more resembled the creekbed. I envy the professional writers, the guys who get up about say, seven or eight, have some coffee for an hour or so then mosey into their office (the one in their house...) and sit down to write. Ahh, yes. If only I could do that. I'm not quite there yet but that day is coming. But when you have to get up at four, drive across town and work for nine hours, drive back across town, it's hard to crank out best-sellers. But we all have to start somewhere. And agents won't even talk to you until you have a best-seller under your belt. You can write a great novel but unless you can sell it, not many people are going to know it's great. I wrote one but I don't know much about marketing. Even if I did, I don't have the time to do it. John Grisham said, "Writing books is the easy part, selling them is the hard part." So very true.
In a few years though I'm going to have the time to work on the part I dont know much about. Or at least find someone to do it for me. And, I'm going to crank out some more best-sellers, too.
But I need to get off politics because this is a blog about writing and books. Current politics, I mean. If you're writing a thriller it's hard not to involve politics in some way. My first novel had a political current in it. And the one I'm working on now does as well. The difference is mine are made up, they are pure fiction. I got the ideas from real events but it's all made up. I wish all that was going on now like the national debt going into the stratosphere was fiction. Damn, there I go again. Who knows, maybe my next novel will be about an inept president, boy, I could do a number with that subject...
A huge part of writing is coming up with ideas. You can't come up with good ideas by anal extraction alone. Dont get me wrong, there's a lot of good ideas that have come from anal extractions, but there has to be other sources. (Probably better sources...) You need inspiration, and you get that from people you meet, places you go, things going on around you, things going on in the world. You take that idea and mix it up with a good batch of imagination and viola! You are on you're way to spinning a good story.
What's strange though is this inspiration. It seems to come and go. Sometimes the ideas are flowing like a rain-swollen hill-country river. Others times it's more like a bone-dry West-Texas creekbed in August. Lately, my imagination has more resembled the creekbed. I envy the professional writers, the guys who get up about say, seven or eight, have some coffee for an hour or so then mosey into their office (the one in their house...) and sit down to write. Ahh, yes. If only I could do that. I'm not quite there yet but that day is coming. But when you have to get up at four, drive across town and work for nine hours, drive back across town, it's hard to crank out best-sellers. But we all have to start somewhere. And agents won't even talk to you until you have a best-seller under your belt. You can write a great novel but unless you can sell it, not many people are going to know it's great. I wrote one but I don't know much about marketing. Even if I did, I don't have the time to do it. John Grisham said, "Writing books is the easy part, selling them is the hard part." So very true.
In a few years though I'm going to have the time to work on the part I dont know much about. Or at least find someone to do it for me. And, I'm going to crank out some more best-sellers, too.
Well, another year is winding down. How time does fly, especially the older we get. I'm not admitting to getting old, just making an observation. Looking back on this year, there are some things that concern me. In fact, they just outright bug the hell out of me. Some of them even piss me off. At the top of the list, our leadership. Our president. Not really very presidential. When the president is known to lie and deceive, well that's just a sorry state of affairs. I won't go into the details of his scandals, we've heard so much about them already. If you don't know what's going on then you're more out of touch than he is. IRS, Benghazi, Fast and Furious, it's a long and pathetic list. And of course, Obamacare. Train wreck, fiasco, calamity, and lies. Lots of lies. It's disheartening to see the behavior we've seen from B.H. Obama. It's frightening to know that someone could be elected president of this great nation and inflict the damage he has. That some one could attempt to set a course for this nation toward socialism, communism. That someone in his position could embody such a reckless disregard for honesty and integrity. Or, as I recently heard, to take such indecent liberties with the truth. This man is guilty of many abominations, against this country and it's people. And for that he is apparently shameless. Remorseless.
I'm not really a subscriber to a political party. I don't espouse a particular set of political ideologies. I do expect as a great president once said, the government should be "by the people, of the people and for the people." Period. (Sarcasm intended...) We have a bicameral government that works on a bipartisan basis. Is that so hard to understand. We dont have two houses of government BUT the president gets the last word. The president's power is THROUGH the congress, not AROUND it. To me, this is all very profound. There is an attempt to change our way of life. A way of life that our forefathers established in law. Indeed in the Constitution. A way of life that has worked for over two-hundred years. That way of life is called freedom. Freedom of choice. Freedom of religion. We've had to fight for it before, it's been threatened alright. And many good, honest, American men and women have given their lives in it's defense. Many more would do the same if called on to do so. But the enemies of state aren't so easily recognizable anymore. Terrorists hide like cockroaches until they strike out and kill innocents. Many Americans have died because they couldn't see the enemy. They didn't know who the enemy was until it was too late. Is our own president an enemy of our freedom? Is he trying to morph it into a socialist state? A state where "everyone gets a shot" as he puts it? A state where the wealth is redistributed so the poor are no longer poor? Where everyone has medical care, whether they can afford it or not? These are all honorable ideals, but there's one problem. He's not smart enough to pull it off. Period.
There's a new book coming by C. Clayton Lewis. I'm heading into the ending, the wrap-up. I hope to wind it up during the holidays and have it published early next year. I haven't even decided on a title yet. It's a historical thriller, that's why it's taking so long. There is so much research that takes so much time. But it's going to be worth the wait, another on-the-edge-of-your seat, keep-you-up-late because you-can't-put-it-down story. After this one I'm going back to Charlie and Jon from The El Morro Connection. Two good ol' working boys who will find new trouble somewhere else in the world...
I'm not really a subscriber to a political party. I don't espouse a particular set of political ideologies. I do expect as a great president once said, the government should be "by the people, of the people and for the people." Period. (Sarcasm intended...) We have a bicameral government that works on a bipartisan basis. Is that so hard to understand. We dont have two houses of government BUT the president gets the last word. The president's power is THROUGH the congress, not AROUND it. To me, this is all very profound. There is an attempt to change our way of life. A way of life that our forefathers established in law. Indeed in the Constitution. A way of life that has worked for over two-hundred years. That way of life is called freedom. Freedom of choice. Freedom of religion. We've had to fight for it before, it's been threatened alright. And many good, honest, American men and women have given their lives in it's defense. Many more would do the same if called on to do so. But the enemies of state aren't so easily recognizable anymore. Terrorists hide like cockroaches until they strike out and kill innocents. Many Americans have died because they couldn't see the enemy. They didn't know who the enemy was until it was too late. Is our own president an enemy of our freedom? Is he trying to morph it into a socialist state? A state where "everyone gets a shot" as he puts it? A state where the wealth is redistributed so the poor are no longer poor? Where everyone has medical care, whether they can afford it or not? These are all honorable ideals, but there's one problem. He's not smart enough to pull it off. Period.
There's a new book coming by C. Clayton Lewis. I'm heading into the ending, the wrap-up. I hope to wind it up during the holidays and have it published early next year. I haven't even decided on a title yet. It's a historical thriller, that's why it's taking so long. There is so much research that takes so much time. But it's going to be worth the wait, another on-the-edge-of-your seat, keep-you-up-late because you-can't-put-it-down story. After this one I'm going back to Charlie and Jon from The El Morro Connection. Two good ol' working boys who will find new trouble somewhere else in the world...
Not guilty... OK...
Last night a breaking news bulletin revealed that George Zimmerman was found not guilty by a jury in Sanford Florida. If you had been following the trial, like most of us probably have, you would know of the apprehension surrounding such an outcome. Police in many cities had been preparing for violent reactions. This morning, fortunately, there have been no reports of such. We are thankful for that and maybe, that's a milestone in our country. After all, we are a civilized democracy. If you look around the world you'll see violent demonstrations in reactions to events that citizens disapprove of. Violent demonstrations where citizens die. Sometimes, many. But we're above that, at least we're supposed to be. In our past we're guilty of violent demonstrations. Reginald Denny can vouch for that. And we could use a milestone like that, considering what's been going on in the U.S. for the past five years. When Obama took office at the top of the list of the promised "Hope and Change" for many people in this country was that race relations would improve. Finally. That was a change that was truly worth hoping for. A black president who could bridge the races and bring a long-awaited harmony to the nation. Just thinking about it reminds me of the song "Imagine" by John Lennon.
But such was not to be. Not even close. Exactly what hope and change he hand in mind is really not clear anymore. The change most of us are hoping for now is that the mess he's created will go away (along with him...). No, he has not helped improve race relations, not at all. In fact, he's made them much worse. He has polarized the races in this country to a level not seen in the history of the nation. At least not since the days of slavery.
Let me throw a few facts at you. I like facts because they're so damn hard to argue with. Of course some people will argue with anything, but whatever... Fact: most white people, no, make that almost all white people do not dislike, condemn, look down on, or see black people in any way lesser than themselves. Black people, or any other race in the U.S. are entitled to the same rights, privileges and opportunities that the rest of us are. All we ask is that you earn them, they won't be given to you. If we have to earn them, so do you. Our constitution says we are all equal under the law and entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It does not say you're entitled to all that only if you're white. Now, recall I said 'almost all' white people previously. There are some and probably always will be a contingent of maladjusted morons that are bigoted and prejudiced. Just remember, that little group of meatheads includes ALL races. Here's another fact: white people would love to see black people as a hard-working, law-abiding, industrious, productive, educated and intelligent race contributing to the good of the country. Just like we would like to see all white people do the same. But that's not the way it is. But if you are black and you're all those things, God bless you and let's work together and get 'er done.
Now, let me continue with the facts. There is a lot, way too many actually, claims made that someone is racist in this country. A disproportionate number of those claims appears to come from supporters (mostly Democrats) of the president. If anyone dares to disagree or condemn anything the president says or does, they're called racist. People, and I'm talking to white, black, brown, red, yellow or whatever color you are, get over it. In fact, shut the hell up. We're sick of it already. The Ku Klux Klan is racist, white supremacists are racist. The Arian Nation is racist. Disagreement with someone of any color is not racist. Here's another fact and a lot of you aren't going to like this one. The race guilty of being the quickest to pull out the race card is, yes, black people. Deal with it, it's the truth. Seems like every time someone disagrees with Beloved Barry, he's called a racist. Enough already. You know that's not racism, so stop it.
Now, back to the George Zimmerman trial. First, the events leading to the trial were sad, tragic and most unfortunate. I'm not going to debate whether justice was properly carried out or not. Some say it was, some say it wasn't. But there was one thing that was properly carried out. Due process of the law. Zimmerman was accused, arrested, jailed, arraigned and stood trial by a jury of his peers. The media, the public, a special interest group of white people, hell not even a federal judge decided his innocence or guilt. That was done by a jury of his peers and no one else. Was the outcome wrong. Maybe. Maybe not. If it was it was no more wrong than any of the wrong outcomes that have happened before. There have been people who have been falsely accused and even falsely convicted before. And people who have been falsely acquitted before. It is not a perfect, flawless system of justice we have. Sometimes, it makes mistakes. But it is the best system of justice on this planet. If you don't believe that then you don't get out much. Try living as a woman in a Muslim nation, that'll convince you. Look at it this way, if you are ever accused of breaking the law and you're arrested, jailed and ordered to stand trial, would you be OK with you're guilt or innocence being decided by the media, the public, a special interest group of white people or even a federal judge? I didn't think so. You'd want a jury of your peers. And you would get it. Just like George Zimmerman did.
But such was not to be. Not even close. Exactly what hope and change he hand in mind is really not clear anymore. The change most of us are hoping for now is that the mess he's created will go away (along with him...). No, he has not helped improve race relations, not at all. In fact, he's made them much worse. He has polarized the races in this country to a level not seen in the history of the nation. At least not since the days of slavery.
Let me throw a few facts at you. I like facts because they're so damn hard to argue with. Of course some people will argue with anything, but whatever... Fact: most white people, no, make that almost all white people do not dislike, condemn, look down on, or see black people in any way lesser than themselves. Black people, or any other race in the U.S. are entitled to the same rights, privileges and opportunities that the rest of us are. All we ask is that you earn them, they won't be given to you. If we have to earn them, so do you. Our constitution says we are all equal under the law and entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It does not say you're entitled to all that only if you're white. Now, recall I said 'almost all' white people previously. There are some and probably always will be a contingent of maladjusted morons that are bigoted and prejudiced. Just remember, that little group of meatheads includes ALL races. Here's another fact: white people would love to see black people as a hard-working, law-abiding, industrious, productive, educated and intelligent race contributing to the good of the country. Just like we would like to see all white people do the same. But that's not the way it is. But if you are black and you're all those things, God bless you and let's work together and get 'er done.
Now, let me continue with the facts. There is a lot, way too many actually, claims made that someone is racist in this country. A disproportionate number of those claims appears to come from supporters (mostly Democrats) of the president. If anyone dares to disagree or condemn anything the president says or does, they're called racist. People, and I'm talking to white, black, brown, red, yellow or whatever color you are, get over it. In fact, shut the hell up. We're sick of it already. The Ku Klux Klan is racist, white supremacists are racist. The Arian Nation is racist. Disagreement with someone of any color is not racist. Here's another fact and a lot of you aren't going to like this one. The race guilty of being the quickest to pull out the race card is, yes, black people. Deal with it, it's the truth. Seems like every time someone disagrees with Beloved Barry, he's called a racist. Enough already. You know that's not racism, so stop it.
Now, back to the George Zimmerman trial. First, the events leading to the trial were sad, tragic and most unfortunate. I'm not going to debate whether justice was properly carried out or not. Some say it was, some say it wasn't. But there was one thing that was properly carried out. Due process of the law. Zimmerman was accused, arrested, jailed, arraigned and stood trial by a jury of his peers. The media, the public, a special interest group of white people, hell not even a federal judge decided his innocence or guilt. That was done by a jury of his peers and no one else. Was the outcome wrong. Maybe. Maybe not. If it was it was no more wrong than any of the wrong outcomes that have happened before. There have been people who have been falsely accused and even falsely convicted before. And people who have been falsely acquitted before. It is not a perfect, flawless system of justice we have. Sometimes, it makes mistakes. But it is the best system of justice on this planet. If you don't believe that then you don't get out much. Try living as a woman in a Muslim nation, that'll convince you. Look at it this way, if you are ever accused of breaking the law and you're arrested, jailed and ordered to stand trial, would you be OK with you're guilt or innocence being decided by the media, the public, a special interest group of white people or even a federal judge? I didn't think so. You'd want a jury of your peers. And you would get it. Just like George Zimmerman did.
What is going on with our country?...
These are strange times in the United States. And it's pretty safe to say they're not good times. Let me give you a few reasons why they're not good times. Unemployment is hovering around 10%, after nearly reaching 12%. That's a lot of folks living without a job. Any way you look at it that's tough. More often than not those jobless folks have kids. Economic growth is at the lowest level in recent history. (That, and unemployment go hand in hand.) There's an enormous amount of uncertainty amongst Americans. Uncertainty as to how the implementation of the Affordable Care Act will affect their lives. It's becoming evident as time goes by that all the president said about it is not really the way it's going to be. Such as "If you have insurance now and you want to keep it, then you can." That may not be the case. "Insurance is going to be cheaper. It's not. And the program is going to be administered by the IRS. Which happens to be mired in scandal and the lying managers and officials that are being questioned by Congress are all pleading the 5th Amendment. One who is being questioned now who is pleading the 5th, of course, has a personal friend who owns companies that have been awarded a half a billion dollars in contracts with the IRS. And of course he is on record as spearheading the award of these contracts. Strictly against policy, hell, that's against policy anywhere you might work. The NSA has been outed about it's spying on American citizens who haven't been accused or suspected of doing anything wrong. What happened to protection against illegal search and seizure? Hell for that matter, what happened to most of the protections the amendments of the Bill of Rights gives us? Our illustrious president seems to be running the country and ignoring the constitution. Didn't he take an oath to uphold the Constitution? What about lying to the American people? Hell, we've gotten so used to his lying it doesn't seem to be such a big deal anymore. And today in the news we hear that Obama is upset that the American people are upset with the government. No shit Sherlock. Do you think?...
Obamacare is one of many measures that are trying to model life in America after socialist European countries. Under O'care, the government is going to dictate what care you will and will not be getting. They will decide what the doctors can charge for the care. They will dictate what the insurance companies will pay and what coverage they will provide. Laissez-fare and health care have just been separated by a huge incision. Actually, it was more like a big slash from a meat cleaver. Now, keep in mind this bill barely, BARELY, passed Congress. While trying to sell it to the American people, Nancy Pelosi said, "We have to pass this bill so we can see what's in it." This was a U.S. Congresswoman that said this. No joke. When lawsuits from prescient people tried to overturn and repeal it, John Roberts of the Supreme Court, in the swing vote, voted to uphold it. Please remember that Chief Justice Roberts is a conservative jurist. Hmmm. Just what the hell does conservative mean anymore... O'care is causing uncertainty among small and large business in the country to the extent that they are refraining from hiring until it's effects are better understood. Which of course stifles economic growth and keeps unemployment high. Duh, again. The transparency in government that Obama promised when this bill was being rolled out never happened. Not even close.
Entitlements and welfare recipients have grown almost 50% since The O-man took office. I don't really need to tell you where the money to pay for that will come from, now do I?
The revelation by some poor low level NSA analyst that learned the agency was monitoring phone and Internet records for ordinary Americans has been passed off as necessary for protection against terrorism. So, let me get this straight, an insurance salesman in Detroit, an engineer in Houston, a doctor in Hoboken, a lifeguard in San Diego are potential terrorists? According to Barry, that's our story and we're sticking with it.
There's more. Lots more. Fast and Furious starring Eric Holder. Proposing Susan Rice for Secretary of State. Benghazi. They never said they needed additional security. Those good people took a bullet for America. And for your ineptness, Mr. President. May God Bless their families.
Never before in modern history has America been so polarized. Without fail, when facts are presented that put the president in a negative light, someone is accused of being racist. But in case you haven't noticed, who is usually the ones making the accusations of racism? I don't need to answer that for you either, now do I?
So where is America going to be in January 2016? No one really knows, but a lot of people know that it's not going to be a very good place... Pundits and talking heads can babble till they pass out from lack of oxygen for now. But history will tell it like it is. Or should I say, was. History doesn't belong to a political party, and isn't obligated to placate anyone. How do you think history will deal with the Obama presidency...
Obamacare is one of many measures that are trying to model life in America after socialist European countries. Under O'care, the government is going to dictate what care you will and will not be getting. They will decide what the doctors can charge for the care. They will dictate what the insurance companies will pay and what coverage they will provide. Laissez-fare and health care have just been separated by a huge incision. Actually, it was more like a big slash from a meat cleaver. Now, keep in mind this bill barely, BARELY, passed Congress. While trying to sell it to the American people, Nancy Pelosi said, "We have to pass this bill so we can see what's in it." This was a U.S. Congresswoman that said this. No joke. When lawsuits from prescient people tried to overturn and repeal it, John Roberts of the Supreme Court, in the swing vote, voted to uphold it. Please remember that Chief Justice Roberts is a conservative jurist. Hmmm. Just what the hell does conservative mean anymore... O'care is causing uncertainty among small and large business in the country to the extent that they are refraining from hiring until it's effects are better understood. Which of course stifles economic growth and keeps unemployment high. Duh, again. The transparency in government that Obama promised when this bill was being rolled out never happened. Not even close.
Entitlements and welfare recipients have grown almost 50% since The O-man took office. I don't really need to tell you where the money to pay for that will come from, now do I?
The revelation by some poor low level NSA analyst that learned the agency was monitoring phone and Internet records for ordinary Americans has been passed off as necessary for protection against terrorism. So, let me get this straight, an insurance salesman in Detroit, an engineer in Houston, a doctor in Hoboken, a lifeguard in San Diego are potential terrorists? According to Barry, that's our story and we're sticking with it.
There's more. Lots more. Fast and Furious starring Eric Holder. Proposing Susan Rice for Secretary of State. Benghazi. They never said they needed additional security. Those good people took a bullet for America. And for your ineptness, Mr. President. May God Bless their families.
Never before in modern history has America been so polarized. Without fail, when facts are presented that put the president in a negative light, someone is accused of being racist. But in case you haven't noticed, who is usually the ones making the accusations of racism? I don't need to answer that for you either, now do I?
So where is America going to be in January 2016? No one really knows, but a lot of people know that it's not going to be a very good place... Pundits and talking heads can babble till they pass out from lack of oxygen for now. But history will tell it like it is. Or should I say, was. History doesn't belong to a political party, and isn't obligated to placate anyone. How do you think history will deal with the Obama presidency...
Do you like to read the news?
The world is changing. Sure, we all know that. And a lot of that change is good. Maybe even better than just good. We don't have a cure for cancer yet but it's certainly not for a lack of trying. But cancer patients are living longer and with a better quality of life than ever before. Lots of people with lots of terrible diseases are living longer with a better quality of life. Cars last longer and need less maintenance than in the past. There are myriad new 'things' that make our lives more healthy, convenient and fun. Here's a list, they're all not for everbody, but I'll bet there are some on the list that you like. (And spend an awful lot of time with.)
XBox, iPhone, flat-panel LED televisions, Facebook, Galaxy S3/4, Skype, apps for everything that do almost everything, bluetooth earphones for cellphones, 24-hour news that you can get everywhere, on your phone, computer or tablet, 3G/4G phones that are now faster than your computer at home, e-books and e-readers, you can buy and read books without ever going to a bookstore and buying a book, DVR, digital video recording, you can record and watch whatever you like on TV anytime you like, streaming audio and video and to anything in the house, headphones for your cellphone that allow you to listen to music and that also interrupt your music with phone calls and let you talk on the phone without removing them... I could go on and on. Oh, I almost forgot a big one. E-mail. Where the hell would we be without email. Not only can we get email, we can get it instantly 24/7. On our smartphones. You can talk with friends coast-to-coast and learn about the lastest penis enlargement pills, instantly. You gotta love those smartphones.
The phones have gotten smart, but I'm not so sure we are anymore. With all these wonderful conveniences, especially the electronic ones that keep us connected, we can be in touch, informed, accessible, available all the time no matter where we are. Even when we're on the toilet taking care of inevitable chores, we can be 'in-touch'. We can stay on top of what is happening with the Kardashians, the Lohans, the Duck Dynasty's, whatever might float your boat. And all that is great. Wonderful. Amazing. Right?
Maybe. Maybe not. Don't you miss the good old days? If you're under thirty you don't know what the good old days are, so never mind. Put your headphones back on and turn up your ipod. If you're over thirty, think back. There were no cellphones. No Facebook. No email. Were we hampererd back then? Sure didn't feel like it. When you sat out on the porch with a beer or a lemonade and you didn't have an mp3 player, what did you do? You talked with someone you were looking at and enjoyed the company, the conversation. Or you read a book. So it had a cover and paper pages and weighed a pound, what was wrong with that? Or maybe, you watched the sun set and comtemplated or cogitated or daydreamed or maybe, you closed your eyes and fell asleep. But you weren't a slave to a ringtone of any kind. You weren't talking on the phone to whoever called and thus commanded your time for the next several minutes. The phone might ring in the house but you could and often did just ignore it and stay where you were. You figured if it was important they'd call back. And they did. You didn't know who the Kardashians were and didn't care. You could relax. You could control interruptions. Life was simpler, less stressful. I sure miss the good old days.
But the world has changed and that's not the way it is anymore. If you want to relax and de-stress, you have to first want to, then you have to put some effort into it, there's probably several gadgets you'll have to turn off. You may even have to get on a plane and go somewhere and leave all your gadgets at home. But how many of us actually do that? Just what I thought. We get up every day and strap that smartphone to our belt or drop it in our purse and away we go. If we're going on vacation we'll still strap it or drop it. Now e-books are good though. Reading a good novel is as good as it gets. E-readers make that easy to do. As long as they dont accept calls or emails.
XBox, iPhone, flat-panel LED televisions, Facebook, Galaxy S3/4, Skype, apps for everything that do almost everything, bluetooth earphones for cellphones, 24-hour news that you can get everywhere, on your phone, computer or tablet, 3G/4G phones that are now faster than your computer at home, e-books and e-readers, you can buy and read books without ever going to a bookstore and buying a book, DVR, digital video recording, you can record and watch whatever you like on TV anytime you like, streaming audio and video and to anything in the house, headphones for your cellphone that allow you to listen to music and that also interrupt your music with phone calls and let you talk on the phone without removing them... I could go on and on. Oh, I almost forgot a big one. E-mail. Where the hell would we be without email. Not only can we get email, we can get it instantly 24/7. On our smartphones. You can talk with friends coast-to-coast and learn about the lastest penis enlargement pills, instantly. You gotta love those smartphones.
The phones have gotten smart, but I'm not so sure we are anymore. With all these wonderful conveniences, especially the electronic ones that keep us connected, we can be in touch, informed, accessible, available all the time no matter where we are. Even when we're on the toilet taking care of inevitable chores, we can be 'in-touch'. We can stay on top of what is happening with the Kardashians, the Lohans, the Duck Dynasty's, whatever might float your boat. And all that is great. Wonderful. Amazing. Right?
Maybe. Maybe not. Don't you miss the good old days? If you're under thirty you don't know what the good old days are, so never mind. Put your headphones back on and turn up your ipod. If you're over thirty, think back. There were no cellphones. No Facebook. No email. Were we hampererd back then? Sure didn't feel like it. When you sat out on the porch with a beer or a lemonade and you didn't have an mp3 player, what did you do? You talked with someone you were looking at and enjoyed the company, the conversation. Or you read a book. So it had a cover and paper pages and weighed a pound, what was wrong with that? Or maybe, you watched the sun set and comtemplated or cogitated or daydreamed or maybe, you closed your eyes and fell asleep. But you weren't a slave to a ringtone of any kind. You weren't talking on the phone to whoever called and thus commanded your time for the next several minutes. The phone might ring in the house but you could and often did just ignore it and stay where you were. You figured if it was important they'd call back. And they did. You didn't know who the Kardashians were and didn't care. You could relax. You could control interruptions. Life was simpler, less stressful. I sure miss the good old days.
But the world has changed and that's not the way it is anymore. If you want to relax and de-stress, you have to first want to, then you have to put some effort into it, there's probably several gadgets you'll have to turn off. You may even have to get on a plane and go somewhere and leave all your gadgets at home. But how many of us actually do that? Just what I thought. We get up every day and strap that smartphone to our belt or drop it in our purse and away we go. If we're going on vacation we'll still strap it or drop it. Now e-books are good though. Reading a good novel is as good as it gets. E-readers make that easy to do. As long as they dont accept calls or emails.
On writing a novel...
For some reason, I feel compelled to talk about why I'm writing a novel. This isnt my 'job' so to speak, I mean I still have a day job. I get up and go to work every day and do what I've been doing for thirty-seven years. But I'll be honest with you. I'm getting tired of that. Oh, I still like what I do and find satisfaction in doing it. I'm good at it and I'm considered an expert in my field. I work for a great company and I'm paid very well. Even if I never sold another book (heaven forbid...) I could still retire comfortably.
But that's not the way I want my life to go. Something I've come to realize in the past few years is when we retire from a livelihood, something that we've been busy with for many years, we still need something to stay busy with. We simply cannot retire and go into a constant state of idleness. You know, like sleeping late everyday, watching TV and mowing the grass on your new riding lawn mower. You have to engage your mind, your body and your passion with something. The general idea is that it will be something that you really like and enjoy doing. Some people just keep on working at what they have been doing all their lives. In other words, they don't stop working. Well, if that floats your boat, have at it. Personally, I don't want to do that. I like what I do but it doesn't inspire me. Writing does. Being able to craft a story, a very interesting, exciting, thrilling story is inspiring. It's a lifetime culmination of experiences. There are some very gifted and brilliant young people out there doing some unbelievably fantastic things. But if you'll take notice, the authors that are writing great stories are older boys and girls. The been-around-the-block types. Why? Because a prerequisite for writing a great story is life experience. You have to understand people and human nature. You have to understand hardship, problems, violence and the things that really matter in life. Writers are people who pay really close attention to what's going on in life. What's happening to the people around them. And they have a limitless imagination.
Another really important thing about writers is they inspire one another. You will not find a good writer who is not well read. Writers love to read as much as they love to write. We read voraciously and endlessly. As soon as we finish one we pick up another. Writers are inspired by other great writers. When writers read a book we can almost sense what was going on in the authors' head when he wrote it, what he was thinking. We love classics too. Shakespeare, Chaucer, Dickens, Fitzgerald, Salinger, Hemingway... Guys who really, really got what writing was all about.
Most of all we want to entertain. We want to excite and thrill you. Make you laugh, make you cry. Make you feel as though what is happening to the characters in the story is happening to you. It's an exciting movie that you see in your mind instead of your eyes.
So, why am I writing a novel? Because it inspires me. I feel like I'm out on the edge of life, taking risks that I usually dont take. Experiencing dangers that I would avoid at all costs. Meeting people, both good and bad that I would never otherwise meet. Writing is living robustly. To the limits...
I hope you enjoy the stories. My second novel is due out this summer.
But that's not the way I want my life to go. Something I've come to realize in the past few years is when we retire from a livelihood, something that we've been busy with for many years, we still need something to stay busy with. We simply cannot retire and go into a constant state of idleness. You know, like sleeping late everyday, watching TV and mowing the grass on your new riding lawn mower. You have to engage your mind, your body and your passion with something. The general idea is that it will be something that you really like and enjoy doing. Some people just keep on working at what they have been doing all their lives. In other words, they don't stop working. Well, if that floats your boat, have at it. Personally, I don't want to do that. I like what I do but it doesn't inspire me. Writing does. Being able to craft a story, a very interesting, exciting, thrilling story is inspiring. It's a lifetime culmination of experiences. There are some very gifted and brilliant young people out there doing some unbelievably fantastic things. But if you'll take notice, the authors that are writing great stories are older boys and girls. The been-around-the-block types. Why? Because a prerequisite for writing a great story is life experience. You have to understand people and human nature. You have to understand hardship, problems, violence and the things that really matter in life. Writers are people who pay really close attention to what's going on in life. What's happening to the people around them. And they have a limitless imagination.
Another really important thing about writers is they inspire one another. You will not find a good writer who is not well read. Writers love to read as much as they love to write. We read voraciously and endlessly. As soon as we finish one we pick up another. Writers are inspired by other great writers. When writers read a book we can almost sense what was going on in the authors' head when he wrote it, what he was thinking. We love classics too. Shakespeare, Chaucer, Dickens, Fitzgerald, Salinger, Hemingway... Guys who really, really got what writing was all about.
Most of all we want to entertain. We want to excite and thrill you. Make you laugh, make you cry. Make you feel as though what is happening to the characters in the story is happening to you. It's an exciting movie that you see in your mind instead of your eyes.
So, why am I writing a novel? Because it inspires me. I feel like I'm out on the edge of life, taking risks that I usually dont take. Experiencing dangers that I would avoid at all costs. Meeting people, both good and bad that I would never otherwise meet. Writing is living robustly. To the limits...
I hope you enjoy the stories. My second novel is due out this summer.
Gun Control?...
The news is dominated recently with all the talk about gun control. Sparked by the recent mass killings in Newtown, Aurora... First, and certainly most important, let me say my heart is broken. I feel so much pain and sadness that innocent people going about their lives have been gunned down in cold blood. By deranged, psychopathic and diabolically evil killers. And if you consider that in the incident in Newtown twenty of those killed were children, you can't get much more evil than that. There's one mitigating thing we must consider though. I'm not defending anyone, don't get me wrong. But the perps in most of these mass shootings aren't just out and out evil people who aspire to kill for the joy of it, they're mentally deranged or incapacitated, to some extent. Not capable of making rational decisions. Except for a few people in society, literally a few, no one goes out and buys guns and ammo and makes elaborate, fastidious plans to kill innocent people going about their business. But if there is a screw loose, then the possibility for that opens up. Therein lies the problem, the real problem. Mental illness. If you've ever been close to someone with mental illness and been subjected to life with a mentally ill person then you understand. Unexpected, bizarre, irrational, insensitive and lots more adjectives like those can be used to describe their behavior. They can hurt themselves and they can hurt others without remorse. They can even do it without understanding what they have done. We are quick to call them evil and diabolical, and what they have done certainly is. A mentally ill person is not evil and diabolical but they are capable of doing horribly evil things, including killing. Keeping guns away from them obviously makes sense. Just like keeping knives and sharp objects away from them does. For some, even not allowing them to drive might be prudent. Guns need to be banned, FROM THEM. Banning guns or even controlling them from everyone else serves no purpose other than to deny citizens a constitutional right and just generally irritate most people. Fundamentally, guns need to be kept from those who are capable of killing other people. Period. The problem is identifying who that is. It's not easy, far from it. There are mentally ill people who are high functioning, they go about life almost indetectable. You cant tell them from everyone else. Are they capable of killing? Most of them aren't, no. But the line has to be drawn somewhere. Like everything else in our society, and our government, what ever we come up with wont be flawless or foolproof. We're humans after all, we're not capable of flawlees and foolproof. In the case of our government they're not even capable of, sorry I digress... But we need, must do something to control access to guns by the mentally ill. Our definition of mentally ill is going to have to be broadened and expanded. It's going to have to include a lot of people. Maybe we can call call it something else so a lot of people wont be offended. Hell, I might be one of them and I dont want to be called mentally ill. But I really dont want to kill someone unless I really mean it... That didnt come out like I really meant it but you get the message. It's not the guns, that's not the real problem. Why is it so hard to see that?... Maybe if we made lawmakers spend a week in an asylum... Then, they would 'get it'...
Violence for entertainment...
I'm reading a lot lately about removing violence from movies, video games and the like. Of course, a lot of movies are based on books. As a writer, I'd like to give my take on that.
In an ideal world, yes, of course we'd like to protect our kids from growing up in a culture that doesn't unilateraly condemn violence. Seeing violence in movies and video games, and there is a copious amount of it, at some point dulls our senses to the true effect of it. When we experience violence in our lives it is nothing short of traumatic. It can be and often is life-changing. It leaves many with disabling injuries and unfortunately lives are needlessly lost through unexpected and senseless violence.
Let's imagine for a few minutes that we woke up one day and there was no violence in movies, video games, on TV or in books. None. As the world acclimated to that utopia would violence cease to happen? Would all the kids who no longer saw violence as entertainment grow up to be peaceful, nonviolent adults? Some, maybe. All of them, no. Some of the kids who grew up in broken homes or had no family or someone who cared for them at all would still grow up mad at the world. Kids who grew up with parents who were drug addicts or were drug addicts themselves as kids would still kill for a fix. Kids that grow up to be violent more than likely didnt have XBoxes or Playstions or computers when they were kids. They couldnt afford them. They saw violence acted out on the stage of life. Their own life.
The problem isnt really taking violence out of movies and entertainment, it's taking violence out of life itself. It's taking mental illness, broken homes, broken families, drug addiction, desperation in life, out of life. It's like a cancer, you remove it from one place and it's back somewhere else, usually worse than before.
That begs the question, why are we entertained by violence? We dont want to experience it but we want to watch it happen to someone else. Are we all addicted to schadenfreude by nature? It sure looks that way. I mean, if you think about it, we are entertained by watching violence? I see it like this. We are not really entertained by violence per se. We are entertained by watching lives that are lived dangerously, out on the edge so to speak. We dont want to live our own lives dangerously and be caught in life-threatening predicaments, but we like to watch others do it. We like to watch good triumph over evil, we even like the scorn we feel when the good guys lose. We like stories that involve the things that inevitably happe in life, however tragic they may be. Then we like to go back to our own quiet and peaceful lives. We like to witness people living exciting, precarious lives without taking the risk ourselves. There is nothing wrong with being entertained like that. Those that create such stories are no more prone to violence than those who watch them. Tragic stories have been created since the creation of literature. Shakespeare, Chaucer, Dickens, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, F. Scott Fitzgerald, all told classic stories that involved tragedy and death. And have been enjoyed for centuries by many people. By reading, watching, learning through stories that contain tragedy, death and violence we are exposed to these things from a distance. We see others perspectives on them and are influenced by them. It gives us something to use in forming our own view of the world. Violence in a movie or a book doesnt make the world more violent. It doesnt make people in the world more violent. The seed of that particular tragedy is planted somewhere else...
In an ideal world, yes, of course we'd like to protect our kids from growing up in a culture that doesn't unilateraly condemn violence. Seeing violence in movies and video games, and there is a copious amount of it, at some point dulls our senses to the true effect of it. When we experience violence in our lives it is nothing short of traumatic. It can be and often is life-changing. It leaves many with disabling injuries and unfortunately lives are needlessly lost through unexpected and senseless violence.
Let's imagine for a few minutes that we woke up one day and there was no violence in movies, video games, on TV or in books. None. As the world acclimated to that utopia would violence cease to happen? Would all the kids who no longer saw violence as entertainment grow up to be peaceful, nonviolent adults? Some, maybe. All of them, no. Some of the kids who grew up in broken homes or had no family or someone who cared for them at all would still grow up mad at the world. Kids who grew up with parents who were drug addicts or were drug addicts themselves as kids would still kill for a fix. Kids that grow up to be violent more than likely didnt have XBoxes or Playstions or computers when they were kids. They couldnt afford them. They saw violence acted out on the stage of life. Their own life.
The problem isnt really taking violence out of movies and entertainment, it's taking violence out of life itself. It's taking mental illness, broken homes, broken families, drug addiction, desperation in life, out of life. It's like a cancer, you remove it from one place and it's back somewhere else, usually worse than before.
That begs the question, why are we entertained by violence? We dont want to experience it but we want to watch it happen to someone else. Are we all addicted to schadenfreude by nature? It sure looks that way. I mean, if you think about it, we are entertained by watching violence? I see it like this. We are not really entertained by violence per se. We are entertained by watching lives that are lived dangerously, out on the edge so to speak. We dont want to live our own lives dangerously and be caught in life-threatening predicaments, but we like to watch others do it. We like to watch good triumph over evil, we even like the scorn we feel when the good guys lose. We like stories that involve the things that inevitably happe in life, however tragic they may be. Then we like to go back to our own quiet and peaceful lives. We like to witness people living exciting, precarious lives without taking the risk ourselves. There is nothing wrong with being entertained like that. Those that create such stories are no more prone to violence than those who watch them. Tragic stories have been created since the creation of literature. Shakespeare, Chaucer, Dickens, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, F. Scott Fitzgerald, all told classic stories that involved tragedy and death. And have been enjoyed for centuries by many people. By reading, watching, learning through stories that contain tragedy, death and violence we are exposed to these things from a distance. We see others perspectives on them and are influenced by them. It gives us something to use in forming our own view of the world. Violence in a movie or a book doesnt make the world more violent. It doesnt make people in the world more violent. The seed of that particular tragedy is planted somewhere else...
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