This happened…
As no presidential candidate had received a majority of the total electoral votes in the election of 1824, Congress decides to turn over the presidential election to the House of Representatives, as dictated by the 12th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Full article, HERE.
And a bit more, HERE about the electoral college and what happens in the House…
While I don’t think we’re going to get there this time, it is going to be interesting for the next couple of weeks!
We STOOD as a country…
And now?
I’m not sure I have an answer to what we are… Sigh…
First, JHU published the following article in the News-Letter…
Then, after the outcry began… They retracted it. This is the opening paragraph of the retraction…
Editor’s Note: After The News-Letter published this article on Nov. 22, it was brought to our attention that our coverage of Genevieve Briand’s presentation “COVID-19 Deaths: A Look at U.S. Data” has been used to support dangerous inaccuracies that minimize the impact of the pandemic.
Full article, HERE.
A friend put it best- The real issue here is that science is messy and epidemiology especially so. Somewhere in the last several weeks, I read an article regarding CDC
reporting of statistics. It made a statement to the effect that CDC reported data in a way meaningful to epidemiologists but misleading to everybody else. I have long since come to the belief that a true measure of competency in a scientist is the ability to make something complex simple to the layman. In failing to provide data useful to epidemiologists as well as meaningful to the layman, the CDC has failed.
So effectively, they pulled the article because the READERS were actually asking questions… Sigh…
EDIT- h/t McChuck, a good discussion on the original article, with more readable graphs by William Briggs, HERE.
I guess this is going to be the next thing if Slo Joe has his way…
Those pesky ‘little’ things that get left out…
A column this week by former Defense Secretary James N. Mattis that blasted President Trump’s “America First” theme did not disclose that Mr. Mattis holds a senior position at the Cohen Group, a firm that dedicates itself to making business deals in China.
Full article, HERE at the Washington Times.
And this is one of our ‘new’ overlords…
Tech news site Protocol published a profile recently of Christine Su, the senior product manager for conversational safety at Twitter. Su’s approach to the platform’s censorship will focus on “transformative and procedural justice.”
Full article, HERE at Breitbart
So…it’s going to be rules for us, and none for them???
And I’ll end with a funny one…
A New York couple found 66 bottles of Prohibition-era whiskey in the walls and floorboards of their century-old home that was reportedly built by a bootlegger, CNN reported.
Full article, HERE, from the Daily Caller.
One wonders if that will pay for the renovations when they sell the booze?
Alma Boykin has another familiars tale out, Knowingly Familiar
As always, click on the cover for the Amazon link!
The blurb-
When Ghosts Walk . . .
Something moves. A Mesopotamian curse sends ripples through the magical community of Riverton. Mages André and Lelia Lestrang find themselves fighting ghosts from their past. The battle draws them closer to Master Saldovado and the clans, closer perhaps than Lelia’s heart dares to go. How long before Patrick Lee and Riverton’s other magic users demand answers about the clans? The Familiars are keeping the secret. For now.
But breaking ancient spells comes easily for shadow mages. Juggling parenthood, budgets, car repairs, school schedules, and a six-year-old daughter’s desire for a pet unicorn? (Or a house dragon, preferably pastel pink.) That’s difficult!
This one definitely takes a darker turn than the others in the series, but is exceptional well done, as always!
Next up is an anthology a bunch of friends are in, Divided we Fall: One possible Future
The blurb-
Political upheavals can be a very dangerous time, especially when ideologies are as far apart as they are now. Divided we Fall presents one possible future, one where powerful forces act behind the scenes to effect the change they’ve wished to create for decades, and have largely been held back. What happens when a nation is sharply divided, anarchistic forces allowed to run wild, and the police are held at bay or even defunded? Add in a presidential assassination, and you have all the potential for a world changing situation. In this world, Divided we Fall.
A collection of talented veteran bestselling authors and several new ones join together to paint a picture of the post 2020 election that none of us hope to see come about. But the more we watch events unfold, the more anything seems possible.
Some of these stories are prescient, to put it mildly!!! Scary how well some of these predicted what is happening…
And last but definitely not least, Ben English has another book on the Big Bend, Out There: Essays on the Lower Big Bend
The blurb-
When one opens the pages to this book they step into another world and place, and even on occasions, another time. No matter what you may know about the lower Big Bend or think you know about the lower Big Bend, here are thoughts, maps and photographs that bring together a heretofore unachieved mosaic of this rugged, lonesome land. In effect, ‘Out There’ is a work that others simply cannot compare to. Whether you might be a first-time visitor or have made many a journey into its more remote environs, there is so much contained within to both see as well as savor. It is a book meant not for sitting on a shelf and gathering dust, but one to be read and re-read time and again. If home is where the heart is, even the first few paragraphs leave no doubt as to where the author’s resides. And that is only the beginning…
Excerpt
The lower Big Bend area of Texas is rife with surprises, both big and small. That most are hidden in some way is the very nature of this land, like any living creature she conceals her greatest treasures with the greatest zealotry. One can take a certain creek, or nearly vanished trail or wagon track, numerous times but then wander a certain number of feet to either side and a different world opens to you. Such was the case with this photo, taken during the latter part of one of my prowls between Burro Mesa and Tule Mountain. I had started near the pour off and worked my way through Burro Spring and across to Tule Spring, both being well worth the effort in their own right. The day was crisp and traces of green were sprouting along the lower elevations, and the springs were flowing with more water than the uninitiated would think possible.
After circling through the ruins at Tule Spring and walking along the old earthen dam, I pointed my nose along a nigh forgotten trail that once ran northwest to the high side of Tule Mountain, where another such dam and sources of water are situated. My plan was to move into the very head of Javelina Wash as part of some ‘boots on the ground’ research concerning my third novel. About a quarter mile up from Tule Spring, I noticed an unusual splash of white along the northern side of a low, dark volcanic hill that sits just northeast of Javelina Wash. Sufficiently intrigued, I glassed the area with my Leupolds and made a mental note to swing further west on the way back to investigate. I could discern craggy, chocolate colored boulders and what appeared to be low ground at the base of that hill, and just the general feeling that I needed to go and see. After nooning at a half way point in the pass between Tule Mountain and Burro Mesa, I reversed direction and drifted down a northern branch for Javelina Wash. The day had turned glorious with a crystal-clear sky above a rainbow of colored rock and ground, mixed among the earth shades splashed about for good measure. Most folks don’t know it, but there are parts of the Big Bend that will give the so-called ‘Painted Desert’ a run for its money any day of the week. This area is one of them. Near where the low hill abruptly ended in white, I crossed the dry creek bed and walked into an almost surreal atmosphere. Large boulders of that dark volcanic tone were perched in every position imaginable, many sitting upon unlikely foundations of small spires formed from the whitish soil. It was almost like you had strolled into nature’s own trophy room. The area was only a couple of acres or so in size at best, but oh what a sight to behold while being hidden in plain view. And then I passed on through, heading upon another course through that same zealous desert.
I would like to think that I will go there again someday, but there is still so much that I know I’ll never see in this country.
And I was burning daylight.
Ben walks the walk, and his descriptions of the lower Big Bend, along with the photos and maps are both educational and evocative of the true nature of the land. Beautiful, deadly, and sere it contains a myriad of things found nowhere else!
Thanksgiving is a unique American holiday that brings all faiths and cultures of this great nation together around a common theme of thanks.
Traditionally, we stop for a moment in our busy schedules, gather with family and friends to reflect on the year past, give thanks for our blessings and freedoms and share bounty, food and fellowship. And then there is 2020… sigh…
Regardless of that, many of our Military are away from home on Thanksgiving Day. Please keep them in mind as we gather around the table (not more than 6 or 10 depending) on Thursday and include a thought of gratitude for the freedoms they defend and those we enjoy as a result of their dedication and sacrifice.
We also need to be mindful that for many Americans, it has been another tough year. Hard times can serve as a reminder to be more thankful; if you have the opportunity, reach out to someone less fortunate this week…
The soldier stood and faced God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass.
‘Step forward now, you soldier,
How shall I deal with you ?
Have you always turned the other cheek ?
To My Church have you been true?’
The soldier squared his shoulders and said,
‘No, Lord, I guess I ain’t.
Because those of us who carry guns,
Can’t always be a saint.
I’ve had to work most Sundays,
And at times my talk was tough.
And sometimes I’ve been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny,
That wasn’t mine to keep…
Though I worked a lot of overtime,
When the bills got just too steep.
And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God, forgive me,
I’ve wept unmanly tears.
I know I don’t deserve a place,
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around,
Except to calm their fears.
If you’ve a place for me here, Lord,
It needn’t be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don’t, I’ll understand.
There was a silence all around the throne,
Where the saints had often trod.
As the soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
‘Step forward now, you soldier,
You’ve borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven’s streets,
You’ve done your time in Hell.’
Author Unknown~
If you care to offer the smallest token of recognition and appreciation for the military, please pray for our men and women who have served and are currently serving our country and pray for those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for freedom…
Oregon has jumped the shark!
30 days in jail and a $1200 fine… for celebrating Thanksgiving with SEVEN people.
And many of the dem/blue states are going full tyrant and locking Turkey Day down with penalties, not as bad as Oregon, at least that I’m aware of. And they are ‘expecting’ law enforcement to enforce those lockdowns, and asking for snitches to turn people in.
But, a lot of law enforcement agencies are basically telling them to pound sand! They don’t have enough officers to man/woman the ramparts now, to handle the ‘regular’ crimes, much less kowtow to the Covid Karens.
And it appears Californians have basically told Pretty Boy to get stuffed, as there are multiple groups in multiple cities gleefully ignoring the curfews with vehicle parades, etc…
And then there’s this plea… 🙂
Or… To think or be told what to think, that is the question…
This was kicked off by a lunch with a friend and his granddaughter, aged 17. We were talking about writing and music, and I asked her if she listened to music. She’d said she watched the videos first, then put the music on her playlist. I asked her why, and her answer surprised me. She said she ‘had’ to watch the video to see how the music was supposed to be interpreted!
Now I’m an old fart, I grew up listening to baseball and football on the radio, using my imagination and the word pictures presented by the announcers to ‘fill’ the scene in. Same with music, the lyrics ‘built’ the world the music was celebrating.
Where am I going with this?
In writing, do you paint extensive word pictures of your characters, the scenes, or the environment? Or do you give a basic word picture and expect the reader to fill in those gaps with their own imagination?
As always, I don’t think there is one ‘right’ answer, but in large, I think it depends on your readership. Are they used to being spoon fed everything? Or do you make them use their own imagination?
I know I tend to write sparse scenes and descriptions, knowing my readers will fill in the blanks with their imagination, which sometimes makes for interesting situations… I once had to change a scene because one of my beta readers was rather vehement that the particular character DID NOT have a moustache! Oops… My bad…
Two examples-
2. Danny looked out the viewport of the space ship, seeing a panoply of stars twinkling in the blackness of space, and shivered as he pondered the frailty of man and hubris of travelling through the vastness of space.
I would tend to use the first. Less detailed example, letting the reader determine the ‘depth’ of Danny’s feelings and what other thoughts he had, screened through the lens of those reader’s experiences. That also gives them ‘ownership’ if you will, of the story.
I’ve been told I’m more of a story teller than a writer, and I’m perfectly happy with that. I try to give the reader a good story without pushing any particular agenda, but I also don’t like the ‘perfect character’ that never makes a mistake (either male or female). I also try to give the characters depth without doing a data dump on them, which doesn’t always work, as my readers have pointed out a time or three… sigh…
I also try to write so that you also have believable characters, believable situations, and believable weapons.
I also try to get the little details right, even if it’s science fiction. It’s not hard to do basic research, and that can make a difference between a wall book and one folks will read, and maybe even read again.
But writing westerns is kicking my butt on research. And there are some rat holes that you can go down literally for HOURS! Of course, when you’re doing research, you’re not writing…
Anyway, a little bit of background on why I write like I do… For better or worse…
Are more ‘equal’ than others…
Entertainment Industry Workers Exempt From California Governor Gavin Newsom’s New Stay-At-Home Order
In light of an unprecedented rapid rise in COVID-19 cases across California, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday announced a limited stay-at-home order. The order requires “generally that non-essential work, movement and gatherings stop between 10 PM and 5 AM in counties in the purple tier.” That means basically every county in Southern California and 94% of the state’s population.
Full article, HERE from Deadline.com
I’m guessing there were some ‘donations’ made…
And there’s this story out of NM.
(KRQE) – The list of businesses that need to close for two weeks after four or more rapid response visits, is growing. In southeast New Mexico grocery stores in several communities had to close, some towns only have one grocery store open now, leading to long lines.
<snip>
bold/italic mine below…
The Department of Health says it evaluates closures to make sure they won’t greatly impact a community and they try not to close all the grocery stores in a town. They say they try to work with businesses to keep them open.
Full article, HERE, at KQRE TV.
I was literally shaking my head in disbelief when I read this…
Andrew Cuomo to get International Emmy for coronavirus briefings
International Academy President & CEO Bruce L. Paisner said Cuomo is being honored with the academy’s Founders Award for using his briefings to inform and calm the public. Previous recipients include former Vice President Al Gore, Oprah Winfrey, and director Steven Spielberg.
Full article, HERE.
Soooo… He’s getting an Emmy for killing people? Am I hearing this right???
We are truly living in Bizzaro world.
One other thing, I think it’s time for Trump to go ahead and concede the election and start running for REELECTION in 2024! That should set the left off…