PAIN
Pain? My wife says I am insensitive. I guess I am not as sensitive as most people. An indication of this is that I am continually doing inadvertent damage to myself: cutting fingers, or bumping into things. But I do heal fast. (more…)
Texting while driving is another of the long list of driver distractions that are dangerous. Why have a law against texting without covering all the other distracting activities? We should consider a law against Driving While Distracted: DWD. We drivers are all guilty on occasion. (more…)
A few years ago I was searching for a firm footing for my religious beliefs.
My 1953 Chevrolet pickup had died on me half way between Big Spring and Abilene, so I was standing in the hot sun beside the road with my thumb out. (more…)
How does a book get to the top of the “Best Seller” list?
It isn’t always because it is a good read. (more…)
GERMAN BRUTALITY
Readers of my novel, Amour et Vengeance, (Love & Revenge) have questioned my depiction of brutality by the German soldiers. Is it exaggerated or is it historically accurate?
I know immediately that these people have not read accounts of WW 2 and descriptions of what some German soldiers did during this time. (more…)
All the politicians in Fort Worth (and in the country) are going to be agonizing over the promises made for pensions which are tough to fulfill when the city’s revenues are dropping.
One major change that FW should consider (more…)
ENGINEER’S GUIDE TO
DIETING
Engineers don’t diet. At least not willingly.
It usually involves their POSSLQ. That’s an old acronym that is not in fashion anymore that meant your spouse or someone you were living with.
Anyway, my POSSLQ often goes on a diet when she thinks something makes her look fat. This is usually the latest diet in fashion. It’s always a new, different diet. But the new eating menu affects me, of course.
Now why don’t engineers diet? Because they are too organized, structured, focused. We have to be to produce dependable designs.
I’ll give you an example. (more…)
This Sunday’s NY Times Magazine had an article about Amanda Hocking and her phenominal success in publishing her books on Amazon and all the other e-book outlets. She is selling 9,000 ! ! ! books every day.
There is more to the story, but it illustrates what a powerful change is happening in the publishing business. The Big Six (now the Big Seven–see Christine Rose) will have to change their ways or go out of business. I predict that the Big Six will be forced to reduce their people and their influence in the business. (more…)
You have a novel or instruction book in your head. Everybody does. Maybe you have even started writing. Should you find an agent, finally get a publisher, etc.?
No matter where you are in the process, get Christine Rose’s book Publishing and Marketing Realities. She gives one a real honest look at the book business–based on her experience. You don’t want to make the same mistakes she has made. I made different mistakes and am still contemplating more mistakes. It is a wild and changing business. The best advice she give is, that if you wish to get wealthy by writing a book, your chances are better if you just buy a lottery ticket every day. It’s a much easier and a smaller investment.
Thinking about the present problems the United States has, I have come up with a list of actions I would take if I were God:
First: All political entities (school boards, states, and federal) will rehire all the teachers and give them a 10% raise. I will decide which new teachers will be hired and who will be replaced.
Second: There will be a 10 cents per gallon tax increase on all fuels beginning immediately. Then a 10 cents per gallon increase each year for five years. I may change my mind and increase it even more. All federal incentives for efficient auto purchases and for use of ethanol are hereby recinded. The market will decide what is the best purchase. Oil companies will lose all tax advantages. immediately.
Third: Pot smoking is hereby legalized. The tax on marijuana will be the same as on cigarettes. After one year I will legalize other drugs that are now illegal. This will continue for five years until all drugs are legal. (If people want to kill themselves, I will allow it. I will not pass a law against jumping off balconies more than two stories in height.)
Fourth: The taxes collected will be used first to hire and increase the salaries to teachers. I will be giving large cash bonuses to teachers who are ourstanding.
Fifth: A study to determine the long term health dangers in smoking pot will be funded by the tax.
Send me an email if you have other actions you would like to see taken: god@heaven.org
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