I just finished reading the trilogy, "The Sylo Chronicles," by D.J. MacHale. A very good read. I'd suggest that a different ending could be produced where the main characters, when they end up in 1952, could have a vial of Magic Medicine, with them. If not a vial than they could have blood tests done and perhaps produce the medicine from their blood--remnants of the medicine could still be in their systems. If the technology wasn't available they could develop it. I would also post that it would be interesting to discover that taken in weak doses could extend one's life significantly. This would allow the primary characters to really make a difference over the long run. I would also suggest that this extended length of life would benefit them if they used their knowledge to expand out into space and possible into the universe. Just thoughts, keep up the good work.

Ted Cruz's lack of honor.

Ted Cruz demonstrated that he has no honer when he gave his speech at the RNC. To accept an invitation to speak at either the RNC or the DNC implies that you are going to support the nominee of the the party in question. In this case Cruz had previously signed a pledge to support whichever candidate finally got selected to be the presidential nominee for the Republican party. He didn't do it. He used a lame excuse that Donald Trump attacked his wife with negative publicity. It was Cruz's campaign that did this first when they attacked Trump's wife--he responded by attacking Cruz's wife. Cruz is using this as an excuse for what he did. There is no excuse if Cruz is a Texan as he claims to be. If you give your word to do something, than you do it--no excuses. This shows that that Cruz is no Texan at heart and that he should go back to Canada. I don't believe that any real Texan will ever trust him or vote for him in the future. As far as I am concerned he has lost any chance he ever had of becoming president of the United States. He has no honor and won't keep his word! My grandfather was a real Texan. If he gave his word he honored it, no matter what the consequences were.

I just learned that Sea World has bowed to the ban the killer whales group and are going get rid of their killer whales. This is asinine. First it was the elephants and now it's the killer whales. What animal is going to be next? Let's just skip ahead and tell all the people that have pets that they need to get rid of them. Return them to the wild--let them go now! We need to ban all zoos and any activity that necessitates the use of animals. Rescue dogs, seeing eye dogs, bomb sniffing dogs. We can't have any animal that is kept by humans for anything. The end of this will be humans sitting around in sterile apartments sucking on tofu. Our human race is getting to be a little bit asinine. We have dominion over the animals. When the killer whales go from Sea World I'll go too. I'll not go to Sea World again. Do I have to quit eating tuna? What about my belts and my shoes? Will I have to use plastic? Oh, I forgot a lot of our plastic is derived from petroleum. It'll probably be banned too. Can I pick and eat a tomato? I might disturb a bug on it when I do. Is that allowed. Some people need to get a life.

Karl Rove's Reported Possible Number Shift in the Iowa Caucus May be wrong: Cruz vs Trump

In the Iowa caucus Karl Rove is reporting, and he is being quoted on a lot of news outlets that if slightly over four votes per precinct had been shifted to Trump from Cruz than Trump would have possibly won the caucus. I think that the reported numbers are wrong. If slightly over two votes per precinct had shifted than Trump would have been the winner. There are 1,500 precincts in Iowa. The difference in the vote count between Cruz and Trump is 6,239 votes which works out to be slightly over four votes per precinct if the 6,239 votes are divided by 1,500. The correct method is to divide the 6,239 votes by two to get the average number of votes and round up and down to the next whole number. The winner has the higher number. If the average of 3,118.5 is used and dividing it by 1,500 produces 2.079 votes per precinct. Trump would win if slightly more than two votes per precinct were shifted. This is simply seen by examining the following: let's look at smaller numbers. If Cruz got 12 votes and Trump got 8 votes. The difference is 4 votes. Shifting the 4 votes would give Cruz 8 votes and Trump 12 votes. If we use the average it would take only a two vote shift to make the votes even. Shifting two from 12 produces 10, and adding two to eight produces 10. The numbers would be equal. In a larger sample it would take a total of 3,119 votes to be shifted from Cruz to Trump for Trump to be the winner. Which is slightly more than two votes per precinct.

Time Warner Cable Cancellation

I'm preparing to cancel Time Warner Cable internet and television as its become too expensive to have. Almost every month their cost has increased. Over 20% this this year. It's become ridiculous. One of the final things that they have done is to add an additional fee to cover the sports channels. I don't watch sports. With all of their "optional" fees that they pass through to us they are just not a customer friendly company. As an aside, it's my understanding that they make over a 90 percent profit on their internet costs alone. I'd like to continue with them, even though it's the company I detest the most to call, as I'm "happy" with the channel mix they have and their internet. If they'd only find out how to cater to their customers that are presently using them and not just to all of the newer ones. I have no desire to have any of their programming on my cell phone and could care less about being able to view programs from any room in my house or to have programming on demand. I just want to be able to watch a few channels, maybe less than twenty--if I could select them. I'd like to have a smorgasbord of channels I could select from. Most of the channels offered are watched by very few individuals anyway. I'm going to have to call and work through a number of individuals and waste an hour or two being made to feel as if I begging. I don't expect much from them but an attempt to reduce what they offer me, as far as channels and internet speed is concerned, for a small reduction in monthly cost. Which they will hike back up in the next couple of months. Maybe this time I'll be surprised. If I am I'll write another blog and let everybody know. Have a good New Year.

Race versus Ethnicity Incorrectly used.

In a first, black voter turnout rate passes whites. This is one of the most stupid statements that I've had the pleasure of reading from the associated press written by a professor of political science. The article goes on to also talk about Hispanics becoming a significant voting block. It's about time that our political science types quit mixing up race and ethnicity. The vast majority the Hispanics are white as the Hispanic label only denotes ethnicity and not race. If we are going to talk ethnicity we need to be concerned with Germanic's, Slavs, Irish, English, Scottish, Etc. This equating ethnicity and race to ones political advantage is asinine. It is presently impossible, except for a few local elections, for the black vote to be larger than the white vote in the US. Any statement to the contrary is done for some form of political advantage and is totally wrong. It's time that we started using the correct terminology. If we can't face things as they are than we will never be able to come to the table together and be one family--Americans. Quit trying to divide us.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/04/28/in-first-black-voter-turnout-rate-passes-whites/#ixzz2RosrBZtb

National Debt

It appears to be that the conservatives and Republicans, who are worried about the direction of our country and its national debt, really shouldn't be worried. I believe that a rational plan is afoot. With the significant overspending, as driven by our national leaders and their willing cohorts, will most likely attest. Added to this spending is their reckless borrowing and monetizing of our debt to the point where there is only one recourse left to us. A very well planned recourse and well orchestrated. We will make our currency worth so little that we will be able to issue new dollars and wipe our debt out overnight. It doesn't matter what happens to most of the citizens of our country, or those on a very tight budget. The leaders will be able to say that we don't have any debt, at least not any of any size. If our new dollars are to be set to where each new dollar is worth ten of our old dollars than the debt will be reduced by ninety percent. That's pretty good for a days work. Almost no debt. I'll bet, like all good third world countries, the new dollar will have our fearless leaders picture on it. The only question we have is, "Will it be during his second or his third term." I lean towards the end of his second, but who knows it might even be sooner.

A New America

With all that is happening to America it may be time to consider forming a new America. We are divided into two major camps--the blue states and the red states. Those states that believe in not honoring our laws and constitution and those that do. There are many calls from a number of the red states to succeed from the union. I think that this is a mistake. No state should succeed from the union. It would be better for those states that believe in the law and our constitution without all of the strange interpretations being done to it to take a different step. It may be time for them to consider forming a country of their own and declaring that they are the true representatives of the union and a representative government that is more in line with that envisioned by our founding fathers. One that honors work, the individual, their God given rights and basic equality under the law. Perhaps this new "country" should be formed and declare themselves the United States of America and let the other deviate states go their own way. This country would encompass the heartland of the country and a few other states. It may be that parts of the other states would end up staying with the newly formed U.S.A. while most parts of the East and West coast would be allowed to wallow in the results of what they have created. As of now there are at least 29 states that are red. It is most likely that it could be increased to 34 and be able to pass a constitutional amendment to accomplish this. We are at a stage where all power is being shifted to the federal government. If a new country can't be formed it is both necessary and desirable that the states stop letting the federal government buy their way into more power by using the states own money and resources against them. A large part of what the federal government does is not in the constitution and by right revolves to the states. It is time for them to step forward and exercise these rights. A federal judge has no rights other than those outlined in the constitution. All state judges can overrule a federal judge that makes decisions contrary to a states rights as outlined in the federal constitution and the states constitution. We need to quit recognizing and agreeing to the decisions made by these aberrant judges. Forming a new country under the existing federal constitution is probably the best possible solution.

Recent Writing

I've completed work on my new novel. It's a fantasy novel set on a world that is populated by semi-intelligent plants. It sounds like maybe I should have written about some our politicians in Washingtion. I've pasted a very short piece of it below. Anybody have any comments or wants to read more of it let me know. I could post an entire chapter.

“Damn, Nighthawk, we have to give Vingalt an antibiotic or an antidote of some type as soon as possible,” he shouted. “She took a bath in the river yesterday. I think she’s been exposed to some local bug, poison, or something. A water creature of some type tried to bite her as she got out of the water. It might have scraped against her. I think she’s been poisoned.”

Quadril was a reticent person and had a hard time displaying his emotions, but had become exited as he realized the seriousness of Vingalt’s injury. Her being injured tore him inwardly but he put on a facade to hide it after he had gotten over the initial shock.

“Quadril, how is she?” Legar asked.

“I don’t know. She seems to be resting. I can’t tell if she’s better or not. Thanks.”

Quadril held her hand and nursed her as well as he could. but two days later Vingalt sat up, handed C’lot’ to him, gave him a tentative smile, reached out and touched his cheek with her hand, gave him a brief kiss, stared off into the distance, gurgled a little bit and lay back down and died.

Science Fiction Trilogy - Moon

I've returned to working on my trilogy about an Earth/Moon conflict and war. I've got two of the three volumes written and am working on outlining the third. I'm not totally happy with the punctuation on the first two and am reading through them as a check before I move into the third volume in ernest. Anybody want to read parts of the the first two to see how I've done? I guess it's necessary to have a few followers before anybody will step forward. I didn't sense a rush of takers--this must be why. It's hard to set aside enough time to work on my writing, but it has to be done. I've completed the third book in the Cosmic Cast series but haven't sent it off to a publisher yet.

General

I haven't been here for a while. It seems that I don't get around to blogging very often. I've been reviewing some of my previous writings and finding that I've changed, or at least my writing has changed. One, probably shouldn't look back and compare with what they are doing today. I'm also getting ready to submit my new book in the Adventures of Curtis, Connie, and Cosmic Cat. It's complete and ready to go. If anybody needs to have any photos retouched or altered I'd suggest using myphotofixed. com.

Climate Change

It's a well known fact that humans cause climate change on earth. Therefore, because climate change exists it proves that humans inhabit the planet earth. This correlation between mankind and earth's climate change is true and we only have to consult Al Gore to prove it. Recente climate change also exists on a number of other bodies in the Solar System, such as Mars, Io, Europa, Titan, and Triton. This, therefore, also proves that Martians exist, as do Ioians, Europians, Titanians, and Tritonians. I don't know about Venusians. It's difficult to determine if climate change actually occurs on Venus with its dense atmosphere. Isn't it amazing that leading science minds, such as Al Gore's, have managed to prove that intelligent life exist on at least one other planet and a number of moons in the Solar System. Who would have been able to imagine such an occurrence from the simple study of Earth and its mankind caused climate change. I think that this should qualify someone for a Nobel prize. Any takers?

New Book, The Logging Town

I've finished the new book and completed all of the illustrations. If anybody wants to see more a chapter of it let me know. I could post it on my web page. The book has a lot of illustrations.
I'm attempting to reduce my five page synopsis to a couple of pages. It's harder than writing the book to start with.
I've also completed a number of additional illustrations for my "witch" book. I've got about half a dozen to go. A few of them are going to be difficult.

The Logging Town

My third book, The Logging Town, in the Adventures of Curtis, Connie, and Cosmic Cat is scheduled to be released on October 1 of this year. This will make it ready for Christmas. This book added to the other two out to make a good package for children who love to read. I've been spending the last few days attempting to devise a method to keep the head from destroying my tomato plants. I've ended up putting a shade over them. I'll know in the next few days if it's doing any good. The heat here in Texas is becoming unbearable. June is normally our month of rain, so far we haven't had any in San Antonio. When we water, which can be only once per week, the yard soaks it up. The next afternoon the ground is still suffering. I think the water is running down into all of the cracks in the ground.

Witches and Castles

I spent a part of this past weekend drawing a castle. It took awhile to get the perspective right. I hope to spend some of this weekend drawing three portraits of witches. I also need to complete my drawing of five witches dancing around a cauldron. Oh, well somebody has to do it. On a totally diffent note, I've started getting tomatoes out of my garden.

Lab Reports, Writing, Superman

I'm thinking about adding to my writing by doing some lab reports. I need to do something else in addition to what I'm doing. I roughed out a concept yesterday for a new science fiction book. I hope to find time to start it in the next few weeks. I've completely redone my flyer for my book, "Astronaut Training." I've added a lot more info to it but have run into a size constraint. It's, as always, a balance between what you want to do and what you can do. I'm going to stay away from the new Superman Movie. It is UnAmerican as the phrase "Truth, Justice, and the American Way," has been altered to remove the American part. I'll to purchase or watch the movie.

Science Fiction, Future writing

My garden is growing. The tomato plants are getting close to being three feet tall. Hopefully I'll remember to water them. I've spent some time today working on the illustrations for my book about witches, "The Land of G'lop." I've finished seven of them, roughed out one, and have only ten to fifteen more to do. As slow as I'm working that's a couple of months work. Oh, well they'll get done when I can get them done. I'm waiting for the third book in, "The Adventures of Curtis, Connie, and Cosmic Cat" to get back from the editor. I've also redone my flyers. I've put more info on them, perhaps too much. I'd still like to get some more interest in my full length science fiction novels. I need to have some success so that I'll have time to do more writing. I have the third book in my trilogy to do. It's going to be about five hundred or so pages long. I've got it all laid out and know in what direction I want to go but I don't want to start it as it's going to be somewhat complex. There are going to be a lot of characters and settings in it as the action moves farther out into space--both known and unknown. Maybe they'll go looking for God, or at least what could be God.

Finished Third Book in Cosmic Cat Collection

I've finished my third book in the "Adventures of Curtis, Connie, and Cosmic Cat," collection. This one takes the trio to a logging town. Where they suffer through many adventures as they explore the town and its surrounding attractions. It's over a hundred pages long with twenty-seven illustrations. It will be around 200 hundred pages long when it's reduced to its publishing size. I don't know whether I should start on the next one or go back to the book on witches I'm working on. I need to do about ten to fifteen illustrations to finish it. The text is basically done. I also took some time to put flowers in one of the beds in front of the house. I'll do another one this Thursday if nothing else comes up.

Science Fiction Author

I've finished writing my third novel in "The Adventures of Curtis, Connie, and Cosmic Cat." I'm now working to clean up the drawings and merge them into a single whole. As soon as this is done I'll send it out to couple readers working as my editors. I've also spent the last few days putting my garden together. Mostly tomatoes and bell peppers with a few added egg plants. I spent most of today putting a new hot water heater in my Mother-in-laws house. I'll finish the garden, hopefully, tomorrow and get back to my writing and marketing my completed works.

Getting Published

The hardest thing is not actually writing a book, it's getting it pulished. It's necessary, with the present state of our society, that every effort be taken to put our works in the hands of readers. The more people that are exposed to our work the more likely it is that it will be successful. It does almost no good to spend a lot of time attemped to get a work published by submitting it to publishers or agents. It's first necessary to establish a name for ourself in the local area. If we can sell enough locally the work will be noticed and sold nationally. It's just setting the time aside to dedicate to its selling that is difficult. We just have to do it.