Why Do Republicans Care So Much About Zygotes?

Republican idiot Todd Akin aside, why does the GOP want so desperately to deny women access to abortions? The Republicans' public justification, of course, is that they fervently want to protect life in all forms. But this contradicts all their stances on all non-zygote forms of life. Republicans apparently don't care about life in the form of old people; they want to eradicate Social Security and gut Medicare. If the GOP had its way, old people would be dying in our streets of starvation and untreated diseases. Republicans don't care about life in the form of college students; they want to abolish federal student loans. They don't care about kids; they want to cut government lunch programs for needy youngsters. They have no regard for the well-being of women; they want to restrict access to contraceptives which not only prevent the need for abortion but also help regulate women's reproductive organs. Republicans despise brown people of all ethnicities; they want keep them out of the country, prevent them from voting, and make it difficult for them to access public transportation which could be used to make a better life for themselves. And, most callous of all, Republicans have no problem with putting all forms of life in danger with their "Wild West" gun policies. They assiduously protect the rights of maniacs to buy AK-47s, but they could not care less about the rights of the rest of us to "life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness," and a feeling of safety in our own neighborhoods, churches, movie theaters, and schools. In short, Republicans care only about life before it begins. After you are born, you are on your own...and Republicans will make it as hard for you to survive as they possibly can. What sense does this make? Why do Republicans value life, respect life, and protect life only until one comes into existence? It is non-logical, but what would you expect from the party of Todd Akin. Finally, there is this: You would think that with demographics trending towards white people being outnumbered by people of color by 2020, Republicans would be handing out contraceptives on street corners and opening up abortion shops in every town. By forcing women, even rape and incest victims, to carry to term, Republicans are repopulating America with the very people who will eventually vote them out of office. Wealthy white females will always have access to contraceptives and abortions; it is the poor and minorities who will not if Republicans have their way. In a way, Republicans are trying to legislate themselves out of existence. Fine by me.

Parlez vous Tea Party?

While on vacation in a small seaside village in France, my wife and I received news that the Supreme Court had endorsed Obamacare (since when can the Supreme Court rule on Presidential policy?). By "received word," we mean we saw it on French TV, without English translation. Our bilingual concierge confirmed that "validee" meant "okayed." The concierge giggled, and we asked why. "You Americans. Such a big deal over what should be obvious. We French think nothing at all of national health care. Why the...uh...le guerre?" We tried to explain the Tea Party to her. She laughed again. I shame-facedly felt like I was telling her why it was so hard for American troglodytes to accept the fact that the world was not flat. "Ah, oui. Ze barbarians," she said. "I demand my right to die before it is time. I demand my right to have ze financial ruin because I must be in ze hospital for a long time. I demand my right to be, how do you say, excluded because ze illnes is not covered. I demand my right to be sick. I demand my right to be cheated by insurance companies. Haha, your Tea Party is funny. Reminds me of small children with tiny brains who refuse to get along with ze others and do what is best for all. They can't stand to see others benefit or do well; the greater good means nothing to them. They are infantile and greedy. You have many like this, no?" I admitted there were millions and millions of them. So many that it makes one wonder from where they all come. "I am an American expatriate for many reasons," continued the concierge, "and this is one. America is a nation of 'me.' France is a nation of 'us.' Only don't tell this to an American, or they will surely wave a flag in your face and tell you that America is the greatest country in ze world. Even though you hate one another and wish each other ill." "Not all of us are that way," I replied. "We elected a progressive man, a man of color, no less, who seems to have the greater good at heart." "Oui. There are people of goodwill, but they are too civil...and afraid of the loud, rude, violent barbarians. Like here, during ze war. Too many of us were afraid to stand up to the Nazis, and they conquered us. You must fight them." "We do plenty of that. In fact, that's about all that ever gets done in Washington." "We have our differences here, but we are fond of our fellow Francos. You have many who speak of the Bible in America. Doesn't your Bible tell you to love one another and share. Yet you have so few with everything, and so many with so little. I don't understand how your Church and rulers get away with this. If the Bible tells us anything, it tells us that capitalism is evil. The rich man has ze same chance to enter heaven as the elephant to pass through ze needle." She stopped and smiled "C'est la vie...it can be no other way in America, for that is the nature of capitalism. The tiny number of wealthy must own the great number of masses...not everyone can be a king or a CEO, for ze rest must work in ze king's factories, make his bread, shine his shoes, manicure his lawn, collect his trash, bow at his foot. It works no other way. Few receive and many serve. Ze ruling class maintains this order by making scorn of any talk of all receiving and all serving. This is ze talk of ze socialist devil, no?" She smiled and politely excused herself. "You Americans...au revoir; bonne chance."

Facebook: What an Enormous Waste of Time

So now the news comes that Facebook is going public, and its net worth might be valued at $100 billion. Really? How is that possible. How did Mark Zuckerberg turn a vindictive prank against the girfriend who dumped him into a capitalist colossus? Only in America could the airing of our dreary dronings, petty gripes, and existential longings be turned into obscene profits. I am not now on Facebook and hope never to be, even though my publisher thinks it is a good idea. If I posted my daily activities on a public wall it would be called grafitti. On Facebook it is called social networking. My wife is on it, but often complains it is a vast wasteland of detritus. She has tried to explain to me how it works. One post appears on your wall and my wall if you friend one another. So that anything that gets posted by that person appears on your page. But you can always un-friend (I never thought the day would come when "un-friend" would be used as a verb). As she tells me this, my eyes glaze over and my mind goes numb. Which is probably Facebook's intended effect. I resist all urges to scream, "Who gives one flying fuck?" Here's a sample of recents posts: "LMFAO...gotto run, dewing the LKYTS...bak up freo" "hahaha..soo--oo-o KOOL...less parta-ay-ay" "NMBFF...whatta S-L-U-T-E...amazzing GGSA" Defenders of Facebook say that at least we are communicating with one another in writing. I might agree, if only I could understand what was being written. My wife's ex-student posted this: "Morn up MSGF, geting my brew on...stoking for the TON!" I responded with the only modern acronym I know: "TMI." Facebook is beyond all my capacity for comprehension. And I take great pride in my ignorance.

Worst Scandal In Secret Service History? O Ye Of Little Knowledge

When I heard the report on NBC's nightly news the other night, I glanced at my wife. She rolled her eyes, and I just shook my head. Just another example of a so-called journalist who is completely oblivious to historical fact. "They're calling it the worst scandal in the history of the Secret Service," claimed the NBC correspondent.

Who are "they" I wondered.

The correspondent was referring to Secret Service agents who were apparently devoting more time to hookers and coke than they were to protecting President Obama. I didn't catch the correspondent's name; his lack of awareness of history made him eminently forgettable. Still, how could I blame him? If he wasn't taught in school that the Secret Service was complicit in the murder of President Kennedy in 1963, how would he know any better. If the media he serves has ignored the truth for half of a century, how could I expect this poor sap to challenge his masters?

The fact is, though, indulging in hookers and coke pales in comparison to aiding and abetting in the murder of the commander-in-chief.

In Dallas on Novemeber 22, 1963, Emory Roberts, Secret Service agent in charge of the presidential detail, ordered agents off the presidential limousine as the motorcade began, ordered his agents to stand down in Dealey Plaza as shots rang out, and cruelly ordered Jackie Kennedy to remove her arms from around the mortally wounded President's head at Parkland Hospital so that he, Roberts, could see for himself that the President was dead.

William Greer, the Secret Service agent who drove the presidential limousine in the Dallas motorcade, actually brought the car to a complete stop so that the kill shot could be delivered. At the same time he raised his left hand and pointed it at the President as if he were aiming something at him. The Zapruder film shows no gun in Greer's hand, but several witnesses in Dealey Plaza saw a gun in his hand. Standing near the limousine at the time of the shooting, eyewitness Hugh Betzner said he "...observed what appeared to be a nickel-plated revolver in someone's hand in the President's car."

Secret Service agent Roy Kellerman, riding shotgun in the presidential limo, did nothing as the shooting occurred. His sworn duty was to give up his life for the President's, but he did not fling himself over the seat to cover the President. In fact, he did not budge. Films show him looking in the rear view mirror to see whether or not the President had been fatally wounded.

This incidents are suspicious, but you might ask: "What was the motive?" Well, let me give you a few quotes from a book written by a Secret Service agent assigned to President Kennedy in the early 1960s. His name is Abraham Bolden, and he knew all the suspect agents. "Time and again, I overheard [many of the agents with whom I worked] making chilling racist remarks, referring to Kennedy as 'that nigger-lover' whose efforts were screwing up the country," writes Bolden. The following passage is from page 52 of his book The Echo From Dealy Plaza, "Before Dallas, I had voiced my opinion of the President's protection detail to colleagues and superiors...I told anyone who would listen that I didn't believe the agents on the White House detail would act swiftly or appropriately to stop an attempt on the President's life...The senior agents struck me as arrogant...and saw to it that nobody acknowledged the apprehension of any less experienced agents regarding the President's safety...The senior agents' cocksure attitudes governed right up to the moment of Kennedy's death. One of the younger agents riding on the car behind the presidential limousine heard what sounded to him like a rifle shot. He started to jump from the running board to assist the President...but the young agent was called back to the follow-up car by a more senior agent, just as the third and fatal shot tore into the President's skull. The same inspector, Kelley, to whom I had previously complained about the laxity of the Secret Service agents surrounding the President, oversaw the Dallas investigation of Kennedy's assassination. After the assassination, I saw one suspicious action after another on the part of the Secret Service personnel, all of which left me convinced that the Secret Service wanted to present its own carefully orchestrated version of its performance to the Warren Commission...just after the assassination, orders started coming down from my supervisors that hinted at an effort to withhold, or at least to color, the truth." In support of Bolden's claims, Rebecca Lopez recently wrote this on WFAA.com: "On the night before President John F. Kennedy was killed, 10 members of his Secret Service detail were partying at a Fort Worth club called The Cellar...these agents that were out until five in the morning, that were supposed to be guarding the president's suite, bragged to the owner of The Cellar, Pat Kirkwood, that they were out having a few cocktails while they got the Fort Worth Fire Department guarding the presidential suite...the agents left their post at the Texas Hotel to party with waitresses at The Cellar, who served drinks wearing only their underwear."

And finally this from Bolden: "Agents often joked that if someone fired at the President they would jump out of the way and let him be killed." Another Secret Service agent charged with guarding President Kennedy years later admitted that he thought Kennedy was a communist appeaser and a traitor, and that his death was a good thing for the country.

Yes, that coke and hooker ring the Secret Service has going on now is just deplorable. But it's hardly the worst thing this incompetent, corrupt, venal organization has ever done.

Nice Review For My Short Story

What follows is a review of the anthology "Writers On The Wrong Side Of The Road," including my short story therein, "The Barefoot Hero." The review was written by Leigh Lane of "The Cerebral Writer."

"This anthology contains some of the creepiest and unusual stories I’ve read in a long time. While a few of the selections seemed out of place either by caliber or by genre, the best works in this anthology truly set the bar for greatness in speculative fiction. As a whole, I rate Writers on the Wrong Side of the Road at four stars and recommend it as a great addition to any speculative fiction library. Here's the story breakdown:

“The Barefoot Hero” by Timothy Fleming – 5 stars

A man looks back to the past after the tragic death of an old friend.

“The Barefoot Hero” brought tears to my eyes. The story is bittersweet, tragic, and brilliantly written. The characterization is deep and thoughtful, leading to a conclusion that is as painful as it is gratifying. A lovely story.

“Hold Up” by Lucille P. Robinson – 4 stars

A serial rapist gets more than he bargains for at his local Wal-Mart.

This story is thoughtful and well-written. I liked the premise a lot, but would have liked to have read more. The ending was justifiably abrupt, but it did leave the story feeling somehow incomplete. Nonetheless, it's a good, short read.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Judgement Day” by Angelika Devlyn – 3.75 stars

A young woman jumps at the chance at revenge after an attack sends her to the hospital with a miscarriage.

This story has some great moments to it, but needs a few kinks smoothed before it might live to its full potential. The premise is very good and the twist fun; however, following the story is frustrating at times because believability of many of the character motivations is shaky in many places. The erotica was well-written.

“For Art’s Sake” by Elizabeth Coldwell – 4.5 stars

A move and career change can be a pain in the rear. . . .

I don’t claim spanking as one of my turn-ons, but I enjoyed this erotic piece all the same. The story is well-written and cohesive and moves to a satisfying ending.

“Simon Seeks” by Nathan L. Yocum – 4.75 stars

A psychic finds his own life on the line when sent on a search for a missing girl.

This story is executed beautifully, offering creative visuals and awesome depth to details other authors might leave mundane. The only disappointing part is the ending, which seems far too abrupt for such an otherwise meticulously laid out story. I wanted to read more.

“The Cenotaph” by Casey Wolf – 4.25 stars

Past and present collide when a camper stumbles upon a long-forgotten memorial.

A thoughtful commentary on perspective and war, this story does a great job at showing the fears and expectations that arise when one considers leaving for war. Some of the shifts are a little jarring, but may be intentional in an attempt to pull the reader into the protagonist’s confused state of mind. Overall, this is a very good story.

“Take Two” by Kit St. Germain – 4.5 stars

An interesting post-apocalyptic future history, this story speculates the effects of religious take-over and genetically modified food.

Very well-written and creative, “Take Two” paints a very interesting future picture, moving at a fast pace and growing in intrigue as the story progresses. The ending is anticlimactic however, offering a good twist, but not executing quite powerfully enough to hit with the five-star punch it could have.

“The Journey” by Megan Johns – 4.5 stars

A housewife on a train ride contemplates her life while eavesdropping on a group of nearby passengers.

“The Journey” cleverly explores human insecurity and interpersonal dynamics, while offering a twist ending that is sure to delight.

“Triona’s Beans” by Casey Wolf and Paivi Kuosmanen – 2 stars

A young girl goes on an intergalactic adventure with little people that look like feathered beans.

I had great difficulty getting through this story, which reads like a very young children’s fantasy. This story does not belong in a dark speculative fiction anthology.

“The Meal” by Mike Brecon – 4 stars

Two couples come together for the taping of a reality television show.

The concept behind this story is great and I enjoyed the writer’s style, although I would have liked to have seen some of the scenes hashed out a little more.

“Seven Deadly Sins” by Karen Coté – 3 stars

A man snaps after his past catchers up with him and unravels his life.

This story is creative, sick, and bleeding with potential. Sadly, the prose needs tightening, as do the structure and story development. As is, the story depends too much on shock value, leaving the reader with flat characters in a tense but static environment.

“The Smile in Her Eyes” by John B Rosenman – 4.75 stars

A man sees what he believes to be the essence of his deceased wife in a teenage girl.

Very well-written and creepy on many subtle fronts, “The Smile in her Eyes” reads like Lolita in The Twilight Zone. Pay attention to every little detail when you read this story or you’ll miss out on its full brilliance.

“Slumfairy” by Tonya R. Moore – 3 stars

Factions fight over the pilot—and therefore the future—of a super-massive space ship.

This story is difficult to follow, with plot holes and vague spots that leave too many questions throughout the work. There is too much going on, too many aliens to keep track of, and not nearly enough time taken to paint a good, cohesive picture of it all.

“A New Leaf” by Megan Johns – 4 stars

A divorce finds solace in her garden after starting over in a new home.

Sweet and well-written, this story would have been even more enjoyable if it had not ended so hastily. Even so, this is a satisfying story.

“Man Slaughter” by Lucille P. Robinson – 5 stars

An alleged murderer recalls each of the deaths she has been accused of while giving her official statement of confession.

The characters and plotline of this story are developed and executed masterfully. The characters are believable and the story creepy. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one.

“Pronghorns” by Casey Wolf – 5 stars

A double suicide goes to “Plan B” when initial plans go awry.

“Pronghorns” is a darkly brilliant commentary on life and death. It is well-written, gripping, and has a shockingly profound ending. This is one of those stories that resets the bar.

“Frame of Reference” by Mike Brecon – 4 stars

Story and reality collide in the mind of a young, insecure writer who finds himself unsure how to proceed with a scene.

Any type of artist will appreciate the twist to this quick, fun read.

Malpas by Marion Webb-De Sisto – 2 stars

A woman falls victim to, then in love with, an incubus.

The premise is decent, but the story is thoroughly unpolished. The prose is simplistic, the vast majority of the dialog recaps previous scenes, and the erotic scenes seem forced and filled with unnecessary, moment-jarring dialog. This story is a disappointing end to a very good anthology.

Overall score: Four Stars."

--Leigh Lane

Visit Blogs Of "WOTWSOTR" Authors For Chance To Win Prizes

The contributing authors of the Alternative Read anthology, "Writers On The Wrong Side Of The Road," are offering a chance to win prizes for visiting their blog sites and leaving comments...thru Dec. 22. Look for the holiday hat logos on the book covers on each author's site (note: you'll have to click on my November 2011 archive button to the right to find my holiday hat logo and blog). The grand prize is a Free Kindle. Instructions on how to win that are at the bottom of this post. Here is a list of the writers and what you can win:

Holiday Hat Book Cover #1
28th Nov -- Sassy Brit - opens the tour
This is where it starts!
The Writers on the Wrong Side of the Road
Book Tour and Treasure Hunt #1 http://bit.ly/shf87H
Leave a comment on the AR blog for a chance to win
the book prize

Holiday Hat Book Cover #2
29th Nov -- Visit Editor Clayton Bye for day 2 of the tour
http://bit.ly/sFqHZQ
Leave a comment on Clayton's blog
for a chance to win the book prizes.

Holiday Hat Book Cover #3
30th Nov -- Megan Johns Invites
you to meet the editors: http://bit.ly/utwJTA
Leave a comment on Megan's blog
for a chance to win the prize!

Holiday Hat Book Cover #4
1st Dec --Megan Johns Invites
you to meet the authors: http://bit.ly/vTfl9U
Leave a comment on Megan's blog
for a chance to win the prize!

Holiday Hat Book Cover #5
2nd Dec -- Find the 5th Holiday Hat with John B. Rosenman
and win his book Dax Rigby War Correspondent while you are there http://bit.ly/rJL5UD
Leave a comment on John's blog
for a chance to win the book prize.

Holiday Hat Book Cover #6
5th Dec -- Angelika Devlyn is featured on Blossom and Thorn's blog -
To find out more about winning a copy of Black Ice
Go here and continue the hunt: http://bit.ly/tGjXio
Leave a comment on Blossom and Thorn's blog
for a chance to win the book prize.

Holiday Hat Book Cover #7
6th Dec -- Find the 7th Holiday Hat Book cover and win
an angelic fantasy with Marion Web-De Sisto
http://bit.ly/rJo0ZV
Leave a comment on Marion's blog for a chance to win the book prize.

Holiday Hat Book Cover #8
7th Dec -- Win an Erotic Deception with Karen Cote'
http://bit.ly/ud56ow
Leave a comment on Karen's blog for a chance to win the book prize.

Holiday Hat Book Cover #9
8th Dec -- Win 2 copies of Kit St. Germain's Escape clause here:
http://bit.ly/vPsicv (leave comments of the AR blog for a chance to win books).

Holiday Hat Book Cover #10
9th - Dec -- Win $25 or equivalent with Tonya R. Moore
http://bit.ly/tnxiK0
Leave a comment on Tonya's blog for a chance to win the $25 Amazon gift voucher prize.

Holiday Hat Book Cover #11
12th Dec -- Win a copy of Murder of an American Nazi with Tim Fleming
http://bit.ly/rAeCg1
Leave a comment on Tim's blog for a chance to win the book prize.

Holiday Hat Book Cover #12
13th Dec -- Win a copy of erotic dark fantasy Black Ice with Angelika Devlyn
http://bit.ly/sk4LXh
Leave a comment on Angelika's blog for a chance to win the book prize

Holiday Hat Book Cover #13
14th Dec -- Win a copy of Mike Brecon's book A Dangerous Remedy
http://bit.ly/vFTkmt
Leave a comment on Mike's blog for a chance to win the book prize.

You have until 22nd Dec to leave a comment on each of these authors blogs to win their individual prizes.

For the KINDLE CONTEST- you have until 25th Dec to send all your answers - the urls to all the places
you've found the 'Holiday Hat book covers' to Sassy Brit here: http://bit.ly/gNmBvs

Full details of both contests are here: http://bit.ly/sCuhYB

My Meeting With The History Professor Who Doesn't Know His History--The Inspiration For My Short Story "The Barefoot Hero"

A few months back my wife retired from her position as a music professor at a local college. At her retirement party I struck up a conversation with a young history professor. Turns out he specializes in the history of southeast Asia. This was of particular interest to me because I consider myself something of an expert on the origins, purposes, and consequences of American involvement in the Vietnam War. I was excited to find a knowledgeable historian with whom I could share my views on the topic, and I looked forward to a stimulating discussion. The professor, however, soon blunted my enthusiasm. The more we talked, the more I realized he was the worst of all academicians--the history teacher who does not know his history.

When I mentioned that the Gulf of Tonkin incident, which LBJ used as his excuse for an all-out troop commitment and irreversible escalation, was a hoax, the professor looked befuddled. When I named all the defense contractors (including Halliburton/KBR...yes, even back then Halliburton was making billions in blood money) that got obscenely rich off the war, his eyes narrowed and his expression told me, "So what?" And when I tried to explain to him that the point of the war was not to win it but to make it last as long as possible for American war profiteers to suck every last penny they could from it, the professor got indignant. He stammered and sputtered, "What gives you...on what basis...why..."

Before he could form a coherent sentence, I made a pre-emptive strike. "Take for instance the Battle for Hill 875. Certainly you're familiar with that," I gently goaded.

"The what...875th Hill...huh?" mumbled the professor.

"It took place in the Central Highlands near Dak To in November 1967. One of the bloodiest battles of the entire war. I've talked to survivors of it, and they have never shaken its horrors. To this day they have nightmares about it. The VC were entrenched on a large hill, called 875 by the American high command. The order came down to take the hill, but this was the VC's home turf and they would not be easily defeated. They knew jungle warfare and how to survive in it. The carnage went on for four days. The casualties were great. One suvivor remembered the hill running red with blood. It finally ended on Thanksgiving Day. The VC retreated and the hill belonged to the 173rd airborne brigade. What did American forces do with this hard-won hill? They abandoned it within a week. It held no strategic advantage. In other words, there had been no point to the entire battle. This sort of thing happened over and over in Vietnam. Battle after battle, won and lost, to no apparent end. The objective observer can only conclude that the war had no ultimate purpose other than to line the pockets of weapons makers and other defense contractors."

The professor was stunned for a moment, but he managed to recover and recite the refrain of the hopelessly misinformed, "We stopped communist aggression. If Vietnam had fallen who knows...the communists might have come to our shores. Better there than here."

"Ah...the old domino theory. Tell me you're not clinging to that; it's been discredited long ago...even by the most hawkish historians," I condescended. My patience with this neophyte had run out. "The fact is South Vietnam did fall, yet the communists did not take over the world. They got not closer than China. Not one nation in the western hemisphere fell after Vietnam."

The professor took a hearty swig of beer and looked away in resignation. I almost felt sorry for him. "Look," I offered, "It's okay not to know something, but you should at least be inquisitive...where's the curiosity to find out more? And please tell me you're not polluting those young, malleable minds in your history class. They deserve better than that. All of us deserve to know our real history."

With that, the young professor skulked away and made a point of avoiding me for the rest of the night.

In subsequent days, the remembrance of that encounter gnawed at me. The history professor's lack of intellectual curiosity appalled me. Rather than sit me down and grill me to find out more, he simply dismissed me as a crackpot. Were all American professors this way? Were they feeding their students disinformation? What the hell was really going on in collegiate classrooms? The study of history should be a diligent search for the truth about our past, not a lazy recitation of textbook prevarications.

I decided to do something about it--write a story that makes the causes and effects of the war more personal, more meaningful. "The Barefoot Hero" is my small way of setting the record straight.