They Think You’re Stupid

November 7, 2021November 7, 2021

They Think You’re Stupid

Those who style themselves leaders of the left have demonstrated that they believe their opponents are incredibly stupid. Like really, really, knuckle-dragging, rage-driven Jethro Clampett levels of stupid. One of the recent stunts meant to enrage left-leaning voters and humiliate and vilify right-leaning voters was the creation of “white supremacists” declaring their support for Glenn Youngkin, winner of Virginia’s governor election this week. In case you missed it, he ran against Clinton sycophant Terry McAuliffe. And McAuliffe has not yet met a level so low he won’t go down to check it out.

October 26, 2021October 25, 2021

Hard Power vs. Soft Power

This post is me putting on my ornery professor hat for a bit. Please note, some of this will be a quick and dirty run-down and missing many details. If, for some unknown reason, you feel compelled to go and dig through all the academic literature, I am happy to point you in that direction. I am NOT going to go into those details her and now. This is the “I’m explaining this to Aunt Martha at Thanksgiving” version.

October 25, 2021October 25, 2021

Arcane Veterinary Care

I missed my prompt for last week and didn’t get one sent in on time so I’ve picked up one of the spares this week. It’s was an interesting week and I will have more information to share in a few days. It’s exciting and good, but stressful as well and my writing has suffered (well, it’s disappeared) because of that stress. But, I think I have a handle on things now, and I’m back to writing.

October 13, 2021October 13, 2021

Antiques

A late entry for Week 40 here in 2021 of More Odds Than Ends prompts. Been an interesting week. Stressful, insightful, decision-filled, yet without forward motion. At least the writing is going forward. This is just a bit of flash fiction that is a day late, but I hope not a dollar short.

October 12, 2021October 12, 2021

I Aim to Misbehave

This report is maybe 12 years old. Parliament buried it, and it stayed buried ’til River dug it up.

This is what they feared she knew. And they were right to fear ’cause there’s a whole universe of folk who’re gonna know it, too. They’re gonna see it.

Somebody has to speak for these people.

Y‘all got on this boat for different reasons, but y’all come to the same place. So now I’m askin’ more of you than I have before. Maybe all.

As sure as I know anything, I know this: They will try again. Maybe on another world. Maybe on this very ground swept clean. A year from now, 10, they’ll swing back to the belief that they can make people…better. And I do not hold to that.

So no more runnin’.

I aim to misbehave.

– Mal Reynolds, Captain, Spaceboat Serenity

October 4, 2021October 4, 2021

Pizza

The debate over putting pineapple on pizza has been blamed for starting online flame wars, ending friendships, destroying marriages, and all sorts of other general mayhem. Full confession here: I like pineapple on pizza. There. I said it. I like it. I also like a number of other toppings, but I’m generally old school in my first choice. Pepperoni and mushrooms is my usual go-to for toppings. Bell peppers and onions are absolute no-gos for me. So, what happens when you open the pizza box to find something completely unexpected and absolutely unknown?

October 2, 2021October 2, 2021

Book Review: Going Ballistic

Michelle Lauden always wanted to be a pilot and go to space, but that didn’t happen. Piloting sub-orbital planes, known as ballistics, got her closer to space than most people. Then on a routine flight leg she, her plane, and her passengers became pawns in the life-threatening political games playing out between two planet-spanning governments.

September 28, 2021September 28, 2021

Predictive Printer

Week 38 of the More Odds Than Ends prompts. I’m not completely happy with this one, but this is what came into my head when I thought about it for a while. I will admit I almost forgot to do this prompt. Our week has been different already. Not bad, just a slightly different schedule. Just enough to confuse.

September 19, 2021September 21, 2021

Beware the Pixies

We’re coming into fall. Although by the weather around here, you wouldn’t know it. But, it’s mid-September, autumn is only a couple of days away. But the prompts keep coming and I’m still writing. It’s all good. This week, my prompt for More Odds Than Ends came from AC Young: I’ve never believed the old stories about what was in the woods. This evening I went exploring. I sort of modified it, but kept the spirit of it.

September 15, 2021September 15, 2021

New Release: Adventure Stories for Young Readers

I am proud to announce that I have a story in this wonderful anthology of eleven thrilling action stories suitable for readers age 10 and up with a high reading level. Eleven tales of derring-do, friendship, and action in science fiction and fantasy settings.

Surviving in space, dealing with lost baby dragons, rescuing a little girl from goblins…what do you do? Who can you rely on for help? These stories show the strength of family and friends as we watch young people grow and learn…even from their own mistakes.