The February issue of Guilty As Charged is now up on my site! This issue is Alcatraz: An Island’s History. Along with the newsletter, I’ve posted pictures of the island.
Most of the island’s history is unpleasant, from its early use as a military fortress throughout its days as a federal prison. My husband and I were on Alcatraz about 10 years ago. I can’t even imagine being locked in those cold concrete cells all day!
www.QuietFuryBooks.com/newsletters.html
I’m sitting here reading Rolling Stone magazine and I came across this tidbit: “Fecal contamination found in 48 percent of fast-food soda machines.” Ummm… Gross! How does fecal contamination get inside a soda dispenser? Are rats climbing on top of the machines and using them as litter boxes? Are human workers doing something I don’t even want to suggest? Is the soda contaminated before it gets dumped into the machines? Seriously, how does this happen?
This tidbit did not tell me which fast food restaurants were tested. This is not of particular concern to me, since I don’t eat fast food or drink soda. If you do, you may want to hunt down this complete study to find out which restaurants were among the 52 percent that did not contain fecal matter.
I will not be able to look at someone drinking from a McDonald’s cup without my stomach doing flip flops. It would be like mixing dirty toilet water into my tea. And we wonder why we have so many health problems in this country.
I have been writing to a man who is on death row. He committed a murder, which he confessed to. He had no trial and requested the death penalty, which he received. I won’t give his name or the state. But I want to share something he wrote in one of his letters. I had asked what death row was like for him emotionally. For those of you who aren’t aware, being on death row is total isolation, total confinement in a small cell all day, every day. This is part of his reply:
“It doesn’t feel real to me…. I mean, I know where I’m at but the feelings or actual realization of it just don’t seem real when I’m sober. Or maybe it’s just that I don’t think about it much. I block it out. But I think I deserved my punishment. Why should I enjoy the blessings of this life when I took that from someone else? A lot of people cry out the death penalty is wrong but those same people don’t consider the isolation of a person from the world and other inmates. This, right here where I’m at, caged in the cell 24/7 with no physical contact with anyone is worse than death.”
If we are going to put someone to death, why do we first torture them for years or sometimes decades?
Something to think about.
CBS will be charging companies $3.2 million for 30 seconds of commercial air time. Seriously? Companies like Budweiser are going to pay CBS $3.2 million, so that they can force-feed us their products? Okay, I’ll admit that some of these commercials can be cute. Some can even make me laugh. Mostly, commercials annoy me. I’m certainly not going to drop everything and run out to buy a six-pack — or ask my doctor about the latest prescription drug craze — or drive through a McDonald’s just because I’ve watched 30 seconds of nonsense. These companies cannot possibly be making their advertising money back in sales, much less making over and above their $3.2 million investment. Instead, we viewers get to watch all these commercials. Then we get the honor of paying more for the product, which is how the company pays for the commercials.
With DVRs and the younger population’s tendency to download programs and watch them on their computers, I would think commercials would become obsolete. The best part of my DVR is that fast forward button! Maybe these companies should re-think their $3.2 million 30-second spots.
I updated my Smile! page with new stuff to make you grin! Check it out when you need a break in your day.
Also, if you have funny/cute photos, jokes, one-liners, or something that makes you smile and you’d like to share it, send it to me at darcia@quietfurybooks.com. I’d love to put some of your stuff on my page!
Smile! page: www.QuietFuryBooks.com/smile.html
In The True Believer: Thoughts on The Nature of Mass Movements, Eric Hoffer writes:
“A man is likely to mind his own business when it is worth minding. When it is not, he takes his mind off his own meaningless affairs by minding other people’s business.
This minding of other people’s business expresses itself in gossip, snooping and meddling, and also in feverish interest in communal, national and racial affairs. In running away from ourselves we either fall on our neighbor’s shoulder or fly at his throat.”
I love the last line of that section. Such truth in that! In my experience, when someone is bored or unhappy with their life, they are more likely to meddle in yours. Most people who give me advice (generally uninvited and in the form of an order or gospel truth) are the last people I would want to take advice from.
This book was originally published in 1951 but Hoffer’s insights easily apply to the world today.
Today I have the honor of hosting Harry Gilleland! Harry Gilleland is an author of five books to date — three collections of his poetry, a fantasy action/adventure novella, and a contemporary romance novel. Harry is a retired microbiology professor who lives in Shreveport, Louisiana with his wonderful wife, Linda. Old and fat, Harry tries to enjoy life to its fullest.
Harry’s latest poetry book is entitled Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man.
This collection of storoems (story-poems) and poems offers hours of enjoyment as it makes the reader think, feel, and ponder life. The next poem may make the reader laugh or perhaps will bring a tear to the eye. The various subjects addressed will both surprise and delight. This is a collection both to own and to give as a gift, as it will surely be read and re-read. It continues in the footsteps of Harry Gilleland’s previous two published poetry collections.
Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man may be purchased on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Poetic-Musings-Old-Fat-Man/dp/1435712420/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210286150&sr=1-4
Harry Gilleland’s contemporary romance novel is entitled White Lightning Road.
This is a story of romance set in rural northern Louisiana. It follows the lives of two best friends, Jennifer James and Sally Jeffers. Each was an urban teenager whose family moved to White Lightning Road, a country road running between Vienna in Lincoln Parish and Homer in Claiborne Parish, where they became friends. Upon graduation from high school, each escaped back to the big-city life they love. Now a family tragedy has brought Jennifer back to White Lightning Road. Soon she is embroiled in a mystery involving her neighbor Michael Garrott, a man widely believed to be an unpunished murderer. Thus begin the romantic adventures of both Jenny and Sally. It is a tale of mystery and romance.
White Lightning Road is also available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/White-Lightning-Road-Harry-Gilleland/dp/1411686934/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_c
Harry’s delightful novella is entitled Bob the Dragon Slayer and is suitable for readers from teenage to ninety.
Bob, a mere peasant lad, sets off to see a dragon that is terrorizing a village and soon falls in with a wizard named Stephen. Thereafter, his life is filled with adventures that involve dragons, knights, damsels in distress, castles, a fair lady, friendship, true love, an evil king, civil war, and lawyers. This rollicking tale belongs not to history but to legend. Written with wit and humor, this novella will delight readers from teenagers to octogenarians.
Bob the Dragon Slayer can be purchased on Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/Bob-Dragon-Slayer-Harry-Gilleland/dp/1411633156/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_c
I hope you’ll check out Harry’s work!
Harry and I appreciate your stopping by my blog today. Please feel free to leave a comment here for Harry.
According to an article in this week’s Newsweek magazine (which is quoting a book called Statistical Abstract), in 2007 the average American watched 1,613 hours of television. That is the equivalent of 67 days! That is a whole lot of time in front of the TV. I don’t watch a lot of TV, so maybe I come in at around 45 or 50 days each year. But, still, 50 days each year? I can’t help but think of all the things I could do with those 50 days!
Another statistic that caught my eye: In 2007 18-percent of high school students reported carrying a weapon sometime in the previous year. And those are just the kids that admitted to it. Teenagers are not known for their rational thought. Scary to think that 18 out of every 100 has a weapon.
Win a signed copy of my newest release – Miami Snow! I’ve just added a new 48-Hour Book Giveaway to my contest page. It runs between noon EST today, January 15, and noon EST on Sunday, January 17 and is open to everyone 16 and older in the U.S. and Canada.
Just fill out the form on the contest page of my website!
www.QuietFuryBooks.com/contests.html
The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.
~ Albert Einstein
