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Chris James

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Everything posted by Chris James

  1. Hard to believe, isn't it, but the politics in this country has gone insane. https://thinkprogress.org/20000-illinois-republicans-voted-for-nazi-7bbeeb7631fd/ Of course, this was just a primary vote but it says a lot about the people who would cast their ballots for a Nazi. That's 20,000 people without functioning brain cells even as their own party leadership condemned the man. Any wonder why Trump ended up in the White House?
  2. Some school administrators don't see this as a teachable moment, and for them I am sorry that their students won't learn a valuable lesson. Perhaps a few school administrators will get fired this fall when elections roll around...I sure hope so. How can any school teach government and politics without addressing free speech? I guess some can, and that makes them idiots and worse, they are bullies. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/schools-suspending-kids-joining-gun-control-walkouts-183124731.html
  3. Just noted on the news that security officers in Broward County schools will now be carrying rifles officially making schools an armed camp. Not to worry, most of those officers are already deputies in the sheriff's department, and probably not the ones accused of drug dealing and rape we see in the weekly news. Wonder how many parents are considering home schooling? Does it matter that many of these shooters were bullied and learned to hate the school when administrators failed to help them? What about that group of adolescents over there who laughed at the oddball student when he was bullied, probably just glad it wasn't their issue. I am amazed in the aftermath of last week's shooting spree just how many students have come forward to say they knew this guy was going to do it. One girl said she told her teachers a dozen times that the boy was flipping out and bragging about his guns and knives. Yeah, let's give those teachers guns to protect....who? I imagine an armed teacher would be high on the target list for any shooter...try explaining that to the husband and two small kids she has at home when she is dead. Tough love: no cell phones allowed in school, make them listen to teachers instead of texting. Metal detectors at every door, bring a finger nail file to school and you are so outta there. Violent students will be expelled, period. Sounds like some of the places I have worked where security was valued over social interaction. The kids better get used to it now before Trump takes away the rest of our rights and freedoms.
  4. Since our ignorant government can't seem to get its act together on the root causes of school shootings, I have been looking around for answers. No, I can't accept the Rush Limbaugh moronic foolishness of arming all the students. He actually espoused the idea on Fox News, of course. I get the idea that parents are frantic with worry, we need better answers...and then I came across this: https://amp.businessinsider.com/one-teachers-brilliant-idea-to-stop-future-school-shootings-has-nothing-to-do-with-guns-2018-2 Short of turning our schools into armed camps, hiring ex-Marines to patrol the hallways, or just strip searching individuals before they enter the school, we need a concise plan. Let's not dehumanize the students, let's look into their minds, and starting in fifth grade seems about right. At least this teacher is doing something positive.
  5. Since our ignorant government can't seem to get its act together on the root causes of school shootings, I have been looking around for answers. No, I can't accept the Rush Limbaugh moronic foolishness of arming all the students. He actually espoused the idea on Fox News, of course. I get the idea that parents are frantic with worry, we need better answers...and then I came across this: https://amp.businessinsider.com/one-teachers-brilliant-idea-to-stop-future-school-shootings-has-nothing-to-do-with-guns-2018-2 Short of turning our schools into armed camps, hiring ex-Marines to patrol the hallways, or just strip searching individuals before they enter the school, we need a concise plan. Let's not dehumanize the students, let's look into their minds, and starting in fifth grade seems about right. At least this teacher is doing something positive.
  6. I hope you're right, Cole. After the mess Trump has created we are going to need someone like Biden to put the government back on track.
  7. I don't often pay attention to books written by politicians, or the books written about them. The focus these days seems to be on the political fringe who have taken over, and nothing about Donald Trump is worth knowing. He and his ilk care nothing about the gay community and the issues we face. But there is one politician who has always been in our corner, and yet he seems to have faded into the background. I am speaking about Joe Biden, our former vice-president and a commendable voice in support of the LGBT community. http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/01/25/joe-biden-reveals-what-barack-obama-privately-told-him-about-equal-marriage/ I have never met Mr. Biden, but I would enjoy shaking his hand. For a man who faced such monumental tragedy in his life I have always been in awe of his empathy and genuine concern for others. The article mentions this new book about his family life and I am determined to read it. Amidst all the scandal and strife in government these days, I always manage to imagine Joe Biden as a breath of fresh air, something I never attribute to politics.
  8. Anticipation...that is the one word I am left with at this point in Cole's story. I admire the way he has presented us with the main character at different points in life. This story will keep me occupied for some time to come, and perhaps in a few weeks there will be more to say, but I like it. Thanks, Cole...and now I am left with anticipation, and a smile.
  9. Another clever story from Nigel. The Spirit of Insolvency, what a good laugh.
  10. The image of armed police patrolling the halls of a school is disturbing, but in some school districts this is what you get. Makes me wonder where we went wrong, how did we lose control? To my mind the greatest offense created by bullies is the cessation of education. No child can concentrate on learning when they feel threatened. Dare to be different and a child gets picked on, becomes an outcast. and the target for bullying. Those who perceive they are the strongest pick on the weak, and oftentimes this is acceptable to the masses. We can fill our schools with police, place cameras everywhere, and nothing will change until we have a means to reprogram the bullies. Much of their meanness is self serving, that look at me I'm a tough guy, I demand your respect. No matter what schools do to punish the behavior it means nothing if they are heroes at home or amongst their peers in the street. I have read about in school suspensions and forced study halls meant to keep the troublemakers in line. Not working because they are still there in the environment with the victims. One bully in a classroom makes all the other students victims and makes education impossible. The teachers we have today cannot handle that kind of stress, they are already overloaded, and in many cases, underpaid. In the climate of today's government, the public schools are the losers...and of course, the biggest bully in the country sits in the White House. Kids bring weapons to school for protection and end up in jail. Is anyone asking them who they are trying to defend against? But certain segments of our population point fingers at the violence and advocate home schooling. The Christian Taliban is loving it. Then we will end up with a whole society of kids unable to interact with one another...a no win situation. I hear that the schools in Canada are lovely....
  11. Mike had it fixed within two hours of receiving my message, and digging his way out of the reader blizzard in his inbox :) As always, I am thankful for everything The Dude does on my behalf. Must be time for another donation. Won't all of you join me?
  12. Parents are responsible for what happens to their children at home so it is about time that educators take on the responsibility of protecting kids at school. Hit school boards in the wallet and they will have to pay attention. Otherwise, these are all such sad stories. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/bullying-leads-suicide-schools-responsible-170011810.html
  13. Imagine my surprise when I logged on this morning to find 9 emails all with the subject heading Brass Balls. It took only moments to discover that the reason for this slew of mail was that the latest chapter, which would have been 10, was actually a repeat posting of Chapter 8. The readers didn't seem upset, just concerned that they were missing out on something. But most of them sent Mike a notice to please fix the issue. I know he will and I probably have less concern about the issue since this stuff happens now and again. In fact, I tend to look on the bright side, 6 of the 9 emails came from new readers, names I have not seen before. We always wonder how many are reading our stories, and I guess this is one way to find out :)
  14. The ugly Christmas sweater is back, only this time it seems no one was paying attention. https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2017/12/junior-high-newsletter-gave-parents-unexpected-holiday-surprise/
  15. Thank you, Cole...as always you have nice things to say. I am not worried about the lack of response since most of my readers wait until I am done posting to comment. But in fact, it has been over a year since I submitted a story for posting, and as I joked with Mike perhaps the readers have forgotten my name. In the opening I mention this story is a decade old, and the more I think about it is perhaps even older than that. I changed so much to bring it in line with the AD sensibilities and in doing that made it more of a romance...I like that. But this was also the first story I wrote involving a military mindset and it worked out so well. But Brass Balls was such fun to write I felt it had a place among my other works. There will be no sequel to this story, but there are new things coming soon.
  16. Sorry, you might be a Republican, but are you offended by the truth? Personally, I do not like politics, it brings out the worst in everyone. But the subject of this article is pure evil and undermines the constitutional right we all have as citizens. There is nothing that should prevent anyone from voting...nothing. If anything, I am in favor of forcing citizens to vote, or say, your tax return might get sidetracked. But the Republicans in every state have done more to make America less again by all these incessant excuses to disallow voters from exercising their rights. Doubt that it matters? We have Trump....enough said? https://www.yahoo.com/news/robert-reich-poor-being-barred-150341712.html
  17. I guess what we may never understand is why society yields control of its people to religion. I don't think Islam is any worse than other religions but news like this makes me doubt my concept. The religious leaders described in this article are nothing but sociopaths who are using that religion to abuse children. Does religion attract this kind of deviant behavior? Perhaps, it seems to happen in all of them. Sexual attacks on children in the name of religion, and by religious leaders, just proves how this wielding of power sows destruction. There is no god, just evil men who use the excuse of the divine to feed their appetite for the perverse. http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/ap-probe-sex-abuse-pervasive-pakistan-islamic-schools-51293527
  18. I think that falling in love with your characters is how sequels are born. An author spends a great deal of time embracing the characters in a story, they stay in your thoughts, and we are loathe to put them to sleep. I believe if the ensemble is large enough that many of the characters develop the possibility of spin off stories. Good character development makes it hard to set them aside, and if the readers agree...well, you get my point. But all characters must eventually sleep in the back of the author's mind, and with a good story that slumber should be peaceful and warm. I am not recommending a sequel for every story, that would be too Disneyesque for anyone. But the right set of characters often bring us to that "what if" moment as we write. I like it when my stories are character driven because they often know the best roads to take. :)
  19. A warm and loving story that touches the mind and heart in equal measure. I think we often view someone in a wheelchair with pity without knowing how they have adjusted to life. Or perhaps it is just a reaction born from fear..."thank goodness that's not me." Andrew is a wonderful and empathetic character who proves that a handicap should never be an obstacle to a loving relationship. I would like to thank Alien Son for giving us a thoughtful story...no matter how long it took him to write it, this was well worth the effort.
  20. Trump's cabinet is falling apart, pretty soon we will be at the point I predicted last year when we have to outsource our government to India. And today we get another punchline to the Trump joke: http://www.joemygod.com/2017/11/06/japan-trump-tells-diplomats-never-knew-many-countries-became-president-video/
  21. And it seems the best gay response is: https://www.yahoo.com/news/george-takei-kevin-spacey-allegations-184438101.html
  22. Anything that deals with homosexual sex behavior is very much condemned. Sodomy laws have changed so at least now gay boys can have age appropriate relationships within their peer group. But intergenerational gay relationships will probably remain forbidden...and then we have this: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/kevin-spacey-slammed-coming-statement-apologizing-alleged-sexual-harassment-140452689.html What a fool. He is already being condemned by the gay community. Being gay is not an excuse for bad behavior.
  23. But then we have this: Does this mother deserve credit for understanding her son? I mean really...mountain lions? https://www.thecut.com/2017/10/why-i-let-my-10-year-old-go-camping-unchaperoned.html
  24. In a week of terrible news about parents torturing their kids to death I had to find something else to focus on, something good, and here it is:
  25. I will always enjoy a story that takes me places I have never been, Nicholas has done that, although I wanted more. Everything north of Chicago is a mystery to me, and although Nick claims the story to be fiction in his notes I have to doubt if the setting was contrived. I agree with Altimexis, writing the story in glimpses of past and present gives the reader the broadest look at the characters and places described. The emotions of a first experience, the differences in culture...just everything about this story is a delight. Well done...all should read this one.
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