Joe

Thank you Cole, that's it.

I'm desperately trying to remember the author and some titles of a series of mystery/detective stories. They were fairly popular and available in paperback. Basically, they occurred in New York City. One of the characters was, I think, a Deputy DA and his wife was Italian, and was also a legal professional, and an Italian cook of note who usually prepared a weeks worth of meals on the weekend. They had a daughter who was a gifted student of languages who once told a Japanese tourist that most Americans speak some Japanese. (That's a paraphrase.) Anyway, if anyone knows who I'm asking about I'd appreciate it. Sorry to be a bother.

Well, helpless optimist that I am, I do not think he will be elected. Pedro's analysis of Trump is spot on, but that is what will cause him to lose the general elections assuming that he gets the nomination. Here are some interesting facts gleaned from different media sources: According to the Republican National Committee, a Republican needs to secure at least 35 percent of the Hispanic vote in order to win the presidency. Trump isn't even close Women are 51 percent of the electorate, Trumps unfavorable rating among women runs in excess of 60 percent Trump will not receive a significant percentage of the Black vote Trump will carry none of the blue states Trump will not get a significant percentage of the Democratic Party vote. Trump will probably do as dismally as Goldwater if he gets the nomination. Clinton will be looking distinguished by the time of the election of her campaign is as capable as it better be.

This possible scenario occurred to me: Trump fails to secure the nomination going into the convention; the convention devolves into chaos and the party apparatchik give the nomination to someone else; Trump goes postal and launches a third party run which goes down to defeat. I like it, but it all depends on the delegate count at the start of the convention. But if Teddy Roosevelt couldn't make a third party run work, Trump certainly won't. I doubt that the Anonymous campaign will have much effect. Many of Trumps supporters have never heard of them and could care less while many of Trumps opponents, who have heard of it, will not sympathize with him enough to alter their opposition and their vote.

I know that Ryan Bartlett has passed away; his work, however, remains noteworthy and powerful. I'm slowly moving through the Sanitaria Springs saga and was moved by these two stories. I would have immediately written to the author to comment on this excellent work if only that were possible. I've had considerable professional experience with people involved in domestic violence, and the themes that Ryan throws light on in these stories are common in the real world and I very much hope that some victims might read these stories and realize that it is not "their" fault. They did not "make" the abuser do anything. Perhaps they may help give some victims the strength to break free of this vicious, and frequently deadly, spiral. These are important stories and I'm glad they survive.

I guess I'll learn sometime to pay closer attention to dates. How sad. All that potential.

If anyone needs to be reminded of the horror and futility of war, this is an excellent book to read. It is unutterably poignant. It follows the stories of a number of young men, thrust into battle in their low teens; but then it reminds us of the ease with which a populace can be swept up and inspired to actions that would otherwise not be considered. Particularly appropriate just now. The author is Richard Van Emden by Headline Book Publishing.

The one sporting event I always follow is the Little League World Series. At that level, they play very good baseball, and they still have a deep sense of sportsmanship. I sometimes watch old games on You Tube when not otherwise involved and I just saw a homerun and as the batter rounded the bases, every infielder, including the pitcher, gave him a high five. Of course, this event wouldn't occur without some adult involvement, but as in the case of the pitcher mentioned above, the adults seem to be able to ruin a good thing all too often. In 2014, the Chicago team won the US championship, only to have it withdrawn when it was discovered that the manager of the team, thought that he could recruit his team from anywhere in Chicago. In effect, the players were cheated by their own manager. Shame on him. I hope the pitcher mentioned above continues to play baseball. Wouldn't be surprised to see him at the LLWS in three years or so.

Well all I know is that if I had ever used "passel" in my Mother's hearing I would have been in kimchi, comma, deep.

I'm not surprised in the least. As I understand it, Uganda is a sink of ignorance, corruption, and violence. It's been reported that they have evangelical fundamentalists contributing to the malaise by supporting the notion that the death penalty is appropriate for Gays. Makes it hard for me to work up much sympathy for Ugandans. On an altogether different tack, I saw that Morgan is now manufacturing a new electric three wheeler that will be for sale in the US. We can't have the four wheelers for environmentally correct reasons that have nothing whatever to do with the scale of the emissions.

I suspect that Johnny Shiloh was almost assuredly John Clem. He forced his way into a regiment when he was way to young. Served in several battles, And was the youngest sergeant in the Union Army. After the war he petitioned President Grant and was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the infantry; he transferred to the quartermaster corps where he served for many years. He petitioned congress and a law was passed permitting him to postpone his retirement until he was the last veteran of the Civil War still on active duty. If memory serves he was a colonel when he retired. I've always wished they'd make a movie based on Drums of the Fore and Aft which would certainly humanize and recognize the tragedy of boys in the front lines. I think these thoughts now, but I was seventeen when I signed my enlistment papers.

John Cornwall whose rank was Boy First Class, won the Victoria Cross at Jutland. And that was his rank, "Boy First Class". The gun he died beside is on display in the Imperial War Museum. His sacrifice brings a tear to my eye.

They did go to sea young. David Glasgow Farragut, the first admiral of the United States Navy, was eleven when he was first in combat. He was on the Essex when she was pounded to flinders by the Phoebe and the Cherub. Of course they used the term "powder monkeys". I remember reading the memoirs of an African boy on one of Nelson's ships at Trafalgar who served as a powder monkey, used the term, and went on to write his memoirs and become a successful man. More than one man served both in the Royal and US navies of the time and the term was as interchangeable as "bo'sun". I will make a point of using the term when I visit the Constitution. Don't forget the boy soldiers. Estimates vary but it is believed that in excess of 250,000 boys served in the British Army in WW I, many as young as fourteen. One of them having been wounded once and returned to duty, subsequently left the battle, he may have been delirious from the malaria he suffered from, he may have been a victim of what was then called "shell shock", and he may merely have been terrified. In any event, he was tried for desertion, and taken out and shot at sixteen years of age. To the everlasting discredit of King and Country.

I agree with Cole & Jim although I'd not go to the bother of dancing on him.

No. I agree with James, no need to repeat his comments.

I hope it's genuine.

Well that's grotesque in the voice over and infantile in the teasing.

I'm reminded of the story of the Imam who was making a preaching tour of the Pathan country of Afghanistan. A recurring theme was the lack of tombs where the "true" believers could pray to the holy men who had been in their midst. The Pathans took his message seriously, so they killed him, placed him in an elaborate tomb, and had a place to pray to this holy man who had been among them. This story may be apocryphal but it is widely told in the Pathan country and that, in an of itself, tells one a great deal. (See Spain, 'The Way of the Pathans.') Given the onslaught of suicide bombers, are we surprised?

James Savik. "It is ugly face of Islam that we are supposed to ignore." Meaning no disrespect, and having no tolerance whatsoever for fundamentalists of any stripe, I do feel the need point out that Liberia is an overwhelmingly Christian country (85%). So in this case, it is the ugly face of Christianity that we are supposed to ignore. Or could it be more complex than that?

Cy-Kun has published the first two volumes of a trilogy he has in the works. The first is "Aidan Awakening" (why won't this stupid machine let me use the underline). The third volume should be out soon. It's got magic and fantasy, so it's a bit different than "Oh Radio..." and "Everything Will..." and if you enjoy this genre you will certainly enjoy this work. Cy-Kun is always a delight as his work here demonstrates.

What a wonderful start. A plausible future and some fascinating characters. I can hardly wait for the next chapter. Thanks.

While we are attempting to discuss religious matters at a civil level, one cannot help but wonder if it isn't already too late. Personally, I tend to agree with Free Thinker's analysis; however, it looks as if western Islamophobia is but the merest Summer breeze in comparison to the whirlwind of events on the ground in the Middle East where the Sunni-Shia feud appears to escalating dramatically. This has erupted in warfare before, and may very well do so again. Religion, and my analysis may very well be superficial, seems to be playing a significant role in the crises. Largely Sunni Saudi Arabia just executed a Shia cleric for some fancied outrage. The only comparable outrage I can think of this morning, only one cup of coffee into the day, would be Catholic France advocating sainthood for Joan of Arc while Catholic England executes her for heresy. Oh dear God, please protect me from your followers.

I sometimes stand and look dazedly about when I see and hear some of the things that are going on all around. The previous administration started a war, that at least had some reason to be waged, and then seemed to forget that there was a war in progress, and started a second war for no discernible reason. The both wars remain unresolved. The current administration has been behind the eight ball along as it attempted to undo the economic disaster the previous administration had perpetrated, deal with the two wars, and accomplish something on the domestic front in the face of a racist and obstructionist congress for what looks like it will be six of eight years. Now we have political campaigns in progress. One candidate has jumped on a chair, and screams helplessly about the threat of widows and orphans, sweepingly indicts our neighbors as "rapists" etc. This candidate, as well as several others, constantly harps on solutions that are right out of the fascist play book, and demonstrates a thorough ignorance of our constitution along with the notion that the presidency is all powerful and can do, and undo, treaty and law with a facile 'tweet' using the term "loser". It's pretty scary stuff. Reminds me of Arendt's The Origins of Totalitarianism. I remain optimistic, however, and it helps to see examples in our world where good things happen, and have happened, just because.

In An Operational Necessity, Gwyn Griffin uses the "F" word one time with tremendous dramatic effect. The characters, at this point in the novel, were sailors, who, in the real world, use expletives as if they were punctuation marks; but he told the story brilliantly without them. I'd say that characters should use them sparingly, for dramatic effect, and the narrator ought not.

It was anything but wasteland. Land of Milk & Honey as some would have it. It was not as well developed as it is now, but that's no surprise. The region had been impacted by two world wars and the fall of the Ottoman Empire, it was anything but stable. There was militant dissent from Palestinians as well as other locals and more than just a few shots were fired and grenades tossed. Well it could be envy. Whatever it is, the problem is not being solved and the displaced population and their allies continue to grow in strength and numbers. They have a remarkable system of tunnels as a result of expert help from Iranian army engineers. Please know that I have no skin in the game. I'm something of a military historian as a result of Vietnam and I tend to look at a lot of these questions and wonder: why? Why did the Japanese think they had a chance to win WW II? They took on the US, the empires of Holland, France, and Britain, and a nice land war in China. There were never enough Japanese to win. What did we think we were doing in Vietnam? The French experience ought to have made it clear that there was more going on there than peasants in big hats?