Category: blogs

250,000 Girls…You’ve got to be joking?!

I am not going to lie, these reports from the UK disturbed me to my core. How did this happen? What are we going to do about it now? Yes, I have given it some thought instead of sleeping. You might wish to share this…Our officials in this country need to respond.

Protecting Young Minds: Screen Time, Mental Health, and the Case for Comprehensive Education

Introduction

The digital age has brought unprecedented access to information, connection, and, unfortunately, content that poses serious risks to developing minds. From violent pornography to influencer misinformation, children today face threats that previous generations never encountered at such scale. These are not abstract concerns. They are urgent public health issues demanding thoughtful, evidence-based responses.This post examines the interconnected problems of harmful screen time, online exploitation, and mental health deterioration among young people, while proposing education-centered solutions that respect constitutional freedoms and empower the next generation.

The Scope of the Problem: Sexual Violence and Online Exploitation

Recent revelations from the United Kingdom have exposed a horrific reality: more than 250,000 vulnerable girls were groomed and gang-raped over the course of a decade or longer, while authorities, including police and social workers, failed to intervene despite having knowledge of the abuse . A whistleblower finally brought these atrocities to light, and the accounts are deeply disturbing.The United States is not immune to sexual violence. According to recent statistics, 127,527 rape cases were reported in 2024, at a rate of 37.5 per 100,000 inhabitants . The FBI reported an estimated 139,815 rapes in 2019, a figure 2.7 percent lower than 2018 but 10.8 percent higher than the 2015 estimate . One analysis indicates that reported rape cases have risen over the last decade at an annual rate of approximately 2.9 percent .Research suggests that pornography, especially violent content, plays a role in shaping attitudes and behaviors that contribute to sexual violence. However, it is likely one factor among many, including childhood experiences, peer influences, mental health, and substance use .

Why Age Matters: The Developing Brain

The prefrontal cortex, responsible for judgment, impulse control, and understanding consequences, is the last brain region to fully develop . This biological reality carries significant implications:

Children and teens are more susceptible to normalizing what they see.
They lack the cognitive tools to contextualize violent or degrading sexual acts.
Neural pathways formed during exposure can have lasting effects on attitudes and behaviors.

Effects on Children Ages Five and Up

The research on early childhood exposure to pornography is particularly alarming .

Immediate Emotional Responses: Children report feelings of disgust, shock, embarrassment, anger, fear, and sadness after viewing pornography. Exposure at young ages often results in anxiety, and these children can suffer all the symptoms of anxiety and depression .

Behavioral Consequences: Children may become obsessed with acting out adult sexual acts they have witnessed, which can be highly disruptive . One comparative analysis found that youth who committed sexual offenses had earlier exposure (between ages five and eight) to pornographic material compared to other delinquent youth. Notably, youth who offended against other children were exposed to this material most frequently .

Long-Term Developmental Harm: Exposure to pornography at a young age may lead to poor mental health, sexism, objectification, sexual violence, and other negative outcomes. When children view pornography portraying abusive and misogynistic acts, they may come to view such behavior as normal and acceptable .

General Mental Health Effects of Screen Time

Research demonstrates that excessive screen time carries significant mental health implications. A U.S. study found that teens who spent more than three hours per day on social media faced almost double the risk for mental health challenges, particularly symptoms of depression and anxiety . Regular social media use has been linked to feelings of anxiety, depression, and lower self-esteem in vulnerable youth .For children and adolescents specifically, over-digitalization can trigger a chain of negative physiological effects, including dysregulation of neural circuitry related to serotonin and dopamine, key neurotransmitters involved in mood regulation .

The Influencer Effect and Misinformation

Constant exposure to idealized versions of influencers can take a powerful toll on self-esteem and create unrealistic expectations that no one can achieve . What proves particularly troubling is how we process influencer content: even highly informed, alert individuals who know factually that they are not seeing every aspect of an influencer’s life do not process that information emotionally in the same way . When influencers present opinions as facts, especially incorrect ones, this creates a compounded problem :

Emotional processing overrides critical thinking: Viewers tend to absorb information emotionally rather than analytically.
Trust dynamics: Followers often develop parasocial relationships with influencers, making them more susceptible to accepting claims without verification.
Self-esteem damage: When incorrect advice about health, success, or relationships does not work, individuals may blame themselves rather than questioning the source.

Congressional Approaches That Respect Rights

Congress faces the challenge of balancing efforts to combat harmful misinformation while respecting First Amendment protections . Several constitutionally sound approaches have been proposed or could be expanded.

Promoting Media Literacy Education: The Educating Against Misinformation and Disinformation Act (H.R. 6971) provides a strong model. This legislation directs the Department of Education to study and promote media literacy, including methods to identify misinformation, evaluate context for information from different sources, detect manipulation of images or information on digital platforms, and understand how influencers target and manipulate audiences . The bill also authorizes competitive grants to nonprofits and institutions of higher education to develop educational materials and public awareness campaigns .

Funding Research and Developing National Strategy: Congress could mandate a national strategy for information and media literacy along with required reports containing recommendations for legislative or administrative action . This approach keeps the focus on empowering citizens rather than restricting speech.

Transparency Requirements: Legislation like the Honest Ads Act focuses on transparency in political advertising online, a model that could extend to requiring clearer disclosure when influencers are paid or incentivized .The education-first approach appears to be the most rights-respecting path forward, empowering people to think critically rather than deciding what they can or cannot see .

The Case for Tailored Mental Health Education in Schools

The evidence is clear: schools are uniquely positioned to serve as primary settings for mental health promotion for students in grades K through 12 . With the near-universal exposure of young people to harmful online content, social media pressures, and real-world threats, a comprehensive and tailored approach to mental health education is no longer optional; it is a public health imperative .

Why Tailored Education Matters

A one-size-fits-all approach fails children. Schools in different environments face distinct challenges: urban schools may need to address gang violence or drug abuse, while rural schools might focus on social isolation or limited access to mental health services . Similarly, age and developmental stage must determine what content is appropriate and how it is delivered.Young people themselves have indicated they believe educational institutions should provide information and raise awareness of mental health issues . This is their expressed need, and we should listen.Curricula must include medically accurate and developmentally appropriate information that addresses different health experiences and behaviors for youth of all ages and abilities . A tiered approach might include:

Ages 5 to 10: Foundational concepts about emotions, personal boundaries, trusted adults, and recognizing uncomfortable situations
Ages 11 to 14: Expanded education on online safety, manipulation tactics, healthy versus unhealthy relationships, and early warning signs of exploitation
Ages 15 to 18 and beyond: Comprehensive discussions including real-world case studies, digital literacy, consent, and understanding how predators operate

Should Education Include Difficult Real-World Examples?

The question of whether to include difficult real-world examples, such as the organized grooming gangs documented in the United Kingdom, deserves careful consideration.

The argument for inclusion (delivered in age-appropriate ways): These are not abstract threats. The UK grooming gang scandals, spanning cities like Rotherham, Rochdale, Telford, and others, involved the systematic exploitation of hundreds of thousands of vulnerable children over decades . Similar patterns exist globally. Children deserve to understand that such threats are real, not hypothetical.

Knowledge is protection. Many victims of grooming gangs have described not recognizing the signs of manipulation because no one had taught them what exploitation looks like . Education that includes real patterns of predatory behavior, such as being “befriended,” given gifts, isolated from family, or introduced to substances, can help children identify danger before it escalates.Such education also combats normalization. As discussed, exposure to violent pornography leads some children to view abusive behavior as normal . Counter-education using real cases demonstrates that such behavior is criminal, harmful, and absolutely unacceptable, regardless of how it may be portrayed online.

Responsible implementation requires:

Age-appropriate framing: Younger children do not need graphic details; they need to understand boundaries, trusted adults, and that some people try to trick children. Older students can handle more specific case studies.
Trained educators: Teachers should receive professional development workshops led by mental health professionals to recognize early signs of issues and deliver sensitive content appropriately .
Support systems in place: Any education on difficult topics must be paired with access to counseling and reporting mechanisms. School-based mental health support needs to be fully funded .
Empowerment, not fear: The goal is to build resilience and recognition skills, not to traumatize. Framing should emphasize that adults failed to protect these children and that systems are being improved to prevent future harm .

Integrating Mental Health with Safety Education

Effective programs combine classroom-level and student-level interventions to sustain educational, health, and mental health improvements . This means incorporating anti-bullying programs and socioemotional learning as core components, teaching children to communicate about mental health with trusted adults, addressing the impact of social media and digital platforms on mental health, and creating mental health champions within schools.The connection between online exploitation, pornography exposure, mental health deterioration, and real-world sexual violence must be taught as an interconnected reality, not as isolated topics .

Conclusion

Protecting children in the digital age requires acknowledging uncomfortable truths about the threats they face and responding with comprehensive, evidence-based education. By investing in media literacy, tailored mental health curricula, and trauma-informed teaching practices, we can empower young people to recognize danger, build resilience, and develop the critical thinking skills necessary to navigate an increasingly complex world.Our children are our greatest treasure. It is time our policies and educational systems reflected that truth.

I realize that this is not my normal material on this site. I usually showcase my writing via some short story or perhaps offer writing or publishing advice. This news brought tears, anger, and disgust. The prime minister resigned, and so should that worthless mayor, he knew. Anyone that looked the other way should face consequences. Comment below if you care to discuss this.-Best

Plotter + Pantser = Planster: The Best of Both Worlds

What happens when you stop choosing sides in the great writing debate and embrace the chaos and the structure? You get what I like to call a Planster — and it just might be the most productive approach to writing you’ve never tried.

The Pantser Days

When I first started writing, I was a pure stream-of-consciousness writer — much like Stephen King, who famously describes his process as uncovering a fossil, brushing away the dirt one sentence at a time. I’d sit down, let the words pour out, and trust the story to find its own shape. There was a raw, electric energy to writing that way. The surprises my characters threw at me were my surprises too.But here’s the thing about pantsing: for every story that found its way to a satisfying ending, there were others that wandered into dead ends, spiraled into subplots that led nowhere, or simply ran out of steam halfway through. I had hard drives full of half-finished manuscripts collecting digital dust — stories with heart but no spine.

The Shift to Plotting

Eventually, I began studying story structure — the beats, the arcs, the underlying architecture that makes a narrative work. I dove into frameworks like the three-act structure, Save the Cat, and the Hero’s Journey. I learned about inciting incidents, midpoint reversals, dark nights of the soul, and satisfying climaxes.And suddenly, I understood why some of my old stories had stalled. They had voice. They had characters I loved. But they were missing the bones that hold a story upright.So I became a plotter. I outlined. I structured. I mapped every scene before writing it.And something was lost.The outlines were solid, sure — but sitting down to write a scene I’d already planned in detail felt like retracing someone else’s steps. The spontaneity, the discovery, the magic of pantsing had dried up.

The Planster Revelation

Then a thought hit me: What if you plot the structure but pants the beats?What if, instead of choosing one camp or the other, you used story structure as a roadmap — just the major landmarks, the critical turns — and then let your pantser brain run wild between them?That’s the Planster method in a nutshell:

Create a beat sheet. Identify the key structural moments your story needs — the hook, the inciting incident, the first plot point, the midpoint, the crisis, the climax, the resolution.
Know your destination for each beat. Understand what needs to happen at each structural turn and why it matters.
Pants everything in between. Let the characters breathe. Let the scenes surprise you. Let the dialogue flow the way it wants to. Trust your creative instincts to fill the space between the signposts.

You get the reliability of structure with the energy of discovery. The bones are there, but the flesh is alive.

The Proof Is in the Publishing

I decided to put this method to the test — not with a brand-new idea, but with those old stories buried on dusty hard drives from my pantsing days. Stories that had voice, had spark, but had never found their shape.I pulled three of them out, built beat sheets around their cores, and then pantsed my way through the beats.The results? Three completed novels in a fraction of the time it would have taken me using either method alone:

📖 Written in Skin — published on Amazon
📖 Nothing But Time — published on Amazon
📖 The Girl Who Broke Everything — coming soon

Three abandoned stories. Three finished books. That’s not a fluke — that’s a process that works.

Why the Planster Method Works

Structure prevents you from getting lost. You always know where you’re headed next.
Pantsing keeps the writing alive. You’re still discovering the story as you write it — just within guardrails.
It’s faster. You spend less time staring at a blank page and less time rewriting entire drafts that went off the rails.
It resurrects old work. Got abandoned manuscripts? They might just need a skeleton to stand on.

Are You a Planster?

If you’ve ever felt torn between the freedom of pantsing and the security of plotting, give yourself permission to be both. Grab a beat sheet template, sketch out your structural landmarks, and then let yourself fly between them.You might be surprised how many stories you’ve already started that are just waiting for the right structure to finally be told.

Have you tried the Planster method? Got old manuscripts collecting dust? I’d love to hear about your experience — drop a comment below or find my published works, Written in Skin and Nothing But Time, on Amazon. And keep an eye out for The Girl Who Broke Everything, coming soon.

A Tiny, Totally Non-Desperate Plea From Your Friendly Neighborhood Author

If you enjoyed this post — or even if you just tolerated it with mild amusement — I have a few small, completely reasonable requests:1. Share this post. Hit that share button like it owes you money. Text it to a friend. Email it to your mom. Print it out and leave it on a stranger’s windshield. I don’t judge distribution methods.2. Spread the word. Tell people about this blog. Whisper it in crowded elevators. Mention it casually at dinner parties. Skywriting is also acceptable.3. Buy a book. Look, I’m not starving. Let’s not be dramatic. But I am a coffee-dependent creature with a very real and very expensive caffeine habit, and those lattes aren’t going to fund themselves. Every book purchase keeps a moderately-fed author adequately caffeinated and typing away at the next thing you’ll (hopefully) enjoy.So if you’re feeling generous, kind, or just impulsive enough to click “Add to Cart” — I salute you, you beautiful human.☕ Keep the coffee flowing. Keep the words coming.

Accountability in Crisis: When the System Fails, Who Answers?

Are we safe?

In nearly every profession, accountability is non-negotiable. Engineers who design faulty equipment face consequences. Pharmaceutical companies that release harmful drugs are held liable. Employees who perform negligently lose their jobs.Yet when decisions within our criminal justice system lead directly to preventable deaths, accountability remains elusive. The question we must ask: When dangerous individuals are released and kill again, who is responsible?

A Pattern of Preventable Tragedy

The year 2025 alone produced numerous cases that expose systemic failures:

Case	Background	Release Mechanism	Outcome
Eddie Duncan (Minneapolis, MN)	Arrested for police pursuit, illegal firearm possession	Posted $35,000 bail	Killed two cousins (ages 14 and 23) within three hours of release
Colorado Parolee	Prior violent convictions; assessed as “very high” risk	Released on parole	Accused of four murders across three counties
Roybal-Smith (Colorado)	On parole for violent offenses including murder; risk level downgraded from “very high” to “moderate”	Parole	Murdered three people
Virginia Case	30+ prior arrests; known violent offender	Prosecutor repeatedly declined or reduced charges	Killed a mother in violent attack

These are not isolated incidents. They represent a systemic pattern.

Case Study: Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr.

Perhaps no case illustrates institutional failure more starkly than that of Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr., who murdered Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail in August 2025.Brown’s criminal history spans nearly two decades:

2007–2009: Multiple charges (assault, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest)—all dismissed
2011–2014: Convicted of felony breaking and entering; received 30 days jail and probation
2013–2014: Convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon and felon in possession of a firearm; sentenced to six years
2020: Released on parole after just over five years; subsequently arrested for assaulting his sister
2022–2024: Three additional arrests for assault and property crimes—no corresponding court records
January 2025: Arrested for repeated misuse of 911; released without bond on written promise to appear
July 2025: Court-ordered forensic evaluation never completed; remained free
August 2025: Murdered Iryna Zarutska

Critical questions remain unanswered:

Why were early charges repeatedly dismissed?
Who supervised his probation, and how was his progress evaluated?
Why did three arrests between 2022–2024 produce no court records?
Who was responsible for ensuring completion of his court-ordered mental health evaluation?

Brown had a documented schizophrenia diagnosis. His record shows clear escalation from misdemeanors to violent felonies. Yet at every juncture, the system failed to intervene meaningfully.

The Deeper Failure

Beyond the institutional breakdowns, the circumstances of Iryna Zarutska’s death reveal something equally troubling: bystanders on the train reportedly walked past her as she bled out. Audio captured Brown’s words as he exited: “I killed the white bitch.”This indifference compounds the tragedy.

A Call for Systemic Accountability

The path forward requires honest examination:

Mental health intervention must be prioritized and actually enforced—court-ordered evaluations cannot remain incomplete without consequence
Risk assessments must carry weight; downgrading a “very high” risk offender to “moderate” demands rigorous justification
Decision-makers must answer when their choices directly enable preventable violence
Transparency is essential—dismissed charges, incomplete evaluations, and missing court records must be explained

What You Can Do

Don’t let these stories disappear. Systemic change begins with sustained attention. These cases deserve public debate focused on identifying root causes—not political posturing, but genuine analysis of where and why interventions failed.The current status quo protects no one.

What are your thoughts? How should we balance rehabilitation with public safety? Who should be accountable when the system fails?

Why Health Insurance Calls Are So Frustrating: A Personal Account

Have you noticed that when you call for help with a claim, you’re told that “call volumes are heavier than normal and wait times are longer at this time”?

Last week, I received a bill for a procedure that should have been fully covered. The bill was for $517.15.

I called the doctor’s office and was transferred to billing, where I was told, “You need to call the carrier and dispute it.”The old joke about needing patience to call HP for support pales in comparison to dealing with people working from home.The problem started at the doctor’s office. They need more training—or they need to care about their work.However, I didn’t know that at the time, so I called the insurance carrier. Even Job would have lost patience with these people. After hours on hold, multiple transfers, and being ignored by one agent (whose child screamed in the background), my call was left on hold and never resumed.Automated claim systems don’t think; they check boxes. A person could have reviewed the issue and prompted the doctor to submit the EOB to the correct group from the start.After hours of listening to terrible hold music, someone finally answered the phone. I could barely hear him, but the bottom line was that I needed to call another party.

After more time on hold, I reached the next party, who told me the doctor’s office needed to fix their billing system and resubmit the claim properly.Back to the doctor’s office—press 1 for this, 2 for that, 3 for something else, but no option for billing. I was told to leave a message and “have a blessed day.”

To their credit, they called back before closing and told me to call the carrier again.We were stuck in a loop, and I spent most of the day listening to commercials and tinny music.I insisted on speaking to the office manager, who took my information and commented, “People—they’re stupid.”I replied, “No argument from me.”This billing error from the doctor’s office took hours of my time to address, and I’m still not sure it will be resolved correctly.Working from home is not working—these people are clearly not working.The representative at the carrier was belligerent and curt. I’m sure she just hung up when her child screamed, “Mom!”

When you finally reach a person, they look for any excuse to transfer you.After hours of commercials and hold music, I wondered why I would ever do business with this group again.AI does not possess critical thinking skills.In my experience, people working from home lack the work ethic of those in an office, especially when a supervisor is nearby.Corrective action is needed:

A: Every denied claim should be investigated by a person. As a health insurance company, is it wise to make people in need of medical care navigate a maze of IVR and AI systems that don’t understand them?

B: Calls that are recorded, as announced, should be reviewed. You can clearly hear kids screaming, dogs barking, and TVs in the background. Let’s return to hiring people who want to work and cut the dead weight.

C: Wait times should never exceed a few minutes. Waiting for over two hours is unacceptable.Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Should I accept feedback from everyone?

Advice from another writer…

Writing Wednesday: How To Avoid Contaminated Feedback

“Trim the Tree”

How to Edit Your Stories and ‘Kill Your Darlings’ This Holiday Season.

Critiquing is one of the most important things we do in a writers’ group.

With Christmas almost here in December, I felt inspired to offer a posthumous critique of Irving Berlin’s work.

In case you don’t know, Irving Berlin wrote the movie “White Christmas,” released in 1954. He not only composed the music for the film but also contributed to its screenplay. The film features several of Berlin’s classic songs, including the iconic title track, originally debuting in his earlier work, the 1942 film “Holiday Inn.”

Truth be told, nobody wants to watch a movie with me. Why?

As a storyteller, I dissect movies. Since I penned my first novel, I can’t help myself. I am told by those who know that I should smoke pot before watching a movie so I can sit back and enjoy it.

Since I don’t smoke or do drugs, I guess I will have to be me and watch movies or read books as a solo act.

Like any artist or tradesperson, we learn from watching others and doing.

I went to see a theatrical production of White Christmas last weekend. The film’s soundtrack and other elements were all very memorable. I vividly remember every dance’s choreography and performance. The problem is that I also dissected the play and the film throughout the performance.

If we examine the plot points of the movie, they are:

War Flashback: The film opens with a flashback to Christmas Eve in 1944, where Bob and Phil perform for their fellow soldiers during the war. This sets the stage for their strong friendship and shared experiences.

Post-War Success: After the war, Bob and Phil establish themselves as a popular entertainment duo. They enjoy fame and success in the show business world.

Meeting the Sisters: While in New York, they meet a sister act, Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy (Vera-Ellen), and become romantically involved with them. The sisters are also aspiring performers, which adds to the story’s dynamic.

The Vermont Inn: Bob and Phil learn that their former commanding general, General Waverly, is struggling to keep his Vermont inn afloat during the winter season. They decide to help him by organizing a Christmas show at the inn.

Planning the Show: The duo travels to Vermont with the sisters to put on a spectacular Christmas performance to attract guests and save the inn. They face various challenges, including weather issues and the general’s pride.

Romantic Developments: Throughout the film, romantic tensions build between Bob and Betty, as well as between Phil and Judy. Their relationships evolve as they work together to save the inn.

The Big Show: The climax of the film features a grand Christmas show, where all the characters come together to celebrate the holiday spirit. The performance is filled with music, dance, and heartfelt moments.

Resolution: The film concludes with a heartwarming finale, where the inn is saved, and the characters find love and happiness, embodying the spirit of Christmas.

If you or I wrote a novel with that much Serendipity, no agent would touch it.

If I’d written it, I would have done a better job describing the Haynes sisters and their cousin. Several times, the’ dog-faced boy’ is the comic relief or the glue that binds the sisters’ connection to their army buddies.

What are the odds they all end up at an inn in Vermont that just happens to be owned by General Waverly, whom the guys respect and love?

By the way, army folks help me out. Would you love a commanding officer who puts you in harm’s way?

Why not connect the dots?

How about making the dog-faced boy related to the general, which is how the Haynes sisters got the gig in the first place?

Why am I picking on a show I have loved my whole life?

Within our field, the regrettable necessity of forgoing cherished elements is unavoidable. As a result, all editing options continue to be available. We refer to this as killing our darlings.

Dissecting the movies or books you loved as a child or even today will make you a better writer.

Read, Dissect, Reflect…

As we gather around our loved ones this holiday season, let’s take a moment to reflect on our creative journeys. Just as we carefully select ornaments to adorn our trees, may we also embrace the art of editing, trimming our narratives to shine even brighter.

Remember, every cut you make is a step toward clarity and impact in your writing. So, as you cozy up with your stories this Christmas, don’t be afraid to ‘kill your darlings’ and make room for the magic that truly resonates.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas filled with joy, warmth, and inspiration. Happy editing, and may your words flow as freely as the holiday spirit! 🎄✨

Currently, there are numerous works in progress featuring magic, one of which is a pulse-pounding thriller where a forensic assassin, acting as a hired gun, tracks down villains through dimly lit alleyways and shadowy corners, the city’s heartbeat a constant hum in the background. Make sure to stay tuned for additional details.

Here are the recently penned novels, their covers promising untold stories.

Ephemera Tales of the Fleeting & Profound was just released. This is a book of short stories inspired by prompts from Reedsy.

Trump Derangement Syndrome

The news of another attempted assassination attempt on Trump made me nauseous.

The Keyword NEWS is the problem.

The excessive use of hyperbole, propaganda, NLP, and rhetoric to generate clicks and advertising revenue has become overwhelming. This nut job in Florida is just one more brainwashed lunatic that doesn’t understand the media has to sell airtime to advertisers and ratings are part of the formula that allows them to charge so much a second for you to learn about self-storage or the latest drug to combat your poor choices of foods.

Even today, after the attempt, Dana Bash is out there calling JD Vance a racist.

Do they not see, or do they not care?

Money is driving the agenda. What kinds of stories garner the public’s attention and make people click or tune in?

Way back when 30 seconds of airtime during the Super Bowl was a million dollars, that was probably a bargain by today’s standards. Imagine that: 30 seconds of airtime for a product during the Super Bowl was a million dollars and change.

If you remember the talking frogs advertising Bud Wis Er, well that was one of our commercials that my employer at the time created. Those commercials cost big money and were aired several times during the game.

To sell airtime, you needed something that drew lots of attention.

The Super Bowl is only once a year. How do we get higher ratings for the rest of the year? Well, we create a product that drives emotions. Trump Derangement Syndrome is a product. The stronger the emotional impact, the more people will tune in.

Hyperbole incites an emotional reaction.

If Trump gets in, the world is going to hell, our democracy is gone, and you will be living on the streets with the migrants.
If Harris gets in, the world is going to hell, our democracy is gone, and you will be living on the streets with the migrants.
The Sky is falling, how to survive a nuclear war, Climate Change will kill us all.

Emotional response not only invites people to tune in, but it incites the unstable into action.

Not a single word of what was mentioned holds any truth.

The simple fact is we have no idea who is controlling the country right now. It isn’t Biden and certainly not the cackling VP. Who is it? Who is setting policy? Who is keeping the country safe? Are your cats being eaten?

The media is not your friend. They are not telling the truth about anything.

If you could talk to Putin, you would learn a whole different set of facts about why he is doing what he is doing. RFK shined some light on it during his speech. Why is our CIA sponsering regime change when these folks have enough nukes to destroy the world 100 times over? What is the ultimate goal?

Are they really trying to reduce the world’s population by 33%?

Do they really think they can create a one-world government when you have so many diverse opinions, religions, ideologies, government structures, and so on?

What about the oligarchs that are pulling the strings? Sooner or later, one of them will claim God’s status, and then what happens?

If you could speak with the Ukrainians who are not pulling the strings, you would learn a new set of facts.

Someone is getting a hell of a lot of our tax dollars, and lots of human lives are being extinguished to feed the greed of a few.

We are puppets being taken to the cleaners by those who control the narrative. Do we really think the woman who slept her way into politics is the answer?

As far as the debate the other night, that was not a debate; it was an ambush.

Harris had been working with Hollywood’s best method acting coach to learn to put on a show. Knowing Trump and his temper, they ambushed him. All three wanted to get under his skin by attacking what he was proud of. Using opinion to fact-check him live, I noticed they didn’t fact-check Harris once.

Everything he says is a lie.
People leave your rallies because they are bored.
World leaders think you are a joke.
The economy was your fault, not ours.
We fixed immigration. It was you who destroyed it.

There is so much more I could say. The moderators agreed with these falsehoods. I am not sure I could have stood there and dealt with that abuse. If it were me, I would have flipped them all off and left. When he said it was a waste of time, it was, his.

While I don’t wish this lunatic who waited for a chance to kill Trump any peace whatsoever, I am glad he is alive so they can dissect what set him off. I am sure the MSM will play a massive role in the lies told that he accepted as the gospel. I am sure in his mind, he felt like he was doing the work of God Almighty saving Democracy.

One quick thought: name another president who left office poorer than when they went in. Name one other president who didn’t accept a salary.

We are not casting our votes for an individual; instead, we are casting our votes for a set of principles and policies. Trump’s were and are solid and much better than those of the current administration and the last 3.5 years.

We need to toss the assholes out and start fresh only voting for those who will enact term limits in Congress.

Thoughts?

THINK

Darwin was on to something.

Last night, as we drove home, the road stretched before us, illuminated only by the faint glow of our headlights. About an hour after the sun had set, darkness settled over the landscape. Walking along the side of the road, this person, gender unknown, blended into the surroundings, dressed head to toe in black. It was as if the world had been stripped of all signs of civilization, with no lights or reflective clothing to break the darkness. They disappeared into the shadows of the night, becoming one with their surroundings.

They were just a hair’s breadth away from the road, practically walking alongside it. In the distance, headlights emerged briefly, their glow creating a faint silhouette before fading into the night.

Let me explain; shockingly, there is actually no legislation criminalizing suicide. What would they do, lock up your dead, broken body?

If suicide is your goal, choose a method that doesn’t involve law enforcement or innocent bystanders. Let your imagination run wild as you explore the many bridges stretching across the tranquil water. You might also consider the hornet nests around; toss a rock at one of them and see what happens. The hornets will feel no sympathy, and you will not ruin their lives. They will just have to work on fixing the damage to the nest. At least that way, you can feel your heart beating and adrenaline rush, reminding you that you are alive. If the frigid water doesn’t snap you out of it. Perhaps the sharp sting of the hornets will impart some valuable lessons.

While I would strongly recommend seeking medical assistance, I would also advise against jeopardizing the well-being of others.

You are not a victim; you just make bad choices. God’s creations are not without worth or purpose, and that fact includes you. Find your purpose.

Like in the city, I observed this behavior occurring in various corners of the urban landscape. During this time of year, when the days are getting shorter, people would often go for a walk. They would set out during the daylight, but by the time they neared their homes, darkness had once again descended, and they navigated through busy roads, their dark clothing blending into the night. It’s great that you can see the headlights, but those of us behind the wheel don’t see you. Have you considered the lasting impact of your foolishness on someone else’s life?

Not all of us can afford Teslas with cameras that seek infrared silhouettes of bodies.

Survival of the fittest is not just about physical abilities but also about using common sense. The sides of the roads are littered with roadkill from animals that don’t realize what tons of steel will do to a body at 60mph. Don’t become food for vultures. And by that, I mean don’t ruin someone else’s life because you were stupid.

Think.

We Need Daddy!

A four-hour tour or another distraction?

Writer’s block, is there a cure?

Ahoy there, landlubber! Do you have writer’s block? Let’s take a four-hour cruise in a few moments (time dilation) and see if we can impart some wisdom. I am ready to whisk you away on a tale of wit, wisdom, and neurotic writer’s block. So, buckle up and hold on tight, for we’re about to embark on a literary adventure!

“Lovee, have you seen Teddy?”

Now, dear reader, imagine you’re on a ship, sailing through a tempest of ideas as the sun sets and the stars begin to twinkle. Suddenly, a mighty muse appears a mischievous sea creature that’s as unpredictable as the ocean itself. This muse could be a siren, tempting you with a new story idea, or a kraken, wrapping its tentacles around your keyboard to keep you from writing.

Your phone rings, and it’s like a mermaid singing her enchanting song, enticing you to answer her call. You take the bait, only to find yourself in the clutches of a maritime monologue that drags on for hours. You wonder, “Is this a tale of my own making?”

As you sail on, you reach the infamous Sargasso Sea of Writer’s Block, where the water is murky, and the winds are as unpredictable as the muse’s whims. You’re in the middle of your literary voyage, and the muse has lost interest, leaving you adrift. Your ship starts to lose speed, and you’re struggling to keep it afloat.

You know what that means, don’t you? It’s time to spice up your story with a little something extra, like a dash of Viagra to the mushy middle. And while you’re at it, why not take a break and try your hand at a short story for a contest? It’s a great way to flex your creative muscles and prove that you’re not a quitter!

So, whether you’re a seasoned scribe or a budding bard, remember that the ocean of writing is vast and filled with adventure. And when the muse strikes, be prepared to dive in headfirst and create a story that will leave readers hooked!

Before I leave you to return to the depths of my latest story, subscribe to this blog so we can keep up. Secondly, as a reward, I have free stories for you to ponder on the Reedsy website.

A few weeks ago, I introduced Aunt Haddie, the eccentric relative who has a fondness for blending weed and Magick. Last night, as I entered another story with Aunt Haddie, I could hear the buzz of excitement from the audience, who were already raving about her performance. It’s a freebie that you definitely don’t want to miss out on.

Where the Wild Skunks Roam https://blog.reedsy.com/short-story/r0gsys/

At The Roads End https://blog.reedsy.com/short-story/si9llh/

Reviews on the Reedsy site are great, and I love them. Again, it’s all free…

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must dive back into the ocean’s depths to search for more literary treasures. Bon voyage, my friend, and may your writing journey be filled with excitement and inspiration!

-Best