WHAT A PAIN IN THE ***

I grew up in the world before so much technology. We had the party line phone, a TV that only got 5 channels, and I listened to Elvis, The Detroit Wheels, and Herman and the Hermits. I played that music on the old vinyl records. That seems so long ago and I guess it was.

I remember buying my first digital watch in the 1960s. It had red numbers and when I got out in the sunlight I couldn't read what time it was. As they say, "Those were the days my friends, I thought they would never end."

Well they did end and as my years on earth advanced so did my knowledge of technology. I got that first video game Pong. How many remember that game? If that couldn't bore you to death then nothing could. Finally I got the Atari and it was a lot more fun. As advanced as those games were for the time, they are nothing compared to what we have today.

Then the personal computer came along and life became more of a challenge. Wow, the Internet, I could communicate with people around the world. It is amazing now to be able to see a photo of my son and his family living in Okinawa in the blink of an eye. I now have friends that I will never meet but I know them from different states in the US, friends from the United Kingdom, Brazil, Australia, and Russia to name a few countries. It is so nice to see that people living in other countries want the same things in life that I do.

That PC and the Internet has allowed me to write stories that have been published in Our USA Magazine. It has allowed me to get my first novel published. It is now allowing me to contact literary agents in hopes of getting representation to get more novels published.

Everything seemed fine until three days ago. That was when I couldn't send an email, I kept getting server error. I looked at my security program and saw that my computer was at risk. There was no way for me to get rid of the risk message. I contacted the computer security provider and I was connected to an online IT technician.

He deleted many temporary and corrupt files, but couldn't get rid of the risk message on the security program. He couldn't get my email to work so I could send messages. Finally he uninstalled my security program and installed a more updated version. Finally it showed my computer was not at risk and I could finally send emails. Ten hours over two days my IT technician worked on my computer. I was stressed and I'm sure he was stressed. Aren't computers the greatest? That is until your computer gets corrupted and then the headaches begin.

I look back to the 1950s this morning and remember my only concern was what record to play or what station to listen to on my new transistor radio. What station should I look at on TV in black and white? Yes, "Those were the days my friends."


Copyright   Larry W. Fish   2014

IF I WAS A POLITICIAN

I guess everyone at one time or another has been fed up with American politics. I for one know that many times I thought how did these people ever get elected. It really does amaze me. I noticed that American politics changed a lot quite a few years ago. I was registered as a Democrat. However, I saw some good Republicans. It was at that time I became registered as an Unaffiliated voter.

In the world of today there is no compromise in American politics. Democrats hate everything the Republicans stand for. Republicans hate everything the Democrats stand for. Years ago Democrats and Republicans would disagree, but they would finally come to a compromise. A compromise is something that has left Washington. The worst thing to happen in American politics in years is the Tea Party. They are a bunch of extremists that only follow the money trail of the millionaires and billionaires of America.

If I was a politician I would not take millions of dollars and put out ads attacking my opponent. I would much rather tell the truth about myself, than to spread lies and hate. America wasn't founded on hate. When elected I would not be wined and dined by lobbyists of big business in America. I would tell it like it is. I would say, "I was voted in by the people, the people I represent. I don't vote for you. Big business is not people." In public opinion polls lobbyists rank below lawyers and used car salesman.

I would not send our young men and women of the armed forces to fight in some far off land. I would not vote for them to spill their blood so some big business can get rich. There should be a limit as to how much money a business can make during war time. I would support a bill making sure every member of Congress serves in the military before they can be elected to Congress. I would also support a bill that the President and Vice President and the Secretary of Defense serve in the military before they could take office. The Secretary of Defense is not a place for a five time draft dodger.

I would use our military to clean up the drug mess in America. I would demand a drug test on anyone collecting welfare, food stamps, or any other government run program. I would not support money for foreign aid while our children in America go hungry. I would fight to see that our teachers are well paid and given the respect that they deserve. I would make it that anyone who kills someone because of their skin color or religion is given the maximum penalty, death!!

I would fight for gun control. Not taking away from hunters, people buying a gun for protection, people shooting target practice or competition. I would make it that anyone killing someone with a gun gets the death penalty no exceptions.

I would fight for America. America is in real trouble now because our politicians are bought by the highest bidder. Every citizen of the United States should have the right to vote and I encourage everyone to vote whether they agree with me or not.

If I was a politician, I would fight for America. I would tell the special interests to go to hell. I would not allow rich people to put their money in Swiss banks or the Cayman Islands to avoid paying taxes. They would sure as hell pay their fair share.

'Copyright   Larry W. Fish   2014

HATE AND VIOLENCE IN AMERICA

I grew up in the beautiful Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. My childhood years during the 1950s showed me a peaceful and simple life. I never heard of people being murdered. It was something that I never thought of. People were supposed to get along with everyone. I didn't care if someone was white, black, asian, or what their religion was.

I liked everyone and I still do. Somewhere along the line times have changed for the worst in the United States of America. My entire family were hunters, including my mother. I grew up with guns and learned at an early age how to handle them safely. The most important fact that my parents taught me was you never point a gun at anyone, NEVER.

Then the 1960s came, my teenage years. First I saw where JFK our president was shot and killed. It was a terrible day, one I will never forget no matter how long I live. I was in tenth grade typing class when I got the news. Later in that decade, RFK was shot and killed. Even later Martin Luther King was shot and killed. I was taught never to point a gun at anyone. I was seeing some of the most powerful men in America being killed. Something was very wrong and I didn't understand.

As my life went on I saw that racism was getting better in America. Black people were being treated more fairly and I was sure that someday it would make a difference to no one what color a person's skin was. Black people were playing all the major sports, in great TV shows, and more and more were becoming doctors and lawyers. People were being equal, or so I thought.

Years later I see that hate in America is once again rising it's ugly head. I was sure that when Barrack Obama became president people would come together like never before. I was wrong, so many people refuse to believe that the Civil War is over. They want to put race in everything. A Republican House of Representatives refuses to pass any bills that will make the president look good. They refuse to support a black man. I am ashamed of the Congress of the USA.

When the Constitution was written it gave people the right to bear arms. That sounded good when everyone had single shot muskets. Now America is flooded with high capacity rifles and many people own more guns than they will ever need. I had a friend on a social networking site that told me he has more guns than most police departments. I felt it was an ignorant thing to say. He is no longer a friend of mine. It is time to change the Constitution to the modern era.

Mass shootings in America and Congress does nothing. They don't care about the American people. 90% of American citizens want to expand background checks and Congress does nothing. It has been almost a year and a half since the terrible shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut and Congress has done nothing. I don't believe guns should be taken away from hunters, people who shoot target practice or in competitions. I do believe something should be done. Every day when I turn on the news I hear of a shooting. This shouldn't be happening in America.

Many shootings happen because of racism, different religions, different social status. America is full of hate and it is time to vote in people that care about America. To many of our politicians only care about the rich. They don't want to loose their campaign supporters. They would rather turn their heads and pretend they don't see the violence and hatred in America.


Copyright  Larry W. Fish  2014

A MOVIE IN MY MIND

I had someone ask me the other day an interesting question about writing. They wanted to know if I see a vision of what I am writing as I do it. Actually as I wrote the novel I am thinking of it was like a movie in my brain. As I see this movie my fingers are on the keyboard typing what I see. It may seem unusual to some people, but I feel like I am in a theater watching a film. Of course it is not a full length film in one sitting but each time the film is playing in my head.

I can actually see this man talking to God or walking across America. I can see him in my mind. To me it is as plain as day. Do all other writers, write the same way as I do? I have my doubts, but that is what works for me.

Let me show you what would be a scene in a movie. As that movie played in my head, this is what I wrote when Shane went to the bathroom to shave and saw his dead wife in the mirror:

It was a week or so later on a Saturday morning that Shane woke up and went into the bathroom. He ran his hand over his face and realized it was time for him to shave. He ran hot water into the sink and lathered his face. He remembered that Becky always liked it when he finished shaving. “You feel so smooth. I love a clean shaven face,” she would say. It brought a faint smile to his face as he started to shave. Removing the stubble from his face, he washed off his face before applying some after shave. He moved his hands over his face and realized that Becky was always right; it did feel better.

As Shane ran some more hot water into the sink, the mirror fogged up from the steam. He took a little towel and started to clean the mirror off. As soon as he rubbed a little spot on the mirror, he saw Becky’s face staring back at him. He jumped back startled and took another look in the mirror. Becky was smiling at him. She said, “I miss you, Shane. I love you so much. I’m at peace now and I want you to move on in your life.”

Tears were running down Shane’s face. He said, “I’ll never love anyone but you, Becky.”

Becky shook her head and said, “No Shane, it is time for you to move on. You need to be happy. You need to love again.”

Shane felt that if he ever loved another woman it would mean that he didn’t love Becky anymore. Becky told him that their love would always be in their hearts. She made him promise her that it was time for him to move on. Shane moved his lips close to the mirror and they gave a final kiss. As he moved away, he saw tears running down Becky’s face. Becky’s face faded away in the mirror. Shane just stared at it for a few minutes wondering if he was going crazy. He didn’t think it was possible that he could actually see Becky’s spirit in the mirror but he knew he had.

It is so easy for me to see that in my mind. Words come easy to me most of the time. However, there is those times when I get writer's block. I guess there must be a bad spot in the film at that time hahahaha!! Sometimes writers just need a break, take a step back, do something they enjoy, and before they know it the words will flow again like water in a cool mountain stream.

The life of a writer is different than so many jobs that people do. So many things in life depend on a writer. That song you hear was written by someone. That movie you you saw last night was brought to life by what someone wrote. That book you curled up with on the sofa last night and read with smiles was because someone knew just what to write. Writing is the most powerful thing known to man. No computer, TV, radio, or any electronic device known to man can beat what is written from someone's heart.

Copyright  Larry W. Fish  2014

WHY IN AMERICA

A startling fact is that in the US many people are going to bed hungry. We say we are the greatest country in the world and in many ways we are. However, can we say that with a conscience when we know that one in five children in the US don't know where there next meal is coming from.  A terrible statistic and our government has cut cut the Food Stamp Program.

The nation's largest corporations and richest citizens receive more welfare money than our social welfare programs. The United States gives about $100 billion a year in corporate subsidies. The US gives $26 billion a year in foreign aid. Our government can do that but they can't see to it that our children don't go to bed hungry.

A CNN study in 2010 shows that 14.5% of households in the US, about 17.2 million, lacked the resources to provide enough food for everyone. Many of the people struggling with hunger are not homeless and out of work. Shouldn't our government and private corporations be ashamed.

Many large corporations are making billions and billions of dollars a year but keep many of their employees at minimum wage. Minimum wage in the US is not enough to provide for a family. President Obama wants to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, but republicans are totally against it.  Why, don't they have a heart?

CEO's are making millions and millions of dollars a year and that is something I disagree with. The CEO's aren't making it, they are stealing it. It is the little people in a corporation that makes it profitable. They are the ones flipping the burgers, sitting at a computer all day, cleaning those rooms, working in those stores. They deserve more of the profits than corporations are willing to give them. 

When we eat our meals tonight, think of the 1 in 5 children that may not have a dinner. It is sad to know that big business and our government are so greedy that they don't care about America's future.

Copyright   Larry W. Fish   2014

LOOK FOR THE LITTLE THINGS

As I take walks around the apartment complex at various times during the day I see two different classes of people. I wonder if other people see it the same way that I do.

I walk around with my dog, Cookie in the morning and the first thing I notice as we step out of the door is how the birds are tweeting away. We have approximately 440 different species of birds in North Carolina and it seems like they are all in Raleigh at once. I will stand there and look at one of them sitting on a tree branch and I try to imitate it's sound. Sometimes I make them curious and they will look at me, other times they realize I am a fake.

I will continue my walk as Cookie runs around and sniffs the early morning grass. I always wonder what she is thinking. We will hear an airplane taking off from the RDU airport and she always stops and looks in that direction. I will say, "It is just an airplane, honey." She looks at me with that look like, are you sure it is ok.

Later in the day as we are walking around the warmth of the springtime suns feels so warm. Cookie will stop in her tracks and stare at something. Then I see it, a squirrel moving toward a tree, then jumping up onto it. Cookie turns her head and looks at me. Her tail is starting to wag and she lets out a little whine. I say, "I don't think it wants to play with you."

I will see someone that I see often around the apartment complex and we will stop and chat for a few minutes. They are like me in the fact that they love to walk their dogs. We realize that the little things in life are the most important.

Then I see the other side of the coin in people. The little things in life mean nothing to them. I will often see someone take their dog outside and as soon as they do their business they will take it right back inside. A dog need to be walked but apparently these people think their lives are more important than their dog's. I can't help but wonder, what can be more important than showing your dog the love that it deserves.

A couple of other people that I see every day on my walks must have been born with a cell phone attached to their ear. They are in a different world, the little things in life mean nothing to them. I can walk around and see them an hour later and they are still talking on their cell phone. Whether they are pushing a child in a stroller or walking their dog, it makes no difference. I can't help but think to myself, if they put that phone down and looked around them they might see that little squirrel, that beautiful red cardinal on that tree branch, or that bird that just pecked at the ground and came up with a worm in it's mouth.

Those people don't care about the wonders of nature, or enjoying the walk with their child or dog. They are in to much of a rush. The modern world has taken a hold of them. It possesses them, it won't let go.

Yes, there are two classes of people. The ones that will stop and chat with me, pet Cookie, and tell me that it is a beautiful day. Then there are the ones that when I say, "Good morning, how are you?" will just walk right by me without saying a word or nodding their head. The cell phone is more important than maybe making a friend that lives right in their neighborhood.

Don't be to busy to enjoy that walk with your dog or child or the people you are with. Look around you and see those little things that nature has to offer. A little bird or an animal might just make you smile and let you think that you want to see more.


Copyright  Larry W. Fish  2014

SIMPLE AND POOR

When I was a little boy my family was poor, but when you are a child you don't realize it. It wasn't until many years later that I realized just how poor we were. However, a family isn't and shouldn't be measured in how much they have but how much they struggle.

One of my first memories was of me going to the outhouse on a cold and snowy night. There must have been trauma because that night has stuck in my mind for sixty years. Yes, we didn't have indoor plumbing then. So besides going to the outhouse we also got our water supply from a nearby sand spring. It was good water coming from the ground from that sand spring, cold and crystal clear. It wasn't until a couple of years later until we had a well drilled and finally indoor plumbing. To a little boy it seemed like heaven on earth.

We didn't go hungry though, so I guess by those standards we weren't that poor. All of our family were hunters, including my mother. We lived on deer meat for much of the year. Also cottontail rabbits, squirrels, grouse, and fish were what consisted of our daily meals. We did raise chickens every year, so we had fresh eggs and I remember picking many a feather from those chickens as we prepared them for the freezer.

My brother and I spent hours outside. Those were long before the days of the computer and video games. Television was in its infancy and we only got about five channels between New York City and Philadelphia. We didn't have a football, so we played football with a milk carton stuffed with leaves. It seems kind of funny when I think of it now.

Other times we spent playing baseball, basketball, and ice skating on my Uncle John's pond. Oh, how I loved to ice skate, I did it for hours and hours. I would go outside in the summer and catch lightning bugs and put them in a jar. At the time I called it a poor man's flashlight. When you are a young boy growing up country in a very rural area of the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania in the 1950s your imagination can really go wild.

We played cowboys and indians for hours with our cap guns. We didn't end up killing anybody. What has happened in today's society? It seems kids can't be kids anymore. In the summer we would have apple fights. We had many apple trees near our home and we would get three or four kids together and have apple fights. I remember going home with a bulge on my face and when mom asked what happened I would make up an idiot excuse. Can you imagine it being fun getting hit in the face with an apple LOL?

I have long since grown up and left the Pocono Mountains. However, I still have that little country boy in me and he will never leave. I may have been poor, but my memories of those times are rich in my heart and always will be.


Copyright  Larry W. Fish  2014

THE SUPREME COURT

It is my opinion that members of the Supreme Court should be independent. There are 9 people on the Supreme Court and it is totally politically motivated. Is that the way our fore fathers envisioned it when it was set up? I don't think so.

Yesterday the Supreme Court made in what I feel is one of the worst decisions ever. Their decision allows corporations and wealthy Americans to influence the out come of elections. I don't care what the Supreme Court ruling is, I think it is totally wrong.

At the present time over 90% of the of the people being elected is the one that has spent the most money. This is a terrible way to run a country. The Supreme Court is presently Republican influenced. It is giving the gateway now to move that 90% number closer to 100%.

America deserves better than to have our elected officials bought. I am saddened that our country doesn't believe in a fair election process. I want the best person to be in office, not the one that was bought by wealthy Americans.

The greed of the wealthy in America is a disease that is destroying our country. Several years ago I changed from being registered as a Democrat to Unaffiliated. I believe there are good Democrats and good Republicans. However, the Tea Party has ruined the Republican Party to the extend that it may never be able to recover. The Tea Party Republicans refuse to negotiate in the best interests of America.

I will continue to vote for who I feel is best for the country. As far as I am concerned, the wealthy can take their money and shove it. I will not believe your hateful attack ads. I am smart enough not to believe your vicious attacks.

I encourage everyone to vote. The wealthy are even trying to take that right away from many Americans. If we allow it to happen then the voting process is useless. Thank you the Supreme Court for showing us all how little you care about us.


Copyright  Larry W. Fish  2014

ENERGY SAVINGS

Modern technology has made a big difference in energy savings. One of those savings is in the modern technology of light bulbs. The incandescent bulbs seems like it has been with us forever. However, they are becoming a dying breed. The light bulb in my opinion is one of the greatest inventions of mankind.

Most people give Thomas Edison credit for inventing the light bulb. That is not so, the first light bulb was invented by Sir Humphry Day in 1802. Others tried perfecting the light bulb through the years however they all failed in getting it to work properly for a long period of time. Thomas Edison developed the first commercially practical incandescent light bulb. He had many failures in what led up to that achievement.

It is a time now when incandescent light bulbs can be replaced by light bulbs that use much less energy. CFL bulbs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) were the first advancement. They take much less energy to use. In the most recent of times there is now the LED (light emitting diode) bulbs.

CFL bulbs will use 75% less power than incandescent bulbs. An LED bulb will use half the energy of a CFL bulb. Incandescent bulbs are by far the cheapest to buy but consider the life span of an incandescent bulb. The average life span of an incandescent bulb is about 1,500 hours of use. A CFL bulb has around 10,000 hours of use and an LED bulb has a life span of up to 50,000 hours.

George W. Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. It calls for a 30% reduction in the power needed to operate light bulbs. For example it called for a 100 watt bulb to use 72 watts by 1/1/2012, a 75 watt bulb to use 53 watts by 1/1/2013, a 60 watt bulb to use 43 watts by 1/1/2014, and a 40 watt bulb to use 29 watts by 1/1/2014.

Lighting is a major use of power in the average home. Changing to CFL or LED lighting will make a reduction in your energy bills. Yesterday I bought my first LED bulb. Yes, it cost much more than the incandescent bulb it was replacing. However, I have replaced that one 60 watt bulb 4 times in the past year. My new LED bulb will use 11 watts instead of 60 and it is rated to last 35,000 hours. The light emitted is great and I am well pleased. I will be changing 6 other bulbs to LED bulbs in the coming months.


Copyright  Larry W. Fish  2014