NYPD Cold Case - The Katherine White Murder

Okay, for those of you who like novellas, then have I got a surprise for you. I just penned my first one, NYPD Cold Case - The Katherine White Murder, Detective Angelo 'Ang' Antonucci.

As much as I love writing the James Maguire / Alex Taylor novels, they are all part of one massive story running around in my head. Sometimes I just like being able to do a quick story and slamming a definitive 'the end' at the bottom. A book like this allows me to do just that.

While Maguire does make the occasional appearance, as part of his NYPD role, he is only a minor character in this series.

I hope you will enjoy it and I look forward to your feedback. 

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Little Boy Lost - Print Update

The cover graphic and formatted print version of the new Alex Taylor novel, Little Boy Lost, has just gone in and I hope to have the prototype book for review shortly.

I don't foresee any issues at this time which means that the print edition should be available for sale by Christmas. I am doing everything I can to expedite it and will let everyone know as soon as it is up on Amazon.

Once again, thank you for your continued support.


UPDATE: NOVEMBER 18TH, 2015

Well, the proof copy of Little Boy Lost has been received from the printer and so far it looks awesome. Had to make some changes to the cover to ensure that nothing was lost in the edge bleed.

We hope to get it fully reviewed this weekend and will then approve it for release. If you have been waiting for the print version, it is almost over.

Once again I am so proud of my co-author, Nancy A. Nelson, and I hope to collaborate with her again soon !!

December 7th, 1941 - Attack on Pearl Harbor

“December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy, the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.”

At 7:55 a.m. Hawaii time, a Japanese dive bomber, bearing the Rising Sun symbol of Japan on its wings, appears out of the clouds above the island of Oahu. 

Some 350+ warplanes soon followed, descending on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in a ferocious assault. While the attack struck a critical blow against the U.S. Pacific fleet, and drew the United States irrevocably into World War II, it did not defeat our resolve.

May we never forget the sacrifices made, nor the resolute bravery displayed, by our military personnel. 

I’ve seen the light !!! Common Sense Gun Control !!!

Guns are pure evil and no civilized person should ever be in the vicinity of them.

Therefore, effective immediately, I will be rescinding my memberships to such organizations as the NRA, ISRA and other like-minded groups.  All the money I have paid in membership dues will now go to the UN, ACLU, and other groups who promote diversity and peace. I will also be turning in my weapons at the next law enforcement sponsored gun surrender program. Don’t ask me to buy them, because I could not bear to have you embrace these disgusting weapons of war.

I have also decided to change party affiliations, since my prior party is nothing but grotesque war mongers. Poverty, inequality, and social justice can only be achieved through the collective good and government is the strongest vehicle to achieve this. Because of this I am now going to sue the City of New York and the NYPD for forcing me to be a part of their brutal regime and crackdown of minor crimes designed to incarcerate the poor and less fortunate.  I will be asking for $25 million dollars for emotional harm and will be using the proceeds to establish ‘safe zones’ where people can go to protect themselves from hurtful words. Any money that remains will be used to buy ‘no gun zone’ placards to be affixed to doors.

Sadly, this whole enlightenment thing has also caused me to rethink my religious beliefs. I have therefore decided to embrace my humanism. For too long I have undervalued myself and my contributions to society.

I have also decided to unleash myself from the destructive gender assignment that was forced upon me, without my consent, by an oppressive, dictatorial society which seeks to buttonhole me into their world view. I am now F_(`296Mx~%, a sentient, asexual being that refuses to conform to so called societal norms. I also am a being of the world, and as such believe that fascist laws, which are forced upon us, have no hold over me. 

Bless Myself,……… this is so liberating that I am teetering on the edge of a narcissistic euphoria!!

For any of you who already feel this way, I have only one thing to say: Get off social media and grow the fuck up.

For those of you who know me better, and are laughing your asses off right now, I salute you.

To be honest with you, I’m tired. I’m tired of the whining, the bullshit, and the sight of allegedly adult human beings demanding a ‘safe zone’ so that their feelings don’t get hurt. What the hell has happened to this country? Everything, and I mean everything, is someone (or something) else’s fault.

• You're 35 and work at Burger King & need a $15 minimum wage - You're 35, got a $15 wage & demand your hours get reduced so you can stay on public assistance.
• Grew up poor, government did not provide enough - Got in trouble with the law, government is too repressive.
• Argue that all guns should be banned because of gun deaths around roughly 10k (+/-) per year – Do not call for ban of all cars that have an annual DUI cause of death of around roughly 10k (+/-) per year
• Lament that you cannot find work after college because of corporate greed – Obtained a degree in Feminist Studies.
• Believe that the police are reprehensible racist murderers  - Call for the murder of all police officers using reprehensible racial slurs.
• Say that all Muslims should not be blamed for the actions of a handful of bad ones – Blame all gun owners for the actions of a handful of bad ones.
• Claim George Bush caused ISIS, when their numbers were less than 1k in 2009 – Don’t blame current admin when the numbers swell to 20-30k by 2015.
• Want Canadian / European style national health care – Ignore the fact that the scandal plagued VA, where veterans routinely die waiting for care, is actually a model for national healthcare.
• Believe all college tuition should be free, paid for by the government  – Ignore the fact that the ‘greedy’ universities actually set tuition rates.
• Engage in hunger strikes to protest alleged ‘privileged’ status of some – Ignore the fact that they come from privileged homes themselves.
• Blame the financial collapse on Bush – Ignore that safeguards in the housing industry were removed by previous administration to allow, otherwise ineligible, people to purchase homes they couldn't afford.
• Blame the GOP majority for obstructing the president’s agenda – Blame the GOP minority for obstructing the president’s agenda.
• Believe the United Nations can solve global problems – Ignore that the United Nations have never solved a global problem.
• Claim that religion is for the weak minded – Deride those who disagree with immigration policies as being un-Christian.
• Complain that union workers don’t make enough money – Ignore the fact that many union heads make more than the Vice President of the United States.
• Claim that we are a racist / misogynistic society – Ignore the racism / misogyny that occur in other countries around the world.
• Decry extremist Christians for talking about their faith – Ignore that extremist Muslims are killing people for not converting to theirs.
• Claim that there is a war on woman who are not paid on par with their male counterparts – Ignore that the women in the White House are not paid on par with their male counterparts.
• Demand more ‘common sense’ gun laws – Ignore that the places with the most restrictive gun laws in the US have the highest (illegal) gun crimes.
• Ignore when terrorist groups lob rockets into Israel – Scream about unnecessary use of force when Israel defends itself

Are you starting to see the rampant hypocrisy here?

One of the things which makes me laugh the hardest is when the left points to the ‘war on drugs’ and the fact that it did very little to curb drug crimes. Oh, okay, and I guess you have solved that little problem and believe that the ‘war on guns’ will do better?

Anytime someone is killed it is a tragedy, but to claim that removing all guns will cure the problem is pure and simple Utopian bullshit. I’m not saying there are not issues in this country, but the sad fact is that they are generational in their origination.

When I grew up, we were taught to respect the police and teachers. In fact, being disrespectful carried an exacting punishment, where you had your ass whooped by them and again when you got home. Now, society blames the police for every encounter; ignoring the fact that the alleged ‘victim’ was engaged in criminal behavior. We've taught our children to have contempt and disrespect for everyone in authority. 

Here is a newsflash: If you assault, and attempt to disarm, a police officer you are NOT a victim of anything. You are a criminal. Likewise, if you commit a crime with a gun, YOU, not the gun, are the criminal.

Recently I had a discussion with a gentleman that cited Japan as the model for what a ‘no gun society’ can look like. Because of their restrictive laws, they have almost no gun murders. Now you would think that there would be zero, but the truth is that you can never get rid of all the guns.

What this individual failed to realize is that, unlike the United States, Japan has a very different societal make-up. If it were simply a matter of comparing the low gun crime rate in Japan to the high gun crime rate in the US, one would be led to believe that guns were the problem. However, if you compare non-gun related crime, you come up with a similar story. So, if it is not the tool that is the issue, what is it?

Japan has a much different society then we do and there is a much closer relationship with law enforcement authorities. While the clearance rate for homicide is generally in the same ballpark (90% + for Japan and 70%+ for the US), the real difference is seen in the clearance rate for robbery. Japan clears around 80%+ of their robberies, while the US only clears around 20%. So why are those numbers so stark?

Again we go back to the culture. The conformist society of Japan does a lot to keep people out of crime in the first place. Family honor, and respect toward authority, are attributes that are instilled at a very early age.

Another factor is the criminal justice system in Japan.

Unlike the United States, which does a lot to protect individual rights, Japan has no such encumbrances. Japanese policeman can, and do, stop ‘suspicious’ people and make them show what they are carrying. In effect, the police can search basically anyone, at any time, and rarely will any evidence discovered be deemed inadmissible.

The Japanese criminal justice system puts more emphasis on the suspect than almost any other industrial / democratic country. While the United States enjoys Miranda warnings, Japan has no such barrier. Bail is routinely denied if it will interfere with interrogations and suspects can be held for 3 days, and 10 day extensions added if needed, for the purpose of obtaining a confession. In reality, a suspect can be held almost indefinitely until they confess and most defense attorneys are reluctant to protest for fear of offending the prosecutor. This results in a 90%+ confession rate. After the confession is obtained it gets even better. For those who go to trial, there is no jury and the conviction / incarceration rate for violent crime is nearly 100%.

Contrast this with the United States, where for decades we have seen an almost revolving door justice system. I can personal attest to numerous times where defendants were released on their own recognizance and I still had not finished the paperwork process. For decades you slapped the wrist's of offenders and now you are shocked when they, and now their children, have no respect for the law.

I wonder how many of the ‘enlightened’ folks walking around the halls of academia would be willing to give up their civil rights in order to obtain the low gun homicide rates of Japan? Judging from the ‘social’ protests I see on TV, not many. 

Another case of selective cherry-picking.

One other fact which the left chooses to ignore is that Japan still engages in blatant racism toward non-Japanese, something that would make their collective heads explode here.

Another problem for the gun grabbing crowd is that pesky little country called Switzerland.

Switzerland has an estimated population of about 8 million people and an estimated 2-4 million guns. Now, if guns were truly the issue, you would think that the Swiss would have a problem. Yet they have less than half of 1% (per 100k) of gun homicides. Like Japan, the Swiss have a societal structure of personal responsibility and respect, something greatly lacking in today's urban American environment.

The fact is that the first prohibitive gun laws were designed not to protect, but to disarm. Native Americans, free blacks and Chinese were all victims of this.

Consider for a moment that this month marks the 125th Anniversary of the Wounded Knee Massacre. On December 29th, agents of the government, along with the U.S. 7th Calvary, were sent to Wounded Knee, in South Dakota, to disarm the Sioux Indian’s for their own protection. It was the first federally backed gun confiscation program in U.S. History. After the majority of the Sioux were disarmed, the Calvary began shooting and managed to wipe out the entire camp. Of the 297 victims, 200 were women and children. 

We must wake up and accept the fact that evil does exist in our world. It always has and always will. Immediately after the terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California, which left 14 dead and 21 wounded, the president, rather than condemn the terrorists, used the incident as a springboard to call for increased gun control. Maybe someone can correct me, but it really doesn't seem as if he has a grasp on this whole ISIS / Radical Islamic Terror thing. In this most recent attack, it's obvious that someone must have forgotten to tell him that all the gun control measures that he is calling for were already in place in California and had no impact on the attack. For whatever reason he, and those calling for stricter gun laws, cannot comprehend the fact that those intent on committing acts of terror, or criminal acts period, are not inclined to obey the law.

We cannot overlook the fact that throughout world history evil people have committed evil acts. Time and again we are shown examples of governments removing weapons from their citizens, for their own good, only to find that it was actually the government that was the real danger to them. You see, the truth is, that tyrannical governments are not anti-gun; in fact they enjoy them very much, as long as they are the only ones who have them.

• In 1911 Turkey disarmed its citizens. Between 1915 – 1917 they murdered over one million Armenians.
• In 1929 Russia disarmed its citizens. Between 1929 – 1953 they murdered approximately 20 million anti-communists.
• In 1935 China disarmed its citizens. Between 1948 – 1952 they murdered approximately 20  million anti-communists / reformers.
• In 1938 Germany disarmed its citizens. Between 1939 – 1945 they murdered approximately 16 million Jews, Gypsies and anti-Nazis.
• In 1956 Cambodia disarmed its citizens. Between 1975 – 1977 they murdered 1 million ‘educated’ people.
• In 1964 Guatemala disarmed its citizens. Between 1964 – 1981 they murdered 100,000 Mayan Indians.
• In 1970 Uganda disarmed its citizens. Between 1971 – 1979 they murdered 300,000 Christians / political rivals.

In the infinite wisdom of the founding fathers, the 2nd Amendment was put in place to protect the citizens from a tyrannical government. The right to own guns, to protect your personal freedom, was never written to protect the right to go deer or bear hunting, nor was it designed to protect weapons used for this purpose, but the very weapons that are now being vilified.

Take a look at the Second Amendment: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

Many people argue that since we have a military (militia) that we no longer need the 2^nd Amendment. However, the exact opposite is true about the reason for the 2nd Amendment. Understanding that a state needs a military, and understanding that the military of the state (England) was used against colonials, the founding fathers created the amendment to protect the individual rights of the citizenry to maintain their weapons, thereby ensuring that the government would never be able to do to them what the King of England had done.

Don’t believe me? Read their own quotes:

“Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are ruined. The great object is that every man be armed. Everyone who is able may have a gun.” – Patrick Henry

“Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed, as they are in almost every kingdom in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword, because the whole of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops.” Noah Webster

“Arms in the hands of the citizens may be used at individual discretion for the defense of the country, the overthrow of tyranny or private self-defense.” John Adams

“The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.” Thomas Jefferson

Not once did I read anything about hunting or target shooting.

As much as we believe that we can legislate morality, we simply cannot. We also cannot rid the world of evil through the use of safe zones. Good people will tend to abide by the law while the criminal element will always find a way around it.

In the Bible, one of the first stories is that of Cain, who killed his brother Abel over jealousy. Evil does not exist within any tool, but rather resides in the heart of the wielder. 

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December 2015 Update

I hope that you have all enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday and that your plans for Christmas or, in the case of my Jewish friends, Hanukkah, are going well.

Things have been fairly busy on this end with the release of the e-book version of the Alex Taylor sequel: Little Boy Lost coming out, as well as work on the print version, which will hopefully be released in time for Christmas. It was really fun to work with my amazing wife, Nancy, on this project and I hope to do so again in the future.

In addition to the work on getting that novel out, I have also been working on the next James Maguire novel, which will come out in 2016, as well as another Christmas present project. Once again, you have Nancy to thank for this one.

As we approach the holidays, I would like to ask all of you a favor. If you have read any of my books, please go to Amazon and leave a review. It doesn't have to be much, but every review helps boost the books position within the Amazon analytics. This is used to feature the books to other potential readers. So for all you hoping that they one day get made into a movie, this is your chance to further that chance.

Stay tuned for upcoming posts.

If you’d like to stay up to date on the newest releases, then please like my Facebook page and feel free to follow me on Twitter.

Pre-Order: Little Boy Lost (An Alex Taylor Novel) on Amazon.

You can now pre-order the latest Alex Taylor novel: Little Boy Lost at Amazon beginning today. The book will download to your kindle on November 25th, just in time for the Thanksgiving weekend.

Little Boy Lost is the follow-up to Small Town Secrets. It is the 2nd book in the Alex Taylor series. If you are interested in which order to read them, check out my Books page for the listing.

Little Boy Lost marks the first time my wife, Nancy, and I have worked on the actual story line together. If it were not for her I do not think the story would have evolved in the way it did. She brought an element that dovetailed nicely with the characters.

In honor of that wonderful collaboration, you will see her name listed as my co-author on this book. I look forward to working with her again on upcoming novels.

Cover Reveal - Little Boy Lost (An Alex Taylor Novel)

I know that a lot of you have been asking when my next book would be coming out and I am happy to announce that your wait is nearly over.

This is the sequel to Small Town Secrets, which was the first book in the Alex Taylor series. If you are going chronologically, it is book number five in the overall series.

As most of you already know, while the story-line is a stand-alone, characters and events will cross over into the James Maguire series as well.

This novel, which takes place after the events in Bishop's Gate, involve Alex's investigation into the disappearance of a young boy during the Penobscot Founder's Day celebration.

We just finished the final editing on the book and it will be released on November 25th, just in time for Thanksgiving. There will be a pre-order available for this book, which should be in place sometime tomorrow.

An Enemy By Any Other Name - Islamic Terrorism

#MuslimsAreNotTerrorist

It’s a catchy Twitter hashtag, isn’t it?

I saw it this morning as I did my daily Twitter session for my books and thought it kind of ironic that it was trending higher than #ParisAttack. In today’s politically correct climate, a certain segment of society goes to great lengths to scold the rest of us that we shouldn’t paint everyone with the same broad brush.

Unfortunately, that only seems to apply to their causes. It is the same group that seems hell bent on trying to use the same broad brush in making the connection between criminals and mentally ill folks, who use guns in mass shootings, and legal gun owners. They also like to try and blame Christians for disgusting groups, like the Westboro Baptist Church.  What they don’t tell you is that the ‘church’ was founded by Fred Phelps, a civil rights activist and member of the Democratic Party. But those are topics for another day.

I checked out the hashtag page and was not surprised to see a large majority of folks, the same type I routinely see on TV at various protests, condemning the association of Muslims with terrorism. To be fair, they are correct, not all Muslims are terrorists, but in the case of this attack, it appears that THESE Muslims were and there is nothing wrong with pointing that out.

I don’t care how you quantify it, clarify, or categorize it, the bottom line is that we are at war with radical Islam. Wring your hands, grit your teeth, but the folks in ISIS, Al Qaeda, Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade, Boko Haram, Hamas, Hezbollah, Haqqani Network, Palestine Liberation Front, or any of the hundred other groups, currently engaged in terrorist activities around the world, are at war with us.

Here’s a newsflash: They don’t care what you think of them or their religion. They are Muslims and they are proud to wage jihad against non-believers.

If the rest of the Muslim world is offended at being ‘lumped’ together with the radicals, then they need to stand up as one and condemn it. That means working with the rest of the world to root out this evil wherever it exists, like King Abdullah II of Jordan. Unlike Saudi Arabia which continues to be one of the most prolific sponsors of Islamic terrorism.

I'll be the first one to get up on the soapbox and vehemently condemn anyone who attempts to hijack my religion in order to kill non-believers. I think everyone has the right to their religious beliefs, but I also believe that they have a duty to denounce those who use it as justification in the slaughter of innocent men, women and children. If you can't grasp that concept, I can't help you. 

It is time we stop with the silly hashtags. It makes you look like a bunch of petulant little collegiate assholes, stomping your feet when someone bruises your feelings with their hurtful words. Your enemy is at the gate and you are too busy condemning the folks manning it, because they have the audacity to identify them for who they are: radical Islamic terrorists.

I spent over two decades in law enforcement, a majority of that time dealing with the threat of terrorism. This is not a new threat, but one we have been facing for decades.

In the 1970’s I thought we would wake up when we had to deal with the Iranian’s storming our Embassy in Tehran and taking our people hostage.

In the 1980’s I thought we would wake up after the embassy / barracks bombings in Beirut or Pan Am Flight 103.

In the 1990’s I thought it would be the 1^st World Trade Center attack, or the bombing at Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia or the embassy bombing in Kenya and Tanzania, Africa.

In the 2000’s I knew the attacks of September 11^th would finally be our wake up call.

But in the 2010’s we had the attack in Benghazi and then the Boston Marathon bombing.

Apparently we do not wake up easily.

Despite what you want to believe, despite what you have been told, we are at war with radical Islam. Whether we are weary doesn’t matter to our enemy, because they are not. It is literally what they live and die for.

If a Christian committed these acts, they would expect to go directly to Hell, but these radical Muslims expect just the opposite; they truly believe they will go directly to Heaven for killing infidels. That is what so many people refuse to acknowledge. We, the entire world collectively, need to shine the light of truth on Islamic terrorism and acknowledged it for what it is. If this offends you, grow the fuck up. Being offended is going to be the least of your problems when you’re standing there with a knife to your throat.

One of the most precious rights we have in this country is the 2^nd Amendment, the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. It is something that many civilized nations do not have, including France. French gun laws are extremely strict, but once again we must face the truth: Gun laws apply only to those who are so inclined to follow the law. Terrorists apparently do not fall into this group. In fact, it is a theme I have discussed previously in my books. I specifically wrote about the problem France was facing in the city of Marseille in Bishop’s Gate. Tragically, the first officers to arrive at the Charlie Hebdo attack last January were unarmed Paris police officers who had to retreat because they didn’t have the ability to confront their attackers. Three officers were later killed.

As I watched the attacks unfold last evening I couldn’t help but wonder if things might have been different if there was someone carrying a legal weapon? That is not a flippant comment, but an honest question. I know that many of my fellow sheepdogs are thinking the same thing.

Sadly, there is nothing we can do about the attack in Paris. It is done. All we can do is prepare for what is coming, and make no mistake, it is coming.

Last night Isis made the statement: “The American blood is best, and we will taste it soon.” 

If you do not believe them, then you are a fool.

Yesterday, on the very day of the Paris Attack, the first load of Syrian refugees quietly arrived in Louisiana. It is estimated that the United States will take in some 10,000 +  refugees over the next year with the president calling for an even greater number. This is a fairly significant issue, considering that over 70% of the ‘refugees’ are young men. Even more disturbing is the fact that an ISIS operative confirmed that the group had infiltrated the refugees and thousands of them were already in Western Europe. If that doesn’t make you take pause, consider that there are already members of ISIS in the United States; that is undisputed fact. Sadly, they are not the only terror group that is here.

Just like in 1993 and again in 2001 we must realize that the threat is not over there, but here in our own country. We saw that most recently in Texas where two terrorist were killed as they prepared to launch an attack on a 'Draw Muhammad' event. Whether you agree or disagree with the person hosting that event, you must understand that these terrorists were already here.

As the left continues to call for more ‘reasonable gun control measures,’ understand that you are facing a very real threat to your 2^nd Amendment rights. I am often mystified when I hear people talking about how military style weapons are not required for hunting or sport. No, you’re correct, they aren’t. Now show me where in the 2^nd Amendment it says anything about hunting or sport? The protected firearms, spoken about in the 2^nd Amendment, are precisely those used by the military.  The founding fathers were keenly aware of the threat they faced from the King and British military. The 2^nd Amendment addressed that and protected the individual right of Americans to possess the proper weaponry to defend themselves against that threat.

Yesterday I had an occasion to go to a location that proudly displayed a ‘no guns’ sticker on the front door. The paper threat was enforced by an unarmed, and extremely bored looking, security guard. I shook my head. This is the silliness of the left.

When, not if, we are subject to the next attack here, I wonder if the terrorists will be thwarted by the ‘aggressive looking’ no gun decals displayed outside the restaurant or government building? Maybe they will turn away when the unarmed guard sternly points out their flagrant violation of the paper noticed proudly displayed.

I don’t think so. Hopefully he will have a place to retreat to, like the first officers in the Charlie Hebdo attack.

Unfortunately, it has been my experience that you cannot change the mind of someone so inclined to believe in this silliness. The only thing that actually causes someone to re-examine their beliefs is when they become the victims.

For the rest of you, I suggest that you take the threat very seriously.

If you are so inclined to carry a concealed weapon then you had better train with it. Understand the responsibility that comes with it and the fact that you might one day be called upon to act in defensive or yourself or your loved ones. 

If you’d like to stay up to date on the newest releases, then please like my Facebook page and feel free to follow me on Twitter.

Paris Terror Attacks

My thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Paris this evening as they endure the on-going terror attacks that are taking place in the City of Light.

It seems like only yesterday we were following the terror attack at Charlie Hebdo and yet it will pale in comparison to what is now happening.

One of the central themes in my books is that of global terrorism. In fact, I wrote specifically about the threat France is facing in Queen's Gambit. It is something that I have experienced first-hand, as a member of the NYPD’s Intelligence Division, doing dignitary protection and threat assessments, and later as a 9/11 first responder.  While the threat is currently being played out in France, make no mistake that the entire world is a target.

We must begin to take the threat seriously.  This is not the time to be politically correct; worried more about the words we are using to describe the threat facing us, than we are of the actual threat.

I pray for the citizens of France and the thin blue line that is standing in the breach; the last line of defense between the wolves at the door and the sheep they are sworn to protect.

It is a shame that the only time we truly seem to appreciate the men and women of law enforcement is when we run past them, as they are running towards the threat!

If you’d like to stay up to date on the newest releases, then please like my Facebook page and feel free to follow me on Twitter.

Interview by Elizabeth Simmons @ DigitalReadership

I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by Elizabeth Simmons over at Digital Readership.

I enjoy doing these interviews because they not only allow me to reach a broader audience, but sometimes they pose really good questions that allow me to connect better with my readers. This was the case with Elizabeth’s interview. She went outside the routine questions and I think you’ll enjoy reading it. Check it out here.

If you’d like to stay up to date on the newest releases, then please like my Facebook page and feel free to follow me on Twitter.

Enjoy the interview!

Reflections on my Technology Break

As some of you may recall my trusty computer developed a hard drive meltdown that caused me to be off-line for several weeks. It was quite cathartic.

Over those few weeks I found myself actually involved in ‘doing’ things, tangible things, like cutting down tree limbs, physical labor, and engaging with my family. It was an interesting experiment. I don’t even think I watched all that much TV, because, at the end of the day, I was too damn tired from working. Then I went and did something dumb.

I fixed my hard drive.

Suddenly I was immersed back into the world of social media. There were emails to answer, authors to tweet, mind-numbing posts to ‘like’, and a 24/7 news cycle that seems  to be bi-polar on a good day, especially when discussing  political candidates….. Suddenly I felt my soul being sucked away again.

Honestly, it has been infuriating.

Not that I don’t enjoy hearing about what is going on in everyone’s life……….and who went out for a spiced frappuccino venti macchiato vanilla latte…… really, doesn’t anyone drink real coffee anymore? But I don’t.

I hate to be brutally honest, but these damn computers and smart phones have replaced TV as the 21^st century’s version of the idiot box. We sit here refreshing the page wondering if we missed anything critical in the last 32 seconds.  Here’s a news flash: You Did !!

32 Seconds of your life just went by, that you can never get back.

Heck, I’m getting posts from people I honestly don’t even know…….. Seriously, do I really have the capacity to take on someone else’s issues when I have my own to contend with?

Bottom line is that I’m a writer who isn’t writing, and that’s not good.

So here’s the thing, I’m going back to pretending that my hard drive is crashed again. I have a book to edit and publish this month as well as another I am working on. Then there is Thanksgiving and Christmas to get ready for, as well as a new year quickly approaching.

I’ll continue to write updates and post them on my blog, for those who are so inclined to read them. The way I look at it this qualifies as writing as well as giving me my computer fix.

Will I lose some friends / followers? Probably, that will fall under the category of C’est la vie.

To those who stay and actually check out the blog, I’ll try and keep it fun and entertaining.

Follow me on twitter: @Andrew_G_Nelson

I won’t be there, but when I am, you won’t miss anything new and exciting !!

A Murder in East Harlem - Police Officer Randolph Holder, NYPD

On Tuesday evening, the NYPD lost another hero, Police Officer Randolph Holder. He is the 4th NYPD Officer who has been killed in the line of duty in the last 11 months.

Officer Holder and other officers were responding to a reports of shots fired. At some point they encountered a suspect, who was fleeing the scene, and engaged in a gun fight during which Officer Holder was mortally wounded.

Officer Holder had emigrated from Guyana and was a 3rd generation police officer. His father and grandfather were both officers back in Guyana. Tragically, as news emerged that he had died from his wounds, some took to social media to applaud his death. As I read the commentary on some news sites I was sickened to see the vile remarks that some were quick to spew. However, the truth is that these insignificant wretches, and their opinions, mean nothing. They are nothing more than a minor blight on society, clawing and scratching for their fifteen minutes of fame.

I would not denigrate the memory of this hero, by giving their remarks another venue. Instead, I choose to remember the sacrifices of those lost. A legacy of honor and sacrifice that embodies the NYPD motto: Fidelis Ad Mortem

It is not how these officers died that made them heroes, but how they lived.

Unlike those who mock the sacrifices made by the men and women of this nation's law enforcement community; who hide behind free speech in order  to denigrate their service, the real heroes, like Officer Holder, willingly go into harms way to protect these cowards. We, as the majority, must never forget them and we must use our collective voice to drown out the rabble who seek only to divide and conquer this great nation.

God bless the sheepdog who protect us.

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." - John 15:13

Anatomy of a Political Letter

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post entitled: How “Never Forget the Heroes of 9/11” turned into “Who?” In it I chronicled how Congress failed to permanently extend the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act which were brought up as H.R.1786 and S.928. 

It is amazing to me how so many of those, who have chosen to not sponsor either bill, were all too eager to wrap themselves up in the flag on September 11th and remind all of their social media followers to #NeverForget This included my local representative, Congressman Rodney Davis (IL. – 13).

Not to let things rest, I decided to contact him directly and ask why he hadn’t co-sponsored the House Bill. I anticipated a positive response, seeing as I know him personally, so you can imagine my surprise when I received the reply letter from his office. To be fair, I know that he didn’t write this letter, as I saw him in town, zipping by me on the road. That being said, his name is on the document so it lands in his lap.

The letter opens with him thanking me for taking the time to contact him about the bill. So far so good, but then it begins to go south. The next paragraph stars off with “As you may know” and goes on to tell me about the matter in question.  Of course I know about the topic, remember I contacted you about it. I don’t make it a habit of writing to people about things I don’t have a clue on.

Then we make a left turn and completely change the subject. The third paragraph has nothing to do about the Zadroga Bill, but he wants me to know how he stands with 1st responders. He proceeds to tell me how last year he introduced legislation that would “enable veterans with medical training to more easily pursue careers as EMT’s.”

HUH? How the heck does this have anything even remotely to do with what I wrote you?

I asked one simple question: Why haven’t you co-sponsored H.R. 1786, a bill that would provide much needed funding for health problems 9/11 1st responders are dealing with, and I get a reply that talks about an employment program? Are you for real? Who the hell do you have working for you in D.C.?

You see, this is exactly why nothing ever gets done in Washington, D.C., because politicians never answer simple questions. Ask them the price of milk, they tell you how they support cattle farmers in Minnesota. Then they wonder why the latest polling puts them in the low teens when it comes to approval.  Americans are sick and tired of the weasel responses, and overall lip service, they get from their elected representatives.

But the best line is the one in paragraph four in which he ‘assures’ me that he will keep my views in mind should the bill come to the full House for a vote? Really? You won’t co-sponsor it to improve its chances of reaching the floor, but you’re going to keep my views in mind should it. This from the man that sponsored H.R. 3745: Keep Your Chiropractor Act. 

Wow, we have thousands of 9/11 1st responders dying because they had the audacity to respond to the worst act of terror ever committed on U.S. soil, but, if the cancer doesn’t kill you, you can continue seeing your chiropractor. SMH

Paragraph five also gets an honorable mention for insanity when it says “if you are facing a challenge with a federal agency…” What like challenges in dealing with my congressional representative?

Here’s a news flash, you’re going to be campaigning to get re-elected soon and I can personally ‘assure’ you that I will sure as hell keep this in mind when casting my vote.

Update: On October 26th, Congressman Davis finally signed on as a co-sponsor of the bill. I guess you can get something done in D.C. with a little pressure !!

Follow me on Twitter: @Andrew_G_Nelson

Want to see Perfect Pawn made into a movie ?

There is a website called the IF List, which stands for the ImagineFilm list. The IF List is a platform for movie and casting ideas. Whether you are a fan, author, aspiring actor, or industry professional, The IF List lets you discover potential films and TV shows, make proposals, and gain popular support for the ideas you want to become reality.

The NYC based company was founded by life-long friends and business partners with a shared passion for movie ideas. Inspired by the concept of a universal database for casting, the founders spent over a year rigorously planning and developing the product that would become the Imagine Film List. The core team is made up of dedicated artists and thinkers who bring together experience from multiple disciplines, including product design, web development, filmmaking, storytelling, marketing, and brand strategy. The company is committed to building a valuable creative platform and resource for the arts and entertainment industry. In this role, they are backed up by a number of partners including Backstage and Studio 4.

My book, Perfect Pawn, is listed on the site and I am asking for your help. By visiting this link: Support Perfect Pawn, you are able to do three things:

1. Support Perfect Pawn’s efforts to become a movie development.
2. Select actors who you feel would best be suited for the main roles.
3. Write an endorsement for the project.

We have all read books that were so good, we wanted them to be turned into a movie. Here is your chance to do just that.

I would really appreciate it if you would take just one moment to support my book.

Sincerely,

Andrew G. Nelson

Follow me on Twitter: @Andrew_G_Nelson

How “Never Forget the Heroes of 9/11” turned into “Who?”

On September 30th, 2015, Congress failed to reauthorize the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act H.R.1786 and S.928. To say that I am a little upset would be a gross understatement. I am embarrassed that our elected representatives would turn a blind eye to those of us who continue to suffer to this day.

I am one of the lucky ones. My symptoms are insignificant compared to those suffering from horrific ailments, like my old NYPD partner who developed cancer of the appendix. On 9/11 we lost 23 members of the NYPD, since then we have lost dozens more. The same is true for the PAPD and FDNY. Countless more, from civilian survivors to construction workers, have also paid with their lives.

I need to tip my hat to a fellow named John Feal, who started the FealGood Foundation. John is one of the construction workers who responded to the WTC and lost half a foot as a result of his work. He and a friend of mine, retired ESU Detective Glenn Klein, along with many others, have led the fight to assist those who continue to suffer from 9/11 related illness. Likewise, I applaud comedian Jon Stewart for his stalwart support. I’ve never been a Jon Stewart fan, but he earned my utmost respect by not turning his back on us.

Congress had an opportunity to truly #Neverforget when the Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act came up for re-authorization. Certainly, based on the amount of tweets and Facebook posts that were made, by our representatives, on 9/11 about ‘never forgetting,’ you would have thought this was a no-brainer.

Imagine my shock when, on September 30th, it was not extended.

Unlike many things that originate in Washington, this program is run pretty well. So well that the program will be able to continue financially, at least for the short term, although most involved admit that some programs will begin to be affected as early as January / February. It seems inconceivable that those dealing with the medical hardships from the attack would be left out in the cold.

What happened to all those politicians who expressed their annual outrage and promised to “Never Forget”?

Several years ago, retired NYPD Lieutenant named Bill Dement Jr., wrote the book "Delay, Deny, Hope They Die: World Trade Center FirstResponders - The Battle for Health Care and Compensation."  Lt. Dement passed away in August 2014 from illness attributed to 9/11. After the re-authorization failed, the title seems to be more than a bit appropriate.

Perhaps someone should write one titled: We Were Heroes.

What saddens me even more, are the names of those who chose not to co-sponsor the bill. You would think that both sides of the aisle, republican and democrat, would have been eager to protect those suffering from the greatest terror attack in U.S. history. You would think, but you would also be wrong.

Honestly, I had expected the majority of the support for this bill to come from republicans. After all, they tend to rally around the flag and surround themselves with heroes. So who better to champion a cause like this? Apparently Messrs. Boehner and McConnell didn’t get the memo. No, those championing this cause turned out to be Mmes Maloney and Gillibrand.

Of the three current republican presidential candidates, only Lindsey Graham co-sponsored. Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio both did not. I have been an ardent supporter of Ted Cruz, but I can no longer support him. In fact, many republicans did not co-sponsor either the House or Senate bills. My favorite is Sen. James Risch (R – Id) who co-sponsored on June 22nd, then withdrew on June 23rd.

Imagine my surprise when I found myself in agreement with the likes of Senator’s Durbin, Feinstein, Frankel, Boxer, Warren and Schumer. I felt as if I was in an episode of The Twilight Zone.

I’d like to say that my own congressman, Rodney Davis (R-Il), someone whom I personally know, had co-sponsored the bill, but he didn’t. I’ll remember that come election time and I will remind a lot of my friends as well. Once again, I found myself surrounded by democratic members like Charles Rangel, Alan Grayson, and Sheila Jackson-Lee.

This has really hit home for me and is causing me to rethink my traditional support. I’ve been a republican since 1982 and had the honor of voting for Ronald Reagan. A lot has changed since then and I’m thinking now might be a good time to go independent. It’s time we start voting for the individual and not the party.

To be fair, this is just about those who didn’t sign-up to ‘co-sponsor’ the respective bills. Theoretically, someone could have chosen not to be a co-sponsor, but still vote for the bill. However, since Congress failed to act, how they would have ‘voted’ is a moot point. The truth is that these bills should have been given a straight-forward, up/down vote. Unfortunately, this didn’t happen. Why did the republican controlled Congress fail to act? The answer is: I don’t know.

Perhaps they were just too busy being politicians. Heaping praise on the 9/11 heroes, when the cameras were around, then turning a blind eye when the moment passed. Perhaps you should click on the links above and find out whether or not your representatives supported the bills. If they didn’t, ask them why not. The bills are currently in limbo, and require pressure from us to move forward.

Here is some fair warning to those up on the Hill, who waved the flag, said the right things, and claimed to support the ‘heroes of 9/11’……… Actions speak louder than words and we saw what you did when it mattered. Each and every one of you will come up for re-election and we will certainly Never Forget!

Update: On October 26th, Congressman Davis finally signed on as a co-sponsor of the bill. I guess you can get something done in D.C. with a little pressure !!

Follow me on Twitter: @Andrew_G_Nelson

Unplugged – Lessons learned after a hard drive crash

It’s been nearly a month since I turned on my computer and came to the stark realization that the hard drive had kicked the technological equivalent of the proverbial bucket.

I admit that a mild form of panic set in as I struggled to remember the last time I had backed up my files. It had been fairly recently, but I guesstimated that I was most likely going to lose at least 10-15% of the more recent files.

At this point I did what most semi computer literate folks would do. I begged, threatened, cajoled and desperately attempted to revive the computer for one last go, hoping that I could grab those files. Alas, it was not to be. I came to the conclusion that that the HD had suffered a physical flaw within the operating system section.  Every time that I tried to engage the repair program it crashed, restarted the computer and took me back to square one. I grudgingly accepted the fact that I was going to have to replace the HD.

About a week later I headed up to Springfield and picked up a replacement drive and a transfer cable at one of the big computer stores. Personally, I think they are staffed by a bunch of pretentious kids, so I won’t give them a plug. They had the drive, but not the x-fer cable, but advised me that their staff could take a look at the drive to see if they could recover the files, for a fee…… Uhm, no thanks.

When I got home I hit up E-Bay and found the item I needed and ordered it. I hope that the cable would allow me to slave the HD and view the files. When the cable arrived, a week later (thank you USPS for the outstanding job on 1^st class mail delivery!), I set about taking the computer apart. Once I had the new hard drive installed I attempted to obtain a copy of the Windows 7 IOS. In the past, this meant a quick trip to Digital River to download the file. However, I soon found that that Microsoft decided back in February to sever their ties with them and now hosts their own files. Ok, no biggie, I went to Microsoft and prepared to download the file. At least that was my intention.

During the download process, when I was asked, I plugged in my Windows 7 key. Imagine my surprise when I was coldly informed that my key was not recognized. I checked it, even snapping a photo of the Microsoft decal, and re-entered the info. Again, no love.

I made my way to the Microsoft boards where I was informed that Microsoft does not view software, which is pre-loaded into a computer, as a valid key. WTF? Seriously?

I bought a computer, preloaded with a Windows operating system, but since I didn’t buy the system from them, they didn’t view it as legitimate…… Are you friggin kidding me?

No, they are apparently serious, but, for a nominal fee of about $30.00, they would mail one to me.

I was incredulous. Microsoft, that storied tech firm worth somewhere in the area of $175 billion dollars, the very same one who’s founder, Bill Gates, is worth in the area of $75 billion, requires me to send them more money for the honor of getting a copy of the operating system I already own?

My New York came out in all its glory. Bumper sticker / G rated version version: Microsoft, you can kiss my royal Irish ass.

I tried to load a copy from a torrent site, but couldn’t get it to read properly. Frustrated, I went to E-Bay and bought a copy on USB for less than ½ the price. Then I waited. The seller got the item out in the mail the next day, the USPS, leaving up to its stellar reputation for timely deliveries, took another week to bring it to my door.  With that kind of service, I guess we should get ready for another rate increase.

In the interim I meandered over to the HP site and downloaded all the device drivers for my system onto a USB. The consolation is that, should this occur in the future, I now all the necessary software to get back up and running in a timely fashion. Once I had everything in front of me, it took less than a day to get everything up and running. On the positive side, I have none of the pre-loaded garbage that systems generally come with. That should make things run a lot better.

I still have to load a bunch of programs I need, as well as get my A/V software back on. I dread the thought of having to log into all my sites, and enter the 20 gazillion passwords I have. Fortunately, those were all properly backed up on good old fashioned paper.

So what exactly has this month away from technology taught me?

Well, for starters, back up your files regularly. I nearly had a coronary when I realized that one of the books I had been working on might have been lost. Fortunately, the document was able to be recovered as well as a 1^st gen cover graphic. So I only had minimal work to do to redo it. Still, the initial stress wasn’t exactly what I would call fun.

That being said, I learned a very valuable lesson: There is life beyond technology, and it is good.

A month away from E-Mails, Twitter, Facebook, etc., didn’t kill me. In fact, I rather enjoyed it. I chucked the whining, bitching and narcissistic posts, which are common to this medium, and felt myself actually begin to relax. I didn’t miss the complaints, the senseless arguing, and mindless posts. In fact, I went so far as to unplug from the TV as well. I didn’t care what was going on in the world, and if I watched anything, it was either a baseball or football game.

I got outside and did real, honest-to-God work. I got my hands dirty. I moved several tons of rock and dirt, with nothing more than a shovel and wheelbarrow, I cut down trees, moved bushes and helped my neighbor stack two cords of wood for the winter. I cleaned my garage and used some of the tools I had been allowing to gather dust. I got more off my to-do list in a couple of weeks, than I managed to do in a year. It was back breaking labor and I loved it. My body hurt more at the end of the day, then after 2 hours spent each day at the gym.

I also found that my family was actually interesting to be around.

No, being away from technology wasn’t a bad thing.

Unfortunately, I knew that I needed to come back to it. It’s kind of hard to run a business and write books when you are not connected. Even when you dread it, you know you still need to do it. It’s the nature of the beast.

So I am back, but on a limited basis. I have come to realize that we spend entirely too much time behind our computer monitors and smart phone screens. We are caught up in the flashy and mindless things of the moment, and don’t realize that a world is passing us by, just outside our window.

I have a list on my desk of the things I want to do before the snow arrives, so I’m going to impose limits on my tech time. I suggest you do the same. Put down that mouse, turn off the device, and go outside for a little while. Grab a tool, before the weather gets too cold, and do something really productive. You’ll find that after a few days you won’t even miss the computer, after a week or so you’ll even dread going back to it. At that point you will realize that there is a lot more to life then pixels on a screen.