The Nathan Hale Brigade (Short Story) - 5/12/2007 8:28:21 AM
Wow! I really enjoyed this. At first it was a bit confusing and I'm not quite sure I fully understand it yet, so I do think I will read it again.
I never was one for war stories but this one was a little darker and a little more frightening. What made it good was that it seemed a little less real, and just when you thought the characters were finished off, a plot twist! I loved it. Can't wait to read more from you.
The Shaman's Spring Part IlI (Short Story) - 7/28/2006 1:32:20 AM
Great story and the way your wrote it kept me reading. Your characters were vivid even though you knew very little of their background. I really enjoyed this one.
The Shaman's Spring Part IlI (Short Story) - 7/20/2006 7:06:58 PM
Weird and good twilight zone style ending. I liked how you led to the ending and brought the characters to life. Good Job.
Charles D. O'Connor III- Check out my new story entitled "The Jack N the box" 'In everything I am an outsider"-H.P. Lovecraft.
The Red Plymouth Station Wagon (Article) - 6/15/2018 9:14:52 AM
Love your little tale of the the red 1963 Plymouth station wagon. Particularly why the wagon gained so much attention on that trip to the grocery store!
I always egged my father to drive faster. When the 57 Buick station wagon got too old, my father drove us to Milwaukee to buy a used and repainted 1960 Dodge wagon with a dubious history from a small garage (was it wrecked or stolen?). Anyway it was a metal flake blue-green in a pleasant but plain Forward Look design. It also had a very fast wedge head V-8, while I preferred the hemi. My twin brother and I won some drag races with that sleeper. The weight of the wagon over the rear wheels gave it more traction. But the car wouldn't stop because the brakes constantly glazed over. Dad got rid of it.
You were a know it all annoying kid backseat driver. You would have been scared shitless to ride across the country with me in my 1966 Toronado, often between 90 and 100 mph with the air conditioning keeping me cool and collected as I swooped around cars on the interstates driving coast-to-coast.
Ron
Dad's Purple Hearts (Article) - 6/6/2018 12:34:11 PM
Those are difficult decisions to make when the Navy has 'up or out' policy in effect. There are many choices but after twenty years if is the family which gets to make the decisions - the wives and children have served long enough. Nice story, David.
Dad's Purple Hearts (Article) - 5/29/2018 8:23:42 AM
That is sad. So many soldiers and sailors were that way. Not willing to tell family and friends anything about the terrible things that happened in war. It is probably one of the reasons why we continually have wars. We tend to see only the metals for "participation" and not the open wounds of bad judgment, terror and atrocity.
My uncle was a noncom sailor during the Korean War. But I think the only served the minimum three years of one enlistment. I will see him soon but won't ask him about his service. He recently lost his wife and we will probably talk a bit about that and his disabled son who is had to take care of in his old age. I believe he is about 85.
Another uncle, his brother, enlisted in The Army Air Corps as a noncom in 1941. After 20 years and officers' training as well as many schools as well as teaching, he never saw combat and retired as a Major. He is now 99 years old and active. I was quite surprised recently when he told me that he never served overseas during World War II… Stayed on the mainland.
Ron
The Day I Almost Killed (Article) - 3/29/2018 9:34:07 AM
Very interesting true life situation. It is obvious if you work where there is money or you appear to be wealthy by driving an expensive vehicle, wearing an expensive watch that – etc. You will be target of, as the famous bank robber from the 30s, I can't remember which one, said, "We go where the money is."
I never worked in a place that handles money so I never encountered robbers trying to take it. A gun under the counter can be a deterrent or a death sentence. There's no way of heading off an ambush or surprise. In your case, the criminals were stupid. Stupidity and drugs usually defeat criminals very easily.
The only place I ever encountered being shot at was out hunting in the woods. But I think in both cases of mine they were just careless hunters rather than someone with criminal intent towards my death. All it required was me yelling out that I was there to stop them from shooting in my direction. In both cases, I was carrying a gun. But never had any idea in my head to go try to shoot at them for shooting at me.
In the case of what happened to you at the campsite. Those kids were in possession of guns (do they have the right to have them?) and were doing stupid things like shooting at people that could end up committing murder if they weren't careful. And, obviously, they weren't careful. You could have deputized yourselves and made a citizens' arrest, but your contempt of courts did not allow you to do that. You used firepower against firepower and it worked. Lucky you.
Just by having the M-16 in your possession made you, at a time of anger, almost commit murder. Think about that. Obviously you have been thinking about it. Without the guns, it might've been knives or clubs or just plain fighting. The problem is, there are some of us who just can't get along. When guns get involved, the outcome can be far worse.
Ron
Who Killed Charles Flake (Article) - 11/23/2017 7:06:56 AM
Very interesting and well researched. Newspapers in those days love to write sensational stories about robbers and robberies. Creating heroes from the infamy of their acts. Many men went to the West to escape persecution for various crimes in Europe and the East Coast. Name changing was as easy as moving on from town to town. It is no different today when the media spends way too much time on crime and not enough on the good things that are happening.
I believe you may have added something to history through your careful review of all these sources.
Ron
Robert E. Lee and Moral Gravitas (Article) - 9/19/2017 6:55:16 AM
Thank you for why I think that Robert E. Lee deserves a place in history as the defeated leader of the rebel army. I didn't know all this about him before, because I didn't read any of his biographies. But you're right, it all points to a man of high moral character.
The story that I most hear is that Grant and Lee were in the same class at West Point. Lee was first in his class and Grant, I believe was either last or near last. So, the reason that Grant beat Lee in battle at the end of the war was only the overwhelming number of troops, supplies and backing that Grant had, while Lee had nothing left to fight with.
Glorifying the Confederacy with its defense of slavery and its secession is wrong and should not be a continuing glorification with statues, flags, buildings and other monuments, but great men like Lee to be honored for who they were. Let's not tear all of his statues down in hatred and haste. Some history and artistry resulting, like the image carved in Stone Mountain, needs to be preserved, so that we remember rather than glorify.
Ron
WHEN CALIFORNIA SECEDES (Article) - 12/28/2016 10:17:45 AM
I applaud you for the facts that you have laid down in the first part of the article. Although some of them appear to be suspect and may be more conspiratorial theory rather than facts. Especially those referring to those in the country/state illegally having legal benefits granted by California.
And then you gradually devolve into the only thing that I can think of is dystopia like so many novels and films have recently.
You are right about the difficulty of seceding. You didn't mention agriculture or water, but the rest of the United States gets much of its food from California. Seceding would put that food in a foreign country. Perhaps, it's not a problem if there are ready trade avenues for the flow of money. But if there are tariffs or other charges added to the current low cost of California food, it may hurt both.
Québec has threatened to secede from Canada for many years and it hasn't happened. I see the same situation in California. California will remain one of the most progressive and freethinking states in the lower 48
Ron
WHEN CALIFORNIA SECEDES (Article) - 12/27/2016 7:51:09 PM
12-26-2016:
All Any Above You Simply Described:
WeLcOmE To MeXiFoRnIa As Illegals
Mexicanos Say Hey You El Estupido
No Comprehendy...
TRASK...
Still Looking For Bill Hill (Article) - 5/23/2016 6:40:19 AM
I am fascinated with history, archaeology and anthropology. My brother spends his weekends in Arizona doing similar things. You seem to be focused on the legend of Bill Hill. I had never heard of his legend before, so your story was very intriguing and well written, suitable for desert magazines and even perhaps, National Geographic.
I noted only two errors: you wrote, "Indian sights [sites]" and used its where you should have used it's [it is] in one place.
Ron
Dad's Treasure (Article) - 10/31/2013 12:00:03 PM
What a wonderful story! What's even more wonderful is that it's true. My father had dreams of owning a bar. At other times a farm. Sometimes a resort. Thankfully, he was never really able to pull off any of these schemes because, mom, who knew to handle money, intervened.
Ron
The Prodigal Polish (Article) - 6/12/2013 5:32:08 AM
Now I know why the chicken crossed the road… It was trying to get to your place. ;-)
My partner's brother has raised Vietnamese fighting chickens for about 15 years here in suburban Houston (close to The Manned Spacecraft Center). I'm not sure and I will not get into his motives, but I think mostly because he likes birds (he had exotics before) and could sell them for a handsome price.
I don't know about coyotes or raccoons, but he did tell me that if a hawk would land in the tall trees near his coops or pens, that his chickens would fly up to the tops of the trees and attack them. I bet the hawks weren't expecting that!
All the Vietnamese around here like to eat, “walking chicken.” Paul has given us some of his, but they are tough and stringy. Still, we get a lot of free eggs that have bright orange, tough yokes because the chickens are free ranging.
I recently scanned the picture of me and my twin brother when we were about 3 years old with our grandmother by her fiberboard chicken coop. As soon as we were old enough, we were jumping off that coop and stinging our feet on the hard packed mud, covered with chicken poop, that served as the barnyard.
Thoroughly enjoyed your article even though I don't raise chickens.
Ron
The Prodigal Polish (Article) - 6/11/2013 10:34:46 PM
Well written very much enjoyed. I also love fresh eggs every morning, we have 12 chickens now, yes we've had experiences with coyotes. Our coop is more for keeping coyotes out, rather than chickens in. Loved your article, thank you!
The Lost Indian Caves of In-Ko-Pah (Article) - 5/16/2009 7:47:51 PM
You article was really very interesting. Perhaps there is more than one entrance to those caves? Was there a river or steam nearby?
The Lost Indian Caves of In-Ko-Pah (Article) - 1/25/2008 10:51:57 AM
Bill and Palma Lewis use to own the land to the north side of 8 and ran a equiptment rental business there. Palma might know something. Plus my brother, Tom and his friend, Ricardo use to run wild all around in this area and try to find something to entertain them. Ill forward This on to my family and friends. Good luck
The Lost Indian Caves of In-Ko-Pah (Article) - 9/2/2007 11:50:16 PM
When I was young, the new US 80 had just been build. I remember a cave in the side of the mountain to the north of the area at the top of the In-Ko-Pah grade. There was a gas station as you came up the grade and the mountain to the west of it had the cave. This was around 1964. Today, the cave is gone and no evidence of it's having been there can be seen from the road.
Suddenly Babies (Article) - 3/1/2003 3:23:17 PM
HA! i'm the other half (karen lynn's twin). enjoyed this story...captured me from the beginning...this is a lovely labor of love! congrats on the twins...((((HUGS)))) and love, karla. :)
Suddenly Babies (Article) - 3/1/2003 12:03:53 PM
good write! congrats on the birth of your twins! love, your friend (who IS a twin!), karen lynn in texas. (((HUGS))) :)
THE BALLAD OF THE SUBURBAN HOMEOWNER BLUES (Poetry) - 1/31/2006 8:17:15 PM
Yup, living out in the boonies takes some gettin' used to after city life...make sure of what you are aiming at when you shoot...someday you may take out another human hunter...like a family member of mine did, not so very long ago...enj0y your autonomy and separation...find peace, Ed & Rufuz
