Sunday, December 25, 2011
MCMXII -- The series begins
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
MCMXII
Saturday, December 3, 2011
12 Movies with body counts higher than Rambo
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Micro
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Losing My Religion
I’ve always believed that “religion” was man-made.
I’ve always believed that “faith” was a spiritual experience that occurred between two kindred beings.
I grew up Methodist. Still am.
Both of my wives have come from Roman Catholic backgrounds.
“Shorty” Bevil, my Methodist pastor when I married that Catholic girl told me, “Don’t ever lose your faith.” He was always careful to distinguish between “faith”, “religion” and “denomination.” It wasn’t a matter of semantics for him. It isn’t for me. I never believed that Jesus Christ came down on the “Day of Pentecost” and established that denomination any more than I believe that the Pope is infallible.
Now an MSNBC contributor, Brian Alexander has published the results of a study presented recently at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association in Las Vegas. Bottom line -- Miss Bob and I should be in church. The study reports that, “college educated white Americans more likely to practice religion than the working class.” We still seem to be contrarians because we don’t fit the demographic for working class white people. Well, you could have fooled me! I still have to work for a living. We’re still white. Perhaps my income doesn’t fit the mold. Anyway, we still have to pay taxes and even though my wife is retired, I still work full time to pay our bills.
Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary defines “religion” as: commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance.
The same source defines “faith” as: belief and trust in and loyalty to God.
We just don’t go to church. Even if we may have lost our religion, we haven’t lost our faith.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Publisher Converting to Young Adult Titles in 2012
They're looking to work with authors who are savvy with social media - those who blog, tweet and update their Facebook status on a daily basis.
Their preference is for authors who already have a book(s) published through a royalty-paying press. Said Langan, "We want to work with those who are familiar with the ins and outs of the publishing process. We seek those who have experience having their work edited and know the effort required for successful book promotion.
There would be NO charge for authors, and those selected would receive 50% of the net retail price in royalties."
We're accepting submissions via email. Our email address is: info@tribute-books.com
We're looking for Microsoft Word documents with a maximum of 350 pages of text with no photos, charts, illustrations, graphs, etc. Manuscripts that have already been professionally edited will receive greater consideration. Our preference is to work with authors who have already been published through a royalty-paying press and who know the ins and outs of book promotion. An established social media platform is a must, and we will not consider writers who do not have a well-followed blog, Facebook page or Twitter account.
Our preference is for damn good writing, the particular topic is secondary in importance. However, books written with a series in mind or those that delve into the paranormal will have a slight edge.
The ebooks will be available through Kindle, Nook, iPad, Smashwords and as PDF downloads through Tribute-Books.com.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
New site focuses on the art and literature of TRAVEL
I'll be blogging more about subjects and artists and authors related to the site as time goes by.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Is torture ever appropriate?
Monday, October 10, 2011
National History Examiner
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Why I Wear High Tops
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Faces of Folkmoot
Friday, July 29, 2011
Pharmacy Security Survey -- RESULTS
To no surprise, three preferences surfaced among respondents.
1) Pharmacy customers prefer to shop where they feel safe; both when selecting the neighborhood and the specific pharmacy.
2) Pharmacy customers feel safer when an armed uniformed guard is present.
3) The public has little confidence in the effectiveness of video cameras to prevent crime.
Here are the highlights:
1) 50.8% say they never shop in a high risk neighborhood. (8% felt that any pharmacy that stocks Oxycontin and Percocet is high risk.)
2) 77.8% would prefer to see an armed uniform security person near the Rx Dept.
3) 71.4% feel that the big chains should do more than just set up video surveillance.
4) 80.9% would not mind if their pharmacist was armed (concealed weapon).
5) 23.8% said they have concealed weapon permits and have/do carry weapons into the pharmacy when they shop.
6) 52.4% feel that metal detectors at the store entrance are an invasion of privacy and are not in favor of their use.
There were seven questions and #4 above combines the results of two similar questions.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Boycott!
Friday, July 8, 2011
Bad Behavior Bedevils Buckeyes - Death Penalty Looms
FCEtier Prints in Gatlinburg, TN
Friday, July 1, 2011
Michael Vick
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Father's Day 2011

"Love is like a dying ember
Only memories remain.
And through the ages I'll remember...." -- Fred Rose
Remember the day you learned how to ride a bicycle.
Remember the day you learned how to throw a ball.
Remember the day you learned how to use a hammer -- and maybe a saw.
Who taught you how to plant a tree?
Who taught you how to paint?
Who taught you how to drive?
Who helped you rake the leaves?
Who helped you build your first fire (either camp or in the fireplace)?
Who helped you with your homework?
Do you know how to use a compass?
Do you know how to use a firearm safely? (See photo -- my Dad taught me to hunt.)
Do you know how to bar-be-que?
These are just a dozen experiences my father shared with me. No doubt many readers will identify. It's also likely that many readers will have shared these experiences not with their biological fathers, but step-fathers, other father-figures (uncles, brothers, cousins, family friends), or their mothers.
If this significant person in your life is gone now (either literally or figuratively), as is mine, perhaps we can share a moment in reflection and remember them today. Not a day goes by that I don't think of my father who died in 2005. In fact, my associates will tell you that I quote my father perhaps more than anyone else, except George Patton.
As I get older, the memories do remain and remind me of the love we shared.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Women Who Rock

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum opened their exhibit today honoring female artists that have made a significant contribution to rock and roll.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
The Manhattan Project

Sunday, April 24, 2011
Travel Photography - Continuing

The scene in the accompanying photo is on my way to work and the other day, I decided to stop and shoot it. This dogwood tree is in a field on Cruso Road as drivers head up towards Cold Mountain. The fence in the foreground and the trees behind frame it nicely with the bright white blossoms drawing the eye into the upper left third of the frame.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Missing the Cold War, Part II -- Conclusion

The conclusion of the article by guest blogger, Reese McKay.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Missing the Cold War
Today's guest blogger has been a life-long friend. We were close all through jr. high and high school. Then college and life took us in different directions. Last year we got together again for our high school reunion and discovered that we still have similar interests and opinions. As before, we don't always agree and we still enjoy lively conversations on a wide range of topics. Unlike my wife and I, he doesn't practice politibacy -- nor is he an apolitical inactivist.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Super Moon

Here's the link to my gallery of 13 shots I made of the "Super Moon".
http://etier.zenfolio.com/p748786303
I hope you enjoy them and will leave comments with your reactions either in the gallery or here on the blog. Thanks for stopping by and viewing my work.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Louisiana Swamp Shoot

Last week I drove back home to Louisiana to conduct a photo shoot in the swamps near where I grew up.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Serial Photography


Friday, February 25, 2011
Travel Photography

Watch for my images soon on a new website dedicated to "travel photography". When the site is up and running, I'll post a link. (Sample image included here is Cumberland Falls in Kentucky. The image is copyrighted by RFWLLC and it's use or reproduction is prohibited.)
Monday, February 21, 2011
Nude in Art
For over 25,000 years, the nude as been the most enduring subject in art.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
"Crashing Augusta" reviewed
My review of a collection of short stories (originally published in Playboy) was published today over at Technorati.com.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Vargas Remembered

Vargas’ work is considered by many critics and aficionados to be some of, if not the best, of the pin-up and illustrator category. It is both inspired and inspiring and therefore some of the most copied. A Google search for “alberto vargas” yields 2,240,000 results. Delving into that search, you can still find specific site references to Vargas’ beautiful, sensual, exotic women nineteen pages deep.
A search on YouTube for “vargas girls” turns up an amazing 750 results; that’s a lot of video clips! It must be mind boggling for curators of his work and representatives of his estate to protect the images from those who would use his incredible talent and amazing work for personal gain. Out of millions of reproductions of his work, there’s just no telling how many are meant to honor the man and his work and how many are malicious attempts to capitalize on the name/ “Vargas” for personal gain. No doubt, Playboy magazine has an interest in various copyrighted works as well – Vargas became a household name because of Hugh Hefner.
As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and it was proven time and again in the military. Countless aircraft carried images (many inspired or copied from Vargas) of scantily clad women with suggestive names. Shown above is the “Memphis Belle” along with the original Vargas girl that inspired the nose art. (Image credit: B24BestWeb.com)
Check out my article commemorating the 115th anniversary of the birth
of AlbertoVargas here: http://technorati.com/entertainment/article/vargas-remembered/
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Cholesterol
My total cholesterol blood value has hovered around 200 for over 15 years. Last year it was 237. We're waiting on results of lab tests done last week to see how it stands now. After reading and reviewing this new book, I'm VERY reluctant to consider oral meds.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Convergence

Jazz pianist, Lynne Arriale will be releasing her eleventh CD on February 8, 2011. It's dynamite!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
iPad, iPhone, iPhull -- Playboy Offers an Apple
“Is that an iPad in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?” – Mae West would most likely enjoy the opportunities that our media-driven world now offers for more people to be happy to see her. Whether you’re using the new Playboy Hard Drive or looking forward to the just announced Playboy feature (about to be available on iPad) to fill your eyes with beautiful models, opportunities abound.
No longer will viewers need to rely on hiding their covertly obtained copies of the magazine in their closet or under the bed. Now when an unwanted pair of eyes approaches, you can minimize the screen – just like on a computer – or simply put your iPad face down.
On Thursday, January 19, Hugh Hefner announced (via his “official” Twitter account) that Playboy (archives and new issues) would be available “uncensored” on iPad. That news became a cause celeb and sparked a media explosion over the possibility of Apple changing their rules to accommodate what some people regard as porn. Later, with another post on Twitter, Hefner amended his previous statement by saying, “Playboy will be available on iPad without the Playmates. Steve Jobs has a thing about nudity.”
Hef is in the process of taking over control of the Bunny Empire and has over the years learned that there is no such thing as bad publicity or a bad review. Since news came out about the possible buy-out, Playboy Enterprises has been in the news constantly. Last fall came the announcement of the Playboy Hard Drive and the news that more Playboy Clubs are on the drawing board. A new line of “retro” oriented Playboy products was revealed. Now the iPad thing has the attention of all the media news bureaus and others such as Device, PC magazine, and Forbes.
Forbes reports, “According to a Playboy spokeswoman, the content will be accessible through a ‘web-based subscription service’ that can be opened on the iPad. Meanwhile, iPad users will be able to access a nudity-free Playboy iPad app that meets Apple’s current guidelines.”
Hefner’s recent moves could be counterproductive. Playboy products are multiplying like rabbits! If he’s too successful, the term, “Playboy” could become too commonly used and endanger his copyright just like Xerox, Kleenex, PhotoShop, Jell-O, Band-Aid and aspirin.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Stereotypes, Profiling and Prejudice -- A Prelude to Black History Month
Role-playing is a part of our lives. Americans are used to it. There was an entire session devoted to teaching us how to change roles quickly and completely in the Dale Carnegie Course I took back in 1978. At the time, I had a wife, two small kids and a job. Throughout the day I had to change roles frequently. Daddy, husband, gardener, mechanic were all different duties around the house. At work, doing my specific job wasn’t enough. At times I was a counselor, cashier, stock boy, janitor, and pharmacist. It’s hard to avoid letting one role interfere with another.
Often, our societies and cultures assign us roles. Many times those assignments are based entirely on the color of our skin, our ancestry, where we live, or our religion. As the general public becomes familiar, those assignments morph into stereotypes. How we respond, of course, varies. In 1650, George Fox mentioned in his journal that his religious sect was ridiculed because they would “tremble at the word of God.” Over time, The Society of Friends embraced their stereotype and now everyone knows about the “Quakers”.
Emphasize, or over-emphasize an aspect of a subject and you have a caricature. One example that comes to mind would be a drawing of Jay Leno with an overly large bottom jaw. Archie Bunker was a character whose popularity and acceptance turned out to be the antithesis of his creator’s intent. According to Wikipedia, “Norman Lear was shocked when Bunker quietly became a beloved figure to much of
Some might be surprised to learn that an outspoken apologist for Mr. Bunker was the man who once described himself as “the most discriminated-against person in
Discrimination leads us directly into profiling. This writer experienced it back in 1973 when a long lost cousin from
Flash forward to a CNN report in 2005 from Paula Zahn about an airline ticketing agent who checked in Mohamed Atta on September 11, 2001, who “would later say that looking at the pair his first reaction was to think ‘If this doesn't look like two Arab terrorists, I've never seen two Arab terrorists.’ But he immediately felt guilty, and had no legal grounds to search on the basis of their suspicious appearance had he wished to.”
Many readers will remember the story of Danny Glover and his experience with the
The late Michael Crichton, author, medical doctor and anthropologist defined prejudice as “opinion in the absence of evidence.” When we form opinions based on stereotypes, caricatures, profiling and prejudice, we make mistakes that can not only be embarrassing to ourselves, but potentially hurtful and disrespectful to the subject. Dr. Dorian McCoy, a personal friend of this writer earned his doctorate at L.S.U. and took a job teaching at the
Stereotyping, profiling, and prejudice may be the only facets of inter-racial relations that are truly non-discriminatory. We’ve all been victims and we’re all guilty as charged. Will complaining about it, acts of aggression and filing suit help? Perhaps we should take the advice of Jesus Christ when he said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone.” (KJV). Remember the question asked in 1991 by another man who became famous, “Can’t we all get along?”
The answer to Rodney King’s question should be a resounding “Yes!” It will take generations of hard work, self examination, and individual acceptance of responsibility for attitudes and mutual respect for it to happen. But it’s possible.