Bill Conrad's Blog, page 7
September 25, 2024
Reagan: The Movie
The ‘80s was a fantastic time to be a teenager; music, clothes, and the future was truly here. At the center of it all was Reagan, the great leader. Yet everyone knew he was mentally struggling. Every press event made the news with all his nonsense. A crazy time in history.
That sounds like a fun topic for a movie, and somebody made one. I watched Reagan a few weeks ago. Dennis Quaid did a good job of portraying him, but the filmmakers significantly downplayed the controversies. This is understandable because the intent was to show Reagan in the best light. I rate the film as a B, but that is not the topic of this article.
I wanted to discuss is how the filmmaker presented the story. Biographies have many formats, such as an organized timeline (pure documentary), jumping around (in time), third party (like a family member telling the story), interviews with the people who were there, upping the drama/changing facts to spice up the story or only showing key elements to force a narrative.
The filmmaker presented the story through the eyes of a KGB agent assigned to study Reagan. This choice focused the movie on the battle between communism and democracy.
To make his (the KGB agent) point, he highlighted events in Reagan’s life, including his time as a lifeguard. Reagan sat for hours looking at the river, which allowed him to predict when a person would be in trouble. Reagan applied this technique to analyze a political situation and predict the future. I do not know if it is true, but it is undoubtedly a unique way of presenting a film.
I would have never considered using this method to tell Reagan’s story. I prefer linear timelines that give the reader/viewer a clear picture of well-defined events. Yet, there is no denying that the filmmakers created something special.
It is a life philosophy of mine to look for valuable information, techniques, locations, and people to improve my life. Plus, I go to great lengths to learn from other people’s mistakes. So, how can I incorporate this excellent method of telling a story? Err… Umm… I have never written a story with a narrator because I do not visualize a plot in the third person. Sally does A, while Bob does B. There is no C. In your life, is there a KGB agent walking behind you, commenting on everything you do? Me, neither.
Well, I could do a thought experiment by re-telling the Reagan movie. I tried this out loud, and the result sounded like I was reading a letter. “My name is Bill, and I have been Ronald Reagan’s best friend since I sat next to him in grade school. His father was a drunk and…” Wow, that was awful. Take two.
I decided to go with what I knew. “I have never met Reagan, nor do I know any of his early history, but I grew up in the ‘80s, and here is what I witnessed. (Insert ‘80s history) As for the rest? Here is what I read on Wikipedia. (Insert more details) Well, that’s Reagan.” Still lousy. I can do better.
Alright, I loved the movie The Princess Bride. In the first scene, the grandfather enters his sick grandson’s room and reads a book. Then, his voice narrated the film. What a fantastic technique. “So, grandson, I’m going to tell you something about our former president.” (Insert early history.) (Switch back to room with grandfather.) “That’s when he got into acting. This was a pivotal moment.” (Talks about Reagan’s early career.) (Insert clips from his films.)
I suppose that is the classical way to have a third person narrate a film while exploring history. The problem is that while The Princess Bride was a superb film, I do not think this technique works for a person who is bigger than life like Reagan. Why? The person would have to be even bigger than Reagan, and only a super-secret KGB agent could fulfill that role.
So, I took a walk to think about the problem. In the process, I eliminated two possibilities. I do not believe a first-person approach would work. This would involve an actor directly portraying Reagan without a narrator. The story was too big, and the film lasted hours. Another option I do not think would work is the AMC biography format. This narrator discusses a character’s life with photos and short film clips. While a fantastic AMC documentary, it would be a boring film.
How about a first-first-person meaning that the actor portraying Reagan would narrate his own story? This would also take forever. It appears I hit idea bedrock. Bummer.
Well, not all is lost. The Reagan movie provided another tool for my writing toolbox, plus the effort to write this article allowed me to understand what it is like to create a narrated story. Not how I intended to conclude this article, but I enjoyed writing it.
You’re the best -Bill
September 25, 2024
That sounds like a fun topic for a movie, and somebody made one. I watched Reagan a few weeks ago. Dennis Quaid did a good job of portraying him, but the filmmakers significantly downplayed the controversies. This is understandable because the intent was to show Reagan in the best light. I rate the film as a B, but that is not the topic of this article.
I wanted to discuss is how the filmmaker presented the story. Biographies have many formats, such as an organized timeline (pure documentary), jumping around (in time), third party (like a family member telling the story), interviews with the people who were there, upping the drama/changing facts to spice up the story or only showing key elements to force a narrative.
The filmmaker presented the story through the eyes of a KGB agent assigned to study Reagan. This choice focused the movie on the battle between communism and democracy.
To make his (the KGB agent) point, he highlighted events in Reagan’s life, including his time as a lifeguard. Reagan sat for hours looking at the river, which allowed him to predict when a person would be in trouble. Reagan applied this technique to analyze a political situation and predict the future. I do not know if it is true, but it is undoubtedly a unique way of presenting a film.
I would have never considered using this method to tell Reagan’s story. I prefer linear timelines that give the reader/viewer a clear picture of well-defined events. Yet, there is no denying that the filmmakers created something special.
It is a life philosophy of mine to look for valuable information, techniques, locations, and people to improve my life. Plus, I go to great lengths to learn from other people’s mistakes. So, how can I incorporate this excellent method of telling a story? Err… Umm… I have never written a story with a narrator because I do not visualize a plot in the third person. Sally does A, while Bob does B. There is no C. In your life, is there a KGB agent walking behind you, commenting on everything you do? Me, neither.
Well, I could do a thought experiment by re-telling the Reagan movie. I tried this out loud, and the result sounded like I was reading a letter. “My name is Bill, and I have been Ronald Reagan’s best friend since I sat next to him in grade school. His father was a drunk and…” Wow, that was awful. Take two.
I decided to go with what I knew. “I have never met Reagan, nor do I know any of his early history, but I grew up in the ‘80s, and here is what I witnessed. (Insert ‘80s history) As for the rest? Here is what I read on Wikipedia. (Insert more details) Well, that’s Reagan.” Still lousy. I can do better.
Alright, I loved the movie The Princess Bride. In the first scene, the grandfather enters his sick grandson’s room and reads a book. Then, his voice narrated the film. What a fantastic technique. “So, grandson, I’m going to tell you something about our former president.” (Insert early history.) (Switch back to room with grandfather.) “That’s when he got into acting. This was a pivotal moment.” (Talks about Reagan’s early career.) (Insert clips from his films.)
I suppose that is the classical way to have a third person narrate a film while exploring history. The problem is that while The Princess Bride was a superb film, I do not think this technique works for a person who is bigger than life like Reagan. Why? The person would have to be even bigger than Reagan, and only a super-secret KGB agent could fulfill that role.
So, I took a walk to think about the problem. In the process, I eliminated two possibilities. I do not believe a first-person approach would work. This would involve an actor directly portraying Reagan without a narrator. The story was too big, and the film lasted hours. Another option I do not think would work is the AMC biography format. This narrator discusses a character’s life with photos and short film clips. While a fantastic AMC documentary, it would be a boring film.
How about a first-first-person meaning that the actor portraying Reagan would narrate his own story? This would also take forever. It appears I hit idea bedrock. Bummer.
Well, not all is lost. The Reagan movie provided another tool for my writing toolbox, plus the effort to write this article allowed me to understand what it is like to create a narrated story. Not how I intended to conclude this article, but I enjoyed writing it.
You’re the best -Bill
September 25, 2024
September 17, 2024
Use My Power for Good or for Awesome?
At the beginning of the internet, there was a series of animated Flash videos inspired by The Strong Bads from the video game Tag Team Wrestling. The idea of the video was that Strong Bad would answer viewers’ emails while dealing with his own problems.
In the first episode, Strong Bad reads an email asking him if he should use his powers for good or for awesome. It was a funny introduction to the series, but it got me thinking when I recently watched the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBIx-...
I have written many articles covering writing, life, and random thoughts. It occurred to me that I now have a tiny group of followers. Wow, my own army. So cool! What can I do with this awesome power base?
Well-known people use their fame to promote causes, voice personal opinions, and rant. Climate change is a popular topic, and many people have strong ideas about solving this important issue. Of course, big issues do not have simple solutions, but that does not stop celebrities from sharing their thoughts.
What is the effect of my articles? One recent article examined my distaste for ALL CAPATOL LETTER BOOK TITLES. This reads like the author is SHOUTING their title at me when it should read, “Hey, you look like an amazing reader. Why don’t you pull up a chair and read my book?” I wrote that article to encourage authors to treat readers more respectfully as opposed to a call to action, threat, or DEMAND.
So, indeed, I used my minor base of followers to get my point heard. Let’s put one in the good column. Yay? Well, how about a big issue like the homeless? I certainly think about solving this vital topic, but there is a problem. I do not wish to alienate my loyal fan base. Why would my opinion upset my readers? After all, they have stuck with me so far.
People who regularly read my articles have certain expectations. They expect certain content and are not looking for other content, such as an “in your face” opinion. If my readers were in the mood for such a lightning rod topic, they would seek out other writers who often share such thoughts while knowing in advance that there will be content they might disagree with.
What if I had an important topic that I would risk angering people? There are certainly issues that I care about, and I do have ideas that are not mentioned in the mainstream media. So, why not share them? “Once a month, I will tackle a big issue.” Umm, no.
My intent for writing articles is laser-focused. I only desire to show potential readers what I am about, introduce them to my books, and have a little fun. Therefore, revealing a critical opinion is not in my best interest.
Well, I could go out on a limb. Just once. I promise. Why? It is essential to try new things so that I can grow as a person. Thus, I will share my opinion on a topic of great concern to me: the homeless.
My personality is of the type to methodically tackle problems and start by taking a high-level view. Let’s get some background. I live in the homeless capital of the United States, California. Why are there so many homeless? We have a good climate and a population/government friendly to their plight. Who are the homeless? They are a group of people in our society who do not own houses or have enough money to pay rent and…
Do you see the multiple problems after only one paragraph? I have already failed to meet my strict standards because my general description grouped everybody. Each homeless person has their own story, problems, situation, wishes, level of self-discipline, medical/mental/drug abuse issues, expectations for what society owes them, and desire for how their future should unfold. Oops.
There is an even larger elephant in the room. I have close to zero expertise in this subject. Yes, I have met and talked to several homeless people, seen where they live, and lightly read up on the matter, but this does not qualify me for anything.
To further complicate matters, the definition of homelessness now includes people living out of their car/recreational vehicles/campers/boat, occupying abandoned buildings, squatting on private/public property, building permanent structures, voting, going to school, having jobs, paying taxes, and being represented by special interest groups/lawyers. Assuming these vastly different people are the same is a massive mistake.
And therein lies the problem. This is not a one-solution problem, but laws, politicians, the media, celebrities, and plain old folks like me think they have the best approach because they have not fully studied the issue to form an educated opinion.
It appears my experiment ended in total failure. Now, hold on. “You must break some eggs to make a cake. Bill, you tried and failed. I give you credit for trying something new.” Mmm, no.
I have a small fanbase because I stick to the topics I have experience with. Readers can spot fraud from a mile away, so even though I had good intentions, I must consider that a properly written article requires extensive study, planning, and time for properly writing a solid article. Only then would readers allow me to use my powers for awesome.
I suppose I have come full circle. I only use my powers for good but never intended to be a superstar. I am good with that life choice. Still, it would be cool to change the world positively, if only in some small but awesome way.
You’re the best -Bill
September 17, 2024
Hey, book lovers, I published four. Please check them out:
Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.
Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.
Cable Ties. A slow-burn political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.
Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.
These books are available in softcover on Amazon and in eBook format everywhere.
In the first episode, Strong Bad reads an email asking him if he should use his powers for good or for awesome. It was a funny introduction to the series, but it got me thinking when I recently watched the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBIx-...
I have written many articles covering writing, life, and random thoughts. It occurred to me that I now have a tiny group of followers. Wow, my own army. So cool! What can I do with this awesome power base?
Well-known people use their fame to promote causes, voice personal opinions, and rant. Climate change is a popular topic, and many people have strong ideas about solving this important issue. Of course, big issues do not have simple solutions, but that does not stop celebrities from sharing their thoughts.
What is the effect of my articles? One recent article examined my distaste for ALL CAPATOL LETTER BOOK TITLES. This reads like the author is SHOUTING their title at me when it should read, “Hey, you look like an amazing reader. Why don’t you pull up a chair and read my book?” I wrote that article to encourage authors to treat readers more respectfully as opposed to a call to action, threat, or DEMAND.
So, indeed, I used my minor base of followers to get my point heard. Let’s put one in the good column. Yay? Well, how about a big issue like the homeless? I certainly think about solving this vital topic, but there is a problem. I do not wish to alienate my loyal fan base. Why would my opinion upset my readers? After all, they have stuck with me so far.
People who regularly read my articles have certain expectations. They expect certain content and are not looking for other content, such as an “in your face” opinion. If my readers were in the mood for such a lightning rod topic, they would seek out other writers who often share such thoughts while knowing in advance that there will be content they might disagree with.
What if I had an important topic that I would risk angering people? There are certainly issues that I care about, and I do have ideas that are not mentioned in the mainstream media. So, why not share them? “Once a month, I will tackle a big issue.” Umm, no.
My intent for writing articles is laser-focused. I only desire to show potential readers what I am about, introduce them to my books, and have a little fun. Therefore, revealing a critical opinion is not in my best interest.
Well, I could go out on a limb. Just once. I promise. Why? It is essential to try new things so that I can grow as a person. Thus, I will share my opinion on a topic of great concern to me: the homeless.
My personality is of the type to methodically tackle problems and start by taking a high-level view. Let’s get some background. I live in the homeless capital of the United States, California. Why are there so many homeless? We have a good climate and a population/government friendly to their plight. Who are the homeless? They are a group of people in our society who do not own houses or have enough money to pay rent and…
Do you see the multiple problems after only one paragraph? I have already failed to meet my strict standards because my general description grouped everybody. Each homeless person has their own story, problems, situation, wishes, level of self-discipline, medical/mental/drug abuse issues, expectations for what society owes them, and desire for how their future should unfold. Oops.
There is an even larger elephant in the room. I have close to zero expertise in this subject. Yes, I have met and talked to several homeless people, seen where they live, and lightly read up on the matter, but this does not qualify me for anything.
To further complicate matters, the definition of homelessness now includes people living out of their car/recreational vehicles/campers/boat, occupying abandoned buildings, squatting on private/public property, building permanent structures, voting, going to school, having jobs, paying taxes, and being represented by special interest groups/lawyers. Assuming these vastly different people are the same is a massive mistake.
And therein lies the problem. This is not a one-solution problem, but laws, politicians, the media, celebrities, and plain old folks like me think they have the best approach because they have not fully studied the issue to form an educated opinion.
It appears my experiment ended in total failure. Now, hold on. “You must break some eggs to make a cake. Bill, you tried and failed. I give you credit for trying something new.” Mmm, no.
I have a small fanbase because I stick to the topics I have experience with. Readers can spot fraud from a mile away, so even though I had good intentions, I must consider that a properly written article requires extensive study, planning, and time for properly writing a solid article. Only then would readers allow me to use my powers for awesome.
I suppose I have come full circle. I only use my powers for good but never intended to be a superstar. I am good with that life choice. Still, it would be cool to change the world positively, if only in some small but awesome way.
You’re the best -Bill
September 17, 2024
Hey, book lovers, I published four. Please check them out:
Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.
Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.
Cable Ties. A slow-burn political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.
Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.
These books are available in softcover on Amazon and in eBook format everywhere.
September 11, 2024
Is Proper English Still necessary?
When I was a young pup, all the students immediately grasped reading and writing. It looked so easy, but I struggled despite trying my best. Things began changing in the ninth grade, and I started making peace with grammar, spelling, and writing.
Why was mastering the English language so important? English? They ripped off the word from the name of a country. Lame. The answer is that we no longer solely depend on verbal words to communicate in our modern society. Instead, we write concepts on paper, enter them into a computer, or print them on a printing press. Written words have become the primary means of communication, information, computation, and understanding. Thus, it is necessary to have an agreed-upon format, and education forces students to follow these rules.
And the result is fantastic. “Today, I ate a red apple for breakfast.” There is no ambiguity in that sentence. Every single reader 100% understood exactly what information I intended to convey. And what a great sentence! Did you notice the capital letter at the beginning and the period at the end? How helpful! And that coma? Readers know exactly when to pause while speaking. Genius!
Professionals, employers, teachers, and readers expect/demand good sentence structure to work, communicate, understand, research, record, archive, share, debate, and absorb the content. Even if all the meaning is present, a poorly written sentence trips up the system because readers get confused. Sometimes, the error can be so bad that the confusion can only be resolved by contacting the author.
Finally, a well-written document is so much more impressive. It stands out as the mark of a true professional, and they can be proud of their creation. Proper documents power our modern world and prepare us for a fantastic future.
Well, it seems like I have summed things up neatly. Spelling, punctuation, and grammar are all essential for a functioning society. Nothing more to say. Yet… Some cracks are forming. Let’s start with the with our “solid foundation.” What is the standard set of rules for the English language? That’s easy. The Chicago Manual of Style. Obviously!
Umm, how many kids/adults even know about this book? Did the teacher bring it out in your first-grade class? No. Why not? Oh, it is too complex for kids. Now, hold on. Remember going to Sunday school as a kid to learn about religion? Yup, on the first day, some religious person tossed a Bible/Torah/Koran right at you, and you spent the next 10-100 years trying to figure out the meaning.
Have you read the Chicago Manual of Style? What a confusing mess! But it is perfect, right? Umm. Why is it on the seventeenth edition? Hmm, it sounds like the manual needed improving. And who decided the Chicago Manual of Style was the master default source? I never even heard of the thing until I was 50.
It used to be that when you bought a car, you jumped in and drove off. The Lexus we purchased five years ago has FIVE manuals. The owner’s manual is 907 pages, and the entertainment/navigation system is 416 pages. Is it necessary to read all that? If you want to understand how to navigate, it sure is.
According to Toner Buzz:
• Each year, 500,000 to 1 million new books come out.
• Including self-published authors, the count reaches close to 4 million new book titles each year.
• In 2021, there were about 2.3 million new self-published books in the US, marking a decline compared to the preceding two years.
https://www.tonerbuzz.com/blog/how-ma...
Plus there is internet information, prior published books, newspapers, magazines, textbooks, journals, letters, and advertisements. They even have entire buildings filled with books, called libraries. What is a library? Dang, you will have to go to the library, to get a dictionary to look up that word.
It is all too much, and something must give. Quality. Yes, the effort we put into writing quality has begun to slip. Now, English errors are more common and get less attention.
Speaking of introducing errors, we now have a new player. Yes, Artificial Intelligence is now in the typeset seat. Yay! Need to create a 1000-word report about George Washington? ChatGPT: Create a 1000-word report about the life and history of George Washington. Done! And the result will read well. Very well! But… ChatGPT is not a person. It makes weird mistakes, gets repetitive, confusing, wordy, and produces incorrect results. But the grammar/spelling and punctuation is fantastic. Right?
ChatGPT created sentences that look good with a quick review, but I see flaws when I study sentence structure. (Note: I do not use ChatGPT for writing. I do use it for a story idea sounding board.) The funny thing is that ChatGPT is getting worse. It blabbers on about nonsense and gets into strange side tangents. I have spotted two glaring spelling mistakes.
We have another problem: Spell/grammar checkers. Wow, they have changed my life. I love Grammarly, ProWritingAid, Thesarus.com, Dictonary.com, Wikipedia, and random name generators. Astounding! And I can even hire a ghostwriter, beta reader, or copy editor. They charge by the word. Just like Uber charges by the mile!
What happens when these incredible resources disagree? All those tools are synchronized to the latest edition of The Chicago Manual of Style, The Modern Language Association of America handbook, and the Oxford Dictionary. Right? They are not? What? How can that be? They do their own thing because nobody can agree upon the rules. Know what is worse? Besides America, other countries speak English, and their rules differ.
Plus, there is a new player: social media and streaming sites. We used to get all our essential information from written sources like textbooks, manuals, guides, reference books, or data sheets. Let’s say I want to remove the engine from my car. I used to go to the library and check out one or more books on automotive repair. Then, I would search for the chapter on engine removal and follow the steps. The manual will include important cautions, tips, warnings, and pictures/diagrams.
Now, I search YouTube for “engine removal” and then watch the informative video. If I do not like the video, I click on another. What is the problem? YouTube viewers will listen to a person naturally speaking without a script, and there will be many grammatical errors. This means that hearing verbal errors is becoming more acceptable, which translates to writing errors being more acceptable.
Now for the most significant attack on the English language. Kids text all day and night. Punctuation is actively frowned upon, and kids intentionally misspell words. Teachers are completely overwhelmed, and they have another problem.
Popular social agendas have ruined the education system, and politicians are introducing programs without trials or public input. For example, my daughter graduated from a high school with the “No Child Left Behind” program. Wow, that sounds impressive.
What did this program replace? They used to have an Advanced Placement class for the smart kids, a regular class, and a class to help the struggling kids. Now, they throw them together with the idea that the smart kids will help struggling kids.
Result? Group tests, projects, and homework. My daughter was placed with three average kids and two struggles. So, she would do the work while the others play on their phones. Even when she asks for their input, they refuse to help. A+ for everyone! What does this mean? This means that chimps learning sign language get a better education than five out of six kids.
It gets worse. Because the administrators at her high school spent all their money on giving themselves raises, they must cheap out as much as possible. So, they use open-source (free) software instead of industry-standard programs. Do companies use open-source programs? No, because they must administer their employees, open-source programs are nearly impossible to control, secure, or maintain.
Now, I must pivot. I got my latest book back from my copy editor and have been reviewing the edits. My guy is fantastic and uncovered so many errors I never would have spotted. Wonderful!
Well, I found a significant error that the copy editor missed. See if you can spot it. This is a dialog between two characters:
“I try.”
“Stop being so modest and take the compliment,” Kim chided,
“Alright.”
I ended a sentence with a comma and not a period. This mistake is easy to miss because a comma and a period look similar. Side note: Grammarly, Microsoft Word, and ProWritingAid also missed it. Boo!
This error is big enough for a bus to drive through. And I was even more upset because I caught the mistake after reviewing the document several times. But then I thought about the reality of the situation. Was my mistake that bad?
I see spelling mistakes on massive billboards, gobbledygook from bestselling authors, and text messages that are so bad that I cannot make heads or tails of them. My comma mix-up was a minor boo-boo—no big deal.
Yet, I remained angry. “I should have caught this! My editor should have caught this! Hey, you messed up, Grammarly, Microsoft Word, and ProWritingAid!”
Am I writing this article to give myself a pass? No, quite the opposite. Today, there are more tools than ever to correct English flaws. Plus, the internet provides a vast resource for properly learning English, and the rules are better documented than ever. So, there is no excuse for improper English.
Yet… Have you read a book review lately? I often see comments like: “Needed editing.” “I spotted six spelling errors in the first chapter.” “Did a sixth grader write this?” “They used ChatGPT to write the entire book.”
And there is a final smack in the face. It has taken me a lifetime of struggling to attain basic English skills. Now that I can appreciate finely crafted sentences (I love you, Neil Gaiman!!!), everything has turned to junk.
My question remains. How upset should I be by my comma mistake? So many people discourage proper English, and a well-written sentence looks out of place. My answer is that I will try my best, but this feels like a battle where I am the only one who cares about the outcome.
You’re the best -Bill
September 11, 2024
Why was mastering the English language so important? English? They ripped off the word from the name of a country. Lame. The answer is that we no longer solely depend on verbal words to communicate in our modern society. Instead, we write concepts on paper, enter them into a computer, or print them on a printing press. Written words have become the primary means of communication, information, computation, and understanding. Thus, it is necessary to have an agreed-upon format, and education forces students to follow these rules.
And the result is fantastic. “Today, I ate a red apple for breakfast.” There is no ambiguity in that sentence. Every single reader 100% understood exactly what information I intended to convey. And what a great sentence! Did you notice the capital letter at the beginning and the period at the end? How helpful! And that coma? Readers know exactly when to pause while speaking. Genius!
Professionals, employers, teachers, and readers expect/demand good sentence structure to work, communicate, understand, research, record, archive, share, debate, and absorb the content. Even if all the meaning is present, a poorly written sentence trips up the system because readers get confused. Sometimes, the error can be so bad that the confusion can only be resolved by contacting the author.
Finally, a well-written document is so much more impressive. It stands out as the mark of a true professional, and they can be proud of their creation. Proper documents power our modern world and prepare us for a fantastic future.
Well, it seems like I have summed things up neatly. Spelling, punctuation, and grammar are all essential for a functioning society. Nothing more to say. Yet… Some cracks are forming. Let’s start with the with our “solid foundation.” What is the standard set of rules for the English language? That’s easy. The Chicago Manual of Style. Obviously!
Umm, how many kids/adults even know about this book? Did the teacher bring it out in your first-grade class? No. Why not? Oh, it is too complex for kids. Now, hold on. Remember going to Sunday school as a kid to learn about religion? Yup, on the first day, some religious person tossed a Bible/Torah/Koran right at you, and you spent the next 10-100 years trying to figure out the meaning.
Have you read the Chicago Manual of Style? What a confusing mess! But it is perfect, right? Umm. Why is it on the seventeenth edition? Hmm, it sounds like the manual needed improving. And who decided the Chicago Manual of Style was the master default source? I never even heard of the thing until I was 50.
It used to be that when you bought a car, you jumped in and drove off. The Lexus we purchased five years ago has FIVE manuals. The owner’s manual is 907 pages, and the entertainment/navigation system is 416 pages. Is it necessary to read all that? If you want to understand how to navigate, it sure is.
According to Toner Buzz:
• Each year, 500,000 to 1 million new books come out.
• Including self-published authors, the count reaches close to 4 million new book titles each year.
• In 2021, there were about 2.3 million new self-published books in the US, marking a decline compared to the preceding two years.
https://www.tonerbuzz.com/blog/how-ma...
Plus there is internet information, prior published books, newspapers, magazines, textbooks, journals, letters, and advertisements. They even have entire buildings filled with books, called libraries. What is a library? Dang, you will have to go to the library, to get a dictionary to look up that word.
It is all too much, and something must give. Quality. Yes, the effort we put into writing quality has begun to slip. Now, English errors are more common and get less attention.
Speaking of introducing errors, we now have a new player. Yes, Artificial Intelligence is now in the typeset seat. Yay! Need to create a 1000-word report about George Washington? ChatGPT: Create a 1000-word report about the life and history of George Washington. Done! And the result will read well. Very well! But… ChatGPT is not a person. It makes weird mistakes, gets repetitive, confusing, wordy, and produces incorrect results. But the grammar/spelling and punctuation is fantastic. Right?
ChatGPT created sentences that look good with a quick review, but I see flaws when I study sentence structure. (Note: I do not use ChatGPT for writing. I do use it for a story idea sounding board.) The funny thing is that ChatGPT is getting worse. It blabbers on about nonsense and gets into strange side tangents. I have spotted two glaring spelling mistakes.
We have another problem: Spell/grammar checkers. Wow, they have changed my life. I love Grammarly, ProWritingAid, Thesarus.com, Dictonary.com, Wikipedia, and random name generators. Astounding! And I can even hire a ghostwriter, beta reader, or copy editor. They charge by the word. Just like Uber charges by the mile!
What happens when these incredible resources disagree? All those tools are synchronized to the latest edition of The Chicago Manual of Style, The Modern Language Association of America handbook, and the Oxford Dictionary. Right? They are not? What? How can that be? They do their own thing because nobody can agree upon the rules. Know what is worse? Besides America, other countries speak English, and their rules differ.
Plus, there is a new player: social media and streaming sites. We used to get all our essential information from written sources like textbooks, manuals, guides, reference books, or data sheets. Let’s say I want to remove the engine from my car. I used to go to the library and check out one or more books on automotive repair. Then, I would search for the chapter on engine removal and follow the steps. The manual will include important cautions, tips, warnings, and pictures/diagrams.
Now, I search YouTube for “engine removal” and then watch the informative video. If I do not like the video, I click on another. What is the problem? YouTube viewers will listen to a person naturally speaking without a script, and there will be many grammatical errors. This means that hearing verbal errors is becoming more acceptable, which translates to writing errors being more acceptable.
Now for the most significant attack on the English language. Kids text all day and night. Punctuation is actively frowned upon, and kids intentionally misspell words. Teachers are completely overwhelmed, and they have another problem.
Popular social agendas have ruined the education system, and politicians are introducing programs without trials or public input. For example, my daughter graduated from a high school with the “No Child Left Behind” program. Wow, that sounds impressive.
What did this program replace? They used to have an Advanced Placement class for the smart kids, a regular class, and a class to help the struggling kids. Now, they throw them together with the idea that the smart kids will help struggling kids.
Result? Group tests, projects, and homework. My daughter was placed with three average kids and two struggles. So, she would do the work while the others play on their phones. Even when she asks for their input, they refuse to help. A+ for everyone! What does this mean? This means that chimps learning sign language get a better education than five out of six kids.
It gets worse. Because the administrators at her high school spent all their money on giving themselves raises, they must cheap out as much as possible. So, they use open-source (free) software instead of industry-standard programs. Do companies use open-source programs? No, because they must administer their employees, open-source programs are nearly impossible to control, secure, or maintain.
Now, I must pivot. I got my latest book back from my copy editor and have been reviewing the edits. My guy is fantastic and uncovered so many errors I never would have spotted. Wonderful!
Well, I found a significant error that the copy editor missed. See if you can spot it. This is a dialog between two characters:
“I try.”
“Stop being so modest and take the compliment,” Kim chided,
“Alright.”
I ended a sentence with a comma and not a period. This mistake is easy to miss because a comma and a period look similar. Side note: Grammarly, Microsoft Word, and ProWritingAid also missed it. Boo!
This error is big enough for a bus to drive through. And I was even more upset because I caught the mistake after reviewing the document several times. But then I thought about the reality of the situation. Was my mistake that bad?
I see spelling mistakes on massive billboards, gobbledygook from bestselling authors, and text messages that are so bad that I cannot make heads or tails of them. My comma mix-up was a minor boo-boo—no big deal.
Yet, I remained angry. “I should have caught this! My editor should have caught this! Hey, you messed up, Grammarly, Microsoft Word, and ProWritingAid!”
Am I writing this article to give myself a pass? No, quite the opposite. Today, there are more tools than ever to correct English flaws. Plus, the internet provides a vast resource for properly learning English, and the rules are better documented than ever. So, there is no excuse for improper English.
Yet… Have you read a book review lately? I often see comments like: “Needed editing.” “I spotted six spelling errors in the first chapter.” “Did a sixth grader write this?” “They used ChatGPT to write the entire book.”
And there is a final smack in the face. It has taken me a lifetime of struggling to attain basic English skills. Now that I can appreciate finely crafted sentences (I love you, Neil Gaiman!!!), everything has turned to junk.
My question remains. How upset should I be by my comma mistake? So many people discourage proper English, and a well-written sentence looks out of place. My answer is that I will try my best, but this feels like a battle where I am the only one who cares about the outcome.
You’re the best -Bill
September 11, 2024
September 4, 2024
Alternate Reality
I was looking for something different to read, so I downloaded a science fiction alternate reality story (also called alt-history). In this book, WWII did not end, and cyborgs took over the fight.
The story focused on a cyborg hero who wanted peace, which reminded me of the 2009 movie Watchman. I reacted similarly to both stories, “Some amusing ideas, but not worth my time.” A big part of my dislike comes from the requirement to buy into the plot foundation. This means I must ignore history, including the history I participated in.
Yet, it can be fun to daydream about an alternate history. I am sure every one of us would press the button to eliminate the tragic events of our past: wars, death, environmental disasters, and awful movies. I am, of course, referring to the time I spent watching Highlander 2, Ishtar, Thin Red Line, and Howard the Duck. That’s 7.5 hours I am not getting back.
Here is the crux of my disapproval. How do we make a cyborg? This requires powerful but small motors, batteries with incredible power-to-weight ratios, immense but tiny computers, true artificial intelligence, immaculate programming, great sensors, advanced materials, an exemplary design, and precise manufacturing.
Let’s examine one necessary element: the computer. Every day, microprocessors are getting faster, smaller and require less power. Even without trying, we are on the right path to make a cyborg. Well, not so fast.
How did we get the fast microprocessors we have today? In the ‘40s, companies hired employees who spent years developing the technology. Along the way, many companies made many incremental improvements, leading to today’s powerful devices.
How did the companies get money to pay for their employees, materials, and equipment? At first, computers were costly, and only big universities, governments, and large companies could afford them. In time, smaller companies could afford them, and by the ‘70s, the price had been reduced enough that ordinary people could purchase them.
Beginning in the ‘50s, consumers purchased products from big companies who used some of this money to pay for their computers. This money paved the way for smaller and more powerful devices. Now, consumers buy computers, cell phones with microprocessors, and related products like smart refrigerators. The critical concept is that we did this voluntarily, which would not be possible in a wartime economy.
Take this article, which I freely admit is not a critical piece of information. I wrote it on my computer and posted it on a website. The addition of this article will stress the system, forcing the website company to buy more computers, programmers to fix problems, add features, and streamline the website. Thus, one single article helped make computers a tiny bit better. But… We are supposed to ignore this fact.
How does alternate reality work? Fast microprocessors? Some eggheads invented them in the ‘50s. True artificial intelligence was invented by itself. Batteries and sensors? Blah! Not worth mentioning. Let’s give the author a pass because they created a fun story. Umm, I cannot make that leap.
Well, my dear reader. What if this argument does not persuade you? I have another one. We can apply this same logic to our social development. In the ‘40s, we were not enlightened about race and sex. With much effort, society has made great strides toward reducing racism and sexism.
This was an enormous struggle paid for by millions working to educate, pass laws, and change their behavior. Remember that this energy to make this change was available because we were not at war. Imagine an alternate reality story where racial slurs were still socially acceptable. See, that is where an alternate reality story breaks down.
I guess alternate reality stories are not my thing. I’m not too fond of horror books/movies either. But how would I fix an alternate reality story to make it enjoyable? That is easy. Add time travel or aliens. WWII did not end because people from the future brought the Axis powers cyborg technology, or aliens landed and provided the same thing. Now, we are getting somewhere.
I conclude that an alternate reality story is, at best, amusing but has a shaky foundation to develop a decent plot.
You’re the best -Bill
September 4, 2024
Hey, book lovers, I published four. Please check them out:
Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.
Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.
Cable Ties. A slow-burn political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.
Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.
These books are available in softcover on Amazon and in eBook format everywhere.
The story focused on a cyborg hero who wanted peace, which reminded me of the 2009 movie Watchman. I reacted similarly to both stories, “Some amusing ideas, but not worth my time.” A big part of my dislike comes from the requirement to buy into the plot foundation. This means I must ignore history, including the history I participated in.
Yet, it can be fun to daydream about an alternate history. I am sure every one of us would press the button to eliminate the tragic events of our past: wars, death, environmental disasters, and awful movies. I am, of course, referring to the time I spent watching Highlander 2, Ishtar, Thin Red Line, and Howard the Duck. That’s 7.5 hours I am not getting back.
Here is the crux of my disapproval. How do we make a cyborg? This requires powerful but small motors, batteries with incredible power-to-weight ratios, immense but tiny computers, true artificial intelligence, immaculate programming, great sensors, advanced materials, an exemplary design, and precise manufacturing.
Let’s examine one necessary element: the computer. Every day, microprocessors are getting faster, smaller and require less power. Even without trying, we are on the right path to make a cyborg. Well, not so fast.
How did we get the fast microprocessors we have today? In the ‘40s, companies hired employees who spent years developing the technology. Along the way, many companies made many incremental improvements, leading to today’s powerful devices.
How did the companies get money to pay for their employees, materials, and equipment? At first, computers were costly, and only big universities, governments, and large companies could afford them. In time, smaller companies could afford them, and by the ‘70s, the price had been reduced enough that ordinary people could purchase them.
Beginning in the ‘50s, consumers purchased products from big companies who used some of this money to pay for their computers. This money paved the way for smaller and more powerful devices. Now, consumers buy computers, cell phones with microprocessors, and related products like smart refrigerators. The critical concept is that we did this voluntarily, which would not be possible in a wartime economy.
Take this article, which I freely admit is not a critical piece of information. I wrote it on my computer and posted it on a website. The addition of this article will stress the system, forcing the website company to buy more computers, programmers to fix problems, add features, and streamline the website. Thus, one single article helped make computers a tiny bit better. But… We are supposed to ignore this fact.
How does alternate reality work? Fast microprocessors? Some eggheads invented them in the ‘50s. True artificial intelligence was invented by itself. Batteries and sensors? Blah! Not worth mentioning. Let’s give the author a pass because they created a fun story. Umm, I cannot make that leap.
Well, my dear reader. What if this argument does not persuade you? I have another one. We can apply this same logic to our social development. In the ‘40s, we were not enlightened about race and sex. With much effort, society has made great strides toward reducing racism and sexism.
This was an enormous struggle paid for by millions working to educate, pass laws, and change their behavior. Remember that this energy to make this change was available because we were not at war. Imagine an alternate reality story where racial slurs were still socially acceptable. See, that is where an alternate reality story breaks down.
I guess alternate reality stories are not my thing. I’m not too fond of horror books/movies either. But how would I fix an alternate reality story to make it enjoyable? That is easy. Add time travel or aliens. WWII did not end because people from the future brought the Axis powers cyborg technology, or aliens landed and provided the same thing. Now, we are getting somewhere.
I conclude that an alternate reality story is, at best, amusing but has a shaky foundation to develop a decent plot.
You’re the best -Bill
September 4, 2024
Hey, book lovers, I published four. Please check them out:
Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.
Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.
Cable Ties. A slow-burn political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.
Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.
These books are available in softcover on Amazon and in eBook format everywhere.
August 28, 2024
My DNA
My parents grew up in Pennsylvania, met in college, and married. My father learned about a position at Mesa Community College in San Diego and got a job as a ceramic professor. My mother used her degree to get a job as an art teacher at a private school and later as a grade school teacher.
My father is of German descent, and his ethnic culture played a minor part in my childhood. We occasionally ate German food, and I knew my father’s German values. I was influenced more by my grandfather, who worked on the railroads. He also was a minor politician and a small business owner.
My mother is of Irish descent, and her family story is wilder. At a young age, my great-great-grandfather lived in Ireland and became aware of the potato famine. So, he stole his neighbor’s horse, sold it, and used that money to buy a ticket to America.
My great-grandfather was a coal miner who left the house before dawn and returned late in the evening, meaning he never saw the sun on weekdays. Later, my grandmother revealed he was a carpenter and saw the sun all day long.
My grandfather was a bad-ass OSS officer who went on behind-the-line missions, did scientific experiments, and developed classified things. After the war, he worked at Calgon and Merk as a chemist. Around age 35, he was struck with MS and was bedridden until he passed away in 1995.
Growing up, we rarely ate Irish food or had discussions about Ireland. However, the spirit of hard work was always present, which is very Irish.
As you can see, I have a rich family background, but what about my precise heritage? Three years ago, if asked, I would proudly tell you that I am half German, a quarter Irish, and a quarter European mutt, which means that last quarter has many European nationalities, including Welsh.
After my mother retired, she began researching her family tree. This effort included paying a Pennsylvania historian to locate birth and marriage certificates. She recorded the data in an extensive family tree diagram. I learned much about my distant family members and how I came to be.
As part of this project, my mother had a DNA test to confirm the percentages she already knew. Big reveal! She is 39.9% Scandinavian, 9.3% Irish/Scottish/Welsh, and 50.8% Eastern European. Then she got my father to take the test; he is 95% English.
My parents were shocked by the result, and my mother reached out to several people, including the company, to see if there was a mistake. They all said the results were correct. The news depressed and confused her, leading to a lack of interest in researching her family background.
What did all this mean to me? One would think that after being Irish and German all my life, I would have a significant reaction. This was not the case. I only found the news amusing. After all, it did not change who I am, what I think, or what I do. Plus, I prefer to live in the present. Life is too short to focus on what dead people in my past were up to.
The results do make sense. Way back when there were wars, the combatants settled near the battlefields because travel was difficult. Then, they formed communities with people of the same nationality. We see this today in large cities with Italian neighborhoods, for example.
Some people, like my mother, have great pride in their cultural background. And then there are people like me who do not care about life before their grandparents were born. But what about a character? My rule with characters is to tread lightly with their race because too many people quickly get upset about that subject, and I do my best to avoid controversy.
How do I describe a character’s race? I provide details about their physical appearance and do not dive into their heritage. However, I sometimes give clues with their last name. Readers can fill in the blanks with names like O’Conner, Chan, Sanchez, Schmidt, or Takahashi.
And my German last name? Conrad. It turns out to be very English.
You’re the best -Bill
August 21, 2024
My father is of German descent, and his ethnic culture played a minor part in my childhood. We occasionally ate German food, and I knew my father’s German values. I was influenced more by my grandfather, who worked on the railroads. He also was a minor politician and a small business owner.
My mother is of Irish descent, and her family story is wilder. At a young age, my great-great-grandfather lived in Ireland and became aware of the potato famine. So, he stole his neighbor’s horse, sold it, and used that money to buy a ticket to America.
My great-grandfather was a coal miner who left the house before dawn and returned late in the evening, meaning he never saw the sun on weekdays. Later, my grandmother revealed he was a carpenter and saw the sun all day long.
My grandfather was a bad-ass OSS officer who went on behind-the-line missions, did scientific experiments, and developed classified things. After the war, he worked at Calgon and Merk as a chemist. Around age 35, he was struck with MS and was bedridden until he passed away in 1995.
Growing up, we rarely ate Irish food or had discussions about Ireland. However, the spirit of hard work was always present, which is very Irish.
As you can see, I have a rich family background, but what about my precise heritage? Three years ago, if asked, I would proudly tell you that I am half German, a quarter Irish, and a quarter European mutt, which means that last quarter has many European nationalities, including Welsh.
After my mother retired, she began researching her family tree. This effort included paying a Pennsylvania historian to locate birth and marriage certificates. She recorded the data in an extensive family tree diagram. I learned much about my distant family members and how I came to be.
As part of this project, my mother had a DNA test to confirm the percentages she already knew. Big reveal! She is 39.9% Scandinavian, 9.3% Irish/Scottish/Welsh, and 50.8% Eastern European. Then she got my father to take the test; he is 95% English.
My parents were shocked by the result, and my mother reached out to several people, including the company, to see if there was a mistake. They all said the results were correct. The news depressed and confused her, leading to a lack of interest in researching her family background.
What did all this mean to me? One would think that after being Irish and German all my life, I would have a significant reaction. This was not the case. I only found the news amusing. After all, it did not change who I am, what I think, or what I do. Plus, I prefer to live in the present. Life is too short to focus on what dead people in my past were up to.
The results do make sense. Way back when there were wars, the combatants settled near the battlefields because travel was difficult. Then, they formed communities with people of the same nationality. We see this today in large cities with Italian neighborhoods, for example.
Some people, like my mother, have great pride in their cultural background. And then there are people like me who do not care about life before their grandparents were born. But what about a character? My rule with characters is to tread lightly with their race because too many people quickly get upset about that subject, and I do my best to avoid controversy.
How do I describe a character’s race? I provide details about their physical appearance and do not dive into their heritage. However, I sometimes give clues with their last name. Readers can fill in the blanks with names like O’Conner, Chan, Sanchez, Schmidt, or Takahashi.
And my German last name? Conrad. It turns out to be very English.
You’re the best -Bill
August 21, 2024
August 21, 2024
Desiring Fame
If you have read my prior articles, you know I have a bonkers mind, and I enjoy pondering the obscure junk rattling around in my head. This translates to writing articles instead of going to therapy. Well, today is no exception. About 30 years ago, I was watching a human-interest story on the local San Diego news. A family was riding through town on a six-passenger bicycle built by their father.
First, the news crew interviewed the group, then the individuals. This included backstory and fun tales from their trip. Then, they had footage of them driving around town. Everybody was bubbly and seemed perfect for this kind of story. Why were they taking their trip? To see American cities on a bike.
One segment focused on the fourteen-year-old daughter, who used a pay phone to call the local newspaper. Viewers listened to half of the conversation as she told them what the family was doing and their schedule. Then she asked the newspaper to interview them. Later, the mother explained that they were collecting copies of newspaper articles and local news videos “for their scrapbook.”
Why does the news like this kind of story? People do different things, and viewers find unusual topics interesting. Like last night. The local San Diego news was about a couple that turned their backyard into an Indonesian restaurant. They serve one meal a day, costing $220 per person.
https://www.warungrierie.com/
Why did this memory stand out? It was the daughter on the phone. I needed to know why she desperately wanted attention. Take me. I ride my bike once a week to clear out the crazy thoughts and stay healthy. You do not see me calling the local paper to beg for an interview.
And there was another thing. The big bicycle. Umm. They are not wearing backpacks, and the bicycles do not have storage areas. So how do they change clothes? How would they make a video copy of the local news? (Back then, a bulky VCR would be required.) Hmm. Something was not right.
It only took 30 years of thinking to figure it out. They were writing a book. This was not a grand family biking adventure; instead, it was a publicity stunt. They had a car following that was full of junk, including a VCR.
And the daughter was in on the scheme. But why her? Who among them had the best chance of convincing newspaper reporters to interview them? I bet that in other cities, they tried the father, mother, and other kids. The daughter was the best at it. Yet, there was more to it. This was her moment in the spotlight.
What was driving her so hard? She needed to succeed so they would have enough material for the book. Otherwise, they would have to keep peddling around, begging for interviews.
Yet, there was more. She was doing her best to look like she was having a good time, confident about her abilities, knowledgeable about the subject, and pressuring her pitch. That is a lot for a fourteen-year-old mind.
A big part of this pitch was her desire to be seen. She wanted to be famous. A superstar. Just like Elizabeth Taylor, Beyoncé, or Oprah Winfrey. And how would she achieve this fame? By riding a big bike with her family.
I have been the subject of the local news twice. My third-grade class had a food learning experience for the first time, and the principal called the local newspaper. The reporter arrived and briefly interviewed my teacher to ask what was happening. Then, my teacher demonstrated the proper chopstick technique. I was terrible at it and became frustrated. Why? All that talk about food made me hungry. So, when she dropped off a bowl of wontons at our table, I grabbed one while the other kids used their chopsticks. Snap! Yes, that was the photo the reporter used for their article.
I lived in a part of town that used to be on a military base. One day, I found an unexploded rocket and called the police. The event was huge, and the local news filmed me from a distance but chose not to answer their questions when the news tried to interview me.
Attention aversion fits my personality, but I still wonder about that girl. Being famous was so incredibly important. I suppose there are personality types that crave attention. They even have a name for it: histrionic. I imagine many actors have this trait.
We all have our ticks and desires. Sometimes these pass through our lives, and sometimes they stick around. As a ten-year-old, I recall wanting to be a tow truck driver, then a telephone repairman, and then an electrician. I spent my twenties through today learning about electronics, and I still have much to absorb.
In my life, I have met people who did not understand my electronics obsession. “It is easy to make a television.” “Nobody cares about those fiddly bits.” “Just plug it in and move on.” My parents did not like it when I took things apart to see how they worked.
Was that not the same with this girl begging for an interview? No. The big difference was the desperation, and let me attempt to explain. There have been moments when I knew I was doing something wrong/immoral/stupid, yet I still put in the maximum effort to make it happen. Yet, I did not feel a need deep enough to go out begging; that is deep desperation.
The girl on the news was desperate, which means that the pathetic nature of the story saddened me. This is the glue that stuck that memory into my mind. Thirty years later, nobody cared that this family took a biking trip. At best, the family members use it as a conversation starter. And the book? It might have sold a few copies.
It is now clear that I have vetted this thing in my head. The glue is undone, and my powerful memory of that fourteen-year-old girl will fade. Yay! So, thank you, dear readers, for allowing me to clarify my chaotic life.
You’re the best -Bill
August 21, 2024
First, the news crew interviewed the group, then the individuals. This included backstory and fun tales from their trip. Then, they had footage of them driving around town. Everybody was bubbly and seemed perfect for this kind of story. Why were they taking their trip? To see American cities on a bike.
One segment focused on the fourteen-year-old daughter, who used a pay phone to call the local newspaper. Viewers listened to half of the conversation as she told them what the family was doing and their schedule. Then she asked the newspaper to interview them. Later, the mother explained that they were collecting copies of newspaper articles and local news videos “for their scrapbook.”
Why does the news like this kind of story? People do different things, and viewers find unusual topics interesting. Like last night. The local San Diego news was about a couple that turned their backyard into an Indonesian restaurant. They serve one meal a day, costing $220 per person.
https://www.warungrierie.com/
Why did this memory stand out? It was the daughter on the phone. I needed to know why she desperately wanted attention. Take me. I ride my bike once a week to clear out the crazy thoughts and stay healthy. You do not see me calling the local paper to beg for an interview.
And there was another thing. The big bicycle. Umm. They are not wearing backpacks, and the bicycles do not have storage areas. So how do they change clothes? How would they make a video copy of the local news? (Back then, a bulky VCR would be required.) Hmm. Something was not right.
It only took 30 years of thinking to figure it out. They were writing a book. This was not a grand family biking adventure; instead, it was a publicity stunt. They had a car following that was full of junk, including a VCR.
And the daughter was in on the scheme. But why her? Who among them had the best chance of convincing newspaper reporters to interview them? I bet that in other cities, they tried the father, mother, and other kids. The daughter was the best at it. Yet, there was more to it. This was her moment in the spotlight.
What was driving her so hard? She needed to succeed so they would have enough material for the book. Otherwise, they would have to keep peddling around, begging for interviews.
Yet, there was more. She was doing her best to look like she was having a good time, confident about her abilities, knowledgeable about the subject, and pressuring her pitch. That is a lot for a fourteen-year-old mind.
A big part of this pitch was her desire to be seen. She wanted to be famous. A superstar. Just like Elizabeth Taylor, Beyoncé, or Oprah Winfrey. And how would she achieve this fame? By riding a big bike with her family.
I have been the subject of the local news twice. My third-grade class had a food learning experience for the first time, and the principal called the local newspaper. The reporter arrived and briefly interviewed my teacher to ask what was happening. Then, my teacher demonstrated the proper chopstick technique. I was terrible at it and became frustrated. Why? All that talk about food made me hungry. So, when she dropped off a bowl of wontons at our table, I grabbed one while the other kids used their chopsticks. Snap! Yes, that was the photo the reporter used for their article.
I lived in a part of town that used to be on a military base. One day, I found an unexploded rocket and called the police. The event was huge, and the local news filmed me from a distance but chose not to answer their questions when the news tried to interview me.
Attention aversion fits my personality, but I still wonder about that girl. Being famous was so incredibly important. I suppose there are personality types that crave attention. They even have a name for it: histrionic. I imagine many actors have this trait.
We all have our ticks and desires. Sometimes these pass through our lives, and sometimes they stick around. As a ten-year-old, I recall wanting to be a tow truck driver, then a telephone repairman, and then an electrician. I spent my twenties through today learning about electronics, and I still have much to absorb.
In my life, I have met people who did not understand my electronics obsession. “It is easy to make a television.” “Nobody cares about those fiddly bits.” “Just plug it in and move on.” My parents did not like it when I took things apart to see how they worked.
Was that not the same with this girl begging for an interview? No. The big difference was the desperation, and let me attempt to explain. There have been moments when I knew I was doing something wrong/immoral/stupid, yet I still put in the maximum effort to make it happen. Yet, I did not feel a need deep enough to go out begging; that is deep desperation.
The girl on the news was desperate, which means that the pathetic nature of the story saddened me. This is the glue that stuck that memory into my mind. Thirty years later, nobody cared that this family took a biking trip. At best, the family members use it as a conversation starter. And the book? It might have sold a few copies.
It is now clear that I have vetted this thing in my head. The glue is undone, and my powerful memory of that fourteen-year-old girl will fade. Yay! So, thank you, dear readers, for allowing me to clarify my chaotic life.
You’re the best -Bill
August 21, 2024
August 14, 2024
Based On a True Story
I recently watched the movie The Long Game, which is an inspirational story of Mexican American teenagers forming a golf club at a South Texas high school. It was a great film, but something irked me. The text “based on a true story” appeared right after the title.
The next day, I researched the facts, and the screenwriters had embellished them. Well, this is to be expected. Life is not always exciting, and moviegoers like action, drama, and intrigue. “It could have happened this way.” “The screenwriter punched up the story to make it fun.” “Who cares?”
And look who is getting upset. I write fiction, which means I am lying to every single reader. My first book is about an immortal. Living forever breaks the rules of physics and medicine. My second book is a spy drama where two nations tap secret American communication cables. That never happened. The third contains a storyline about telepathy and aliens. Completely impossible. Yet, I have the nerve to complain about a screenwriter uplifting an excellent story so moviegoers are more entertained.
I suppose I have dug myself into a hole. “We like our entertainment to be entertaining.” “It’s normal.” Umm, no. I still feel cheated. So, what is going on in my bonkers mind?
Here are the facts behind this movie. Golfing events occurred, and many people participated. These facts were recorded in newspapers. Author Humberto Garcia researched old newspapers, interviewed people, and wrote the excellent book Mustang Miracle. Wonderful. Then, the screenwriter tweaked the story to create an entertaining movie. Sure, “liberties” were taken, but the results were close to the original story.
It took only a few minutes of internet research to uncover the differences. “Why not go with the original? It was an interesting story. No need to embellish.” More to the point. “By putting this text on the screen, the movie producers admit to lying.”
The counterargument is that the movie version of events was more entertaining, and the “based on a true story” text makes it alright for viewers because they know creative liberties were applied right at the film’s beginning, meaning nobody was cheated.
Well? Is it fiction or nonfiction? A documentary or fairy tale? The film producers wish us to believe their movie contains a high percentage of solidly researched facts. After all, the screenwriter did not use aliens like I did.
Here is my disconnect. If the screenwriters change some minor facts, I would be fine. Instead, they changed a bunch and slapped a “based on a true story” text to reduce the complaints. Plus, they did not want to get hit with a lawsuit.
Having the “based on a true story” text seems like a copout that translates to: “I could not find a good story, so I took this bad one and changed a bunch of stuff. Now, pay me.”
When I researched the real story, I wondered what those players would think. The only way I can answer is to examine my own life. It has not been overly exciting, but what if there were a thrilling movie about me?
Matt Damon could play me; he even looks like me. I could have a mind-blowing childhood full of race cars and flying fighter aircraft like the film Iron Eagle. When I turned 25, I could invent a machine that cured cancer and fall in love with a fantastic woman played by Lucy Liu. And who would play my wise Uncle Al? Al Pacino. They even have the same first name. Fantastic!
Cured cancer? Race cars? Fighter jets? What the heck? I did not do that. Well… Can I imagine doing that? As proof, screenwriters invented the story for Iron Eagle. Here is the difference. There was no “based on a true story” disclaimer at the beginning of that movie. We all know it was pure fiction.
Yet, movie studios want a pass. “Come on. Watch our film. It has Dennis Quaid and Cheech Martin in it.” Well, I have a counterargument. Why don’t nonfiction books have that statement? “Building the Panama Canal. How Teddy Roosevelt single-handedly completed the entire project with a shovel. Based on a true story.” See, that does not work.
There are two reasons why nonfiction books do not punch up true stories. There is a long tradition of honesty among authors because readers have a higher standard. Second, the backlash is brutal when a nonfiction author is caught embellishing.
I should chill out and enjoy movies based on a true story. They are fun, and there is no actual harm. Yeah… It still leaves a bad taste.
You’re the best -Bill
August 14, 2024
The next day, I researched the facts, and the screenwriters had embellished them. Well, this is to be expected. Life is not always exciting, and moviegoers like action, drama, and intrigue. “It could have happened this way.” “The screenwriter punched up the story to make it fun.” “Who cares?”
And look who is getting upset. I write fiction, which means I am lying to every single reader. My first book is about an immortal. Living forever breaks the rules of physics and medicine. My second book is a spy drama where two nations tap secret American communication cables. That never happened. The third contains a storyline about telepathy and aliens. Completely impossible. Yet, I have the nerve to complain about a screenwriter uplifting an excellent story so moviegoers are more entertained.
I suppose I have dug myself into a hole. “We like our entertainment to be entertaining.” “It’s normal.” Umm, no. I still feel cheated. So, what is going on in my bonkers mind?
Here are the facts behind this movie. Golfing events occurred, and many people participated. These facts were recorded in newspapers. Author Humberto Garcia researched old newspapers, interviewed people, and wrote the excellent book Mustang Miracle. Wonderful. Then, the screenwriter tweaked the story to create an entertaining movie. Sure, “liberties” were taken, but the results were close to the original story.
It took only a few minutes of internet research to uncover the differences. “Why not go with the original? It was an interesting story. No need to embellish.” More to the point. “By putting this text on the screen, the movie producers admit to lying.”
The counterargument is that the movie version of events was more entertaining, and the “based on a true story” text makes it alright for viewers because they know creative liberties were applied right at the film’s beginning, meaning nobody was cheated.
Well? Is it fiction or nonfiction? A documentary or fairy tale? The film producers wish us to believe their movie contains a high percentage of solidly researched facts. After all, the screenwriter did not use aliens like I did.
Here is my disconnect. If the screenwriters change some minor facts, I would be fine. Instead, they changed a bunch and slapped a “based on a true story” text to reduce the complaints. Plus, they did not want to get hit with a lawsuit.
Having the “based on a true story” text seems like a copout that translates to: “I could not find a good story, so I took this bad one and changed a bunch of stuff. Now, pay me.”
When I researched the real story, I wondered what those players would think. The only way I can answer is to examine my own life. It has not been overly exciting, but what if there were a thrilling movie about me?
Matt Damon could play me; he even looks like me. I could have a mind-blowing childhood full of race cars and flying fighter aircraft like the film Iron Eagle. When I turned 25, I could invent a machine that cured cancer and fall in love with a fantastic woman played by Lucy Liu. And who would play my wise Uncle Al? Al Pacino. They even have the same first name. Fantastic!
Cured cancer? Race cars? Fighter jets? What the heck? I did not do that. Well… Can I imagine doing that? As proof, screenwriters invented the story for Iron Eagle. Here is the difference. There was no “based on a true story” disclaimer at the beginning of that movie. We all know it was pure fiction.
Yet, movie studios want a pass. “Come on. Watch our film. It has Dennis Quaid and Cheech Martin in it.” Well, I have a counterargument. Why don’t nonfiction books have that statement? “Building the Panama Canal. How Teddy Roosevelt single-handedly completed the entire project with a shovel. Based on a true story.” See, that does not work.
There are two reasons why nonfiction books do not punch up true stories. There is a long tradition of honesty among authors because readers have a higher standard. Second, the backlash is brutal when a nonfiction author is caught embellishing.
I should chill out and enjoy movies based on a true story. They are fun, and there is no actual harm. Yeah… It still leaves a bad taste.
You’re the best -Bill
August 14, 2024
August 7, 2024
Bait Car
The 2007 reality television program Bait Car is my guilty pleasure. The show’s premise is microscopically simple: people steal a car that the police are watching, and they get caught. To do this, the police retrofit a car with remote cameras, ignition disablers, and door locks. They place the car in a high crime area and watch it (on camera) from a nearby location.
A person walks/drives by the car and gets interested. Then they get inside and drive it away. How? The police leave the keys visible, and the doors unlocked. During their getaway, the police shut down the car and locked the doors. An arrest and interview follows. Every 30-minute episode of Bait Car has at least three incidents.
Many cities have bait car police divisions, allowing the show to travel nationwide. From reading the news, these programs are incredibly successful with a high conviction rate. Nabbing criminals and doing something entertaining? Yes, please.
Why was I so addicted? It was 100% real drama with real people—pure life. I loved watching excited people stealing a car while knowing they would get caught. Then, watching/listening to them invent stories about how they were not stealing the car. Amazing.
Why? Have you ever been in a conversation and suspected/knew the person was lying? How were you so sure? You might have known the facts behind the lie, but I bet you saw the visual clues. That is Bait Car solid gold. Viewers get to see all the visual and audio tells of a lie. Raising tone, winks, breaking eye contact, fidgeting, biting lip, pauses, and shifting body posture. The show taught me to be good at identifying these traits.
Often, the thieves are with friends, and the friends do one of two things. Encourage their friend to steal or warn them that stealing is wrong. During the drive, the thieves brag to their friends or say they are scared.
And the interview excuses? “This is my brother’s car.” “I was only borrowing it.” “I need a second car.” “I’m picking up my kids.” “I thought this was my car.” “Nah, you got the wrong person.”
Then, the police showed the thief a video of them stealing the car. Not even the best actor could display that level of utter shock. Some thieves break down, and others double down on their excuse. “That’s not me. I have a twin brother.”
And who are the thieves? One would expect down-on-their-luck people. No, not on Bait Car. The police catch people from all walks of life, from hardened car thieves with multiple convictions to upstanding families. Yes, the entire family got into the car in more than one episode, and Mom/Dad drove it away. Ten-year-old car thieves? You bet! This is a level of craziness that I cannot turn away from.
Unfortunately, the show went off the air in 2012 and was in reruns for about two years. I recall one Sunday, there was a Bait Car marathon, and I spent from eight in the morning until midnight watching it.
I suppose raw human behavior is the appeal of reality programs. People are doing what they do and getting filmed. Alas, the show is not available for streaming. There are a few clips on YouTube, but it is not the same as spending an entire Sunday binge-watching the craziness.
You’re the best -Bill
August 07, 2024
A person walks/drives by the car and gets interested. Then they get inside and drive it away. How? The police leave the keys visible, and the doors unlocked. During their getaway, the police shut down the car and locked the doors. An arrest and interview follows. Every 30-minute episode of Bait Car has at least three incidents.
Many cities have bait car police divisions, allowing the show to travel nationwide. From reading the news, these programs are incredibly successful with a high conviction rate. Nabbing criminals and doing something entertaining? Yes, please.
Why was I so addicted? It was 100% real drama with real people—pure life. I loved watching excited people stealing a car while knowing they would get caught. Then, watching/listening to them invent stories about how they were not stealing the car. Amazing.
Why? Have you ever been in a conversation and suspected/knew the person was lying? How were you so sure? You might have known the facts behind the lie, but I bet you saw the visual clues. That is Bait Car solid gold. Viewers get to see all the visual and audio tells of a lie. Raising tone, winks, breaking eye contact, fidgeting, biting lip, pauses, and shifting body posture. The show taught me to be good at identifying these traits.
Often, the thieves are with friends, and the friends do one of two things. Encourage their friend to steal or warn them that stealing is wrong. During the drive, the thieves brag to their friends or say they are scared.
And the interview excuses? “This is my brother’s car.” “I was only borrowing it.” “I need a second car.” “I’m picking up my kids.” “I thought this was my car.” “Nah, you got the wrong person.”
Then, the police showed the thief a video of them stealing the car. Not even the best actor could display that level of utter shock. Some thieves break down, and others double down on their excuse. “That’s not me. I have a twin brother.”
And who are the thieves? One would expect down-on-their-luck people. No, not on Bait Car. The police catch people from all walks of life, from hardened car thieves with multiple convictions to upstanding families. Yes, the entire family got into the car in more than one episode, and Mom/Dad drove it away. Ten-year-old car thieves? You bet! This is a level of craziness that I cannot turn away from.
Unfortunately, the show went off the air in 2012 and was in reruns for about two years. I recall one Sunday, there was a Bait Car marathon, and I spent from eight in the morning until midnight watching it.
I suppose raw human behavior is the appeal of reality programs. People are doing what they do and getting filmed. Alas, the show is not available for streaming. There are a few clips on YouTube, but it is not the same as spending an entire Sunday binge-watching the craziness.
You’re the best -Bill
August 07, 2024
July 31, 2024
Pain Is Temporary
I recently finished reading Be Useful by Arnold Schwarzenegger. It is a self-help book with examples from his life to back up the wisdom he attained over a successful career.
One central theme is “pain is temporary,” meaning that while achieving your goal, there will be hardship. Yet Arnold is more direct. His fundamental wisdom comes from years of bodybuilding. While “pumping iron,” his muscles got sore, and he pushed through the pain. As a result, he won bodybuilding contests.
Arnold applied this wisdom to other parts of his life. Working hard to be an actor, getting elected, and suffering through personal trauma. “Tough it out!” And the results were exceptional. Pain is indeed temporary.
Arnold’s book impressed me, but the idea that pain is temporary has rattled around in my mind. Something was off, and it took a while to get my thoughts lined up. I can summarize my feelings by examining a recent and old issue.
I have allergies and have been going to get allergy shots once a week for the last four months. The logic behind an allergy shot is that the nurse injects a patient with material their bodies are allergic to. Over a year, the shots increase in strength, which forces the patient’s body to react. When successful, the immune system no longer responds to low doses of the material that is present in daily life. This means that if a patient is allergic to a dog, they can pet it without a reaction.
I have been going once a week to get my shot for six months (I still have eight to go). After each shot, I must wait 30 minutes to make sure my body does not get anaphylactic shock. The experience takes time, but I have already seen a positive result. Yay! But…
The nurse injected me six weeks ago, and a day later, my arm muscles, elbow, and shoulder were in severe pain. Unfortunately, the pain did not subside. My arm hurt for weeks, and it took hours to go to sleep.
Today, the symptoms have faded, but sleep is still challenging. I estimate it will take another three weeks to return to normal.
Was it worth it? Umm. Not sure. Well, how do we answer this question? Let’s take a high-level view. I began the treatments because allergies had taken over my life. I was always coughing, had significant issues with my parent’s dog, and had to run out of stores with a perfume department.
Now, I can walk out of stores (do not need to run), no longer have coughing spasms, and my parent’s dog only makes me sneeze. So, the answer is that I am better off than before. The shots worked. If I had known about my intense arm pain, would I have had the procedure? Yes. So, pain is indeed temporary, but there is a flip side.
When I was about 25, I purchased a 10,000 RPM hard drive for my computer. Why? To improve my productivity. Wow, it was fast, and the result was worth the price.
The problem was that the noise was at a specific tone. Soon, my ears started ringing. Did I get rid of my drive? No, I pushed through the pain. This is called Tinnitus, and I now suffer every day, which means that sometimes pain is not temporary. It can have long-term, unforeseen, undiscovered consequences. Also, it has been my experience that pain exists to tell us something important.
I have read many self-help books, and they all do their best to distill the concepts into simple statements. Trying new things, pushing through difficulties, and recovering from mistakes are good. These books also teach us to recognize long-term consequences.
We are not as powerful as we imagine. The Covid pandemic proved that a simple virus could destroy health, life, jobs, families, economies, the truth, and people’s trust and faith in the medical system.
Pain is direct feedback. In fact, it is the definition of negative feedback. Yet we must remember that “Life is pain. Anyone telling you differently is selling something.” -The Dread Pirate Roberts.
Perhaps Arnold could have worded his philosophy. “Be prepared to make sacrifices and push through difficult times. The pain you receive will usually be temporary, but sometimes it can last a lifetime. Plan carefully.”
You’re the best -Bill
July 31, 2024
One central theme is “pain is temporary,” meaning that while achieving your goal, there will be hardship. Yet Arnold is more direct. His fundamental wisdom comes from years of bodybuilding. While “pumping iron,” his muscles got sore, and he pushed through the pain. As a result, he won bodybuilding contests.
Arnold applied this wisdom to other parts of his life. Working hard to be an actor, getting elected, and suffering through personal trauma. “Tough it out!” And the results were exceptional. Pain is indeed temporary.
Arnold’s book impressed me, but the idea that pain is temporary has rattled around in my mind. Something was off, and it took a while to get my thoughts lined up. I can summarize my feelings by examining a recent and old issue.
I have allergies and have been going to get allergy shots once a week for the last four months. The logic behind an allergy shot is that the nurse injects a patient with material their bodies are allergic to. Over a year, the shots increase in strength, which forces the patient’s body to react. When successful, the immune system no longer responds to low doses of the material that is present in daily life. This means that if a patient is allergic to a dog, they can pet it without a reaction.
I have been going once a week to get my shot for six months (I still have eight to go). After each shot, I must wait 30 minutes to make sure my body does not get anaphylactic shock. The experience takes time, but I have already seen a positive result. Yay! But…
The nurse injected me six weeks ago, and a day later, my arm muscles, elbow, and shoulder were in severe pain. Unfortunately, the pain did not subside. My arm hurt for weeks, and it took hours to go to sleep.
Today, the symptoms have faded, but sleep is still challenging. I estimate it will take another three weeks to return to normal.
Was it worth it? Umm. Not sure. Well, how do we answer this question? Let’s take a high-level view. I began the treatments because allergies had taken over my life. I was always coughing, had significant issues with my parent’s dog, and had to run out of stores with a perfume department.
Now, I can walk out of stores (do not need to run), no longer have coughing spasms, and my parent’s dog only makes me sneeze. So, the answer is that I am better off than before. The shots worked. If I had known about my intense arm pain, would I have had the procedure? Yes. So, pain is indeed temporary, but there is a flip side.
When I was about 25, I purchased a 10,000 RPM hard drive for my computer. Why? To improve my productivity. Wow, it was fast, and the result was worth the price.
The problem was that the noise was at a specific tone. Soon, my ears started ringing. Did I get rid of my drive? No, I pushed through the pain. This is called Tinnitus, and I now suffer every day, which means that sometimes pain is not temporary. It can have long-term, unforeseen, undiscovered consequences. Also, it has been my experience that pain exists to tell us something important.
I have read many self-help books, and they all do their best to distill the concepts into simple statements. Trying new things, pushing through difficulties, and recovering from mistakes are good. These books also teach us to recognize long-term consequences.
We are not as powerful as we imagine. The Covid pandemic proved that a simple virus could destroy health, life, jobs, families, economies, the truth, and people’s trust and faith in the medical system.
Pain is direct feedback. In fact, it is the definition of negative feedback. Yet we must remember that “Life is pain. Anyone telling you differently is selling something.” -The Dread Pirate Roberts.
Perhaps Arnold could have worded his philosophy. “Be prepared to make sacrifices and push through difficult times. The pain you receive will usually be temporary, but sometimes it can last a lifetime. Plan carefully.”
You’re the best -Bill
July 31, 2024
July 24, 2024
Ignoring How the World Works
I attended college in Worcester, Massachusetts. Like all (old) large towns, it began with a big industry. For some cities, it was cotton; for others, it was oil; and still others, it was cars. For Worcester, it was steel. Unfortunately, the American steel industry experienced a significant downturn in the early 70s, and Worcester was no exception. Out of the ashes, a new industry emerged for the plucky town. They became a powerful university town with many prestigious colleges and businesses to support the thousands of students who invaded their city during the school year migration. How did the students get there?
Worcester’s entry into the world of aviation began in 1925, and today, they have around 55 commercial flights per day. And this is no tiny regional airport. They fly A320 and Embraer 175 planes with big airlines. American, JetBlue, and Delta.
The geography of Worcester played an essential part in this revitalization. Like all cities, there are good parts and less ideal ones. The areas around the universities have apartments, supermarkets that cater to a younger crowd, and hip clothing stores. Yet, the areas around the closed steel mills suffered from decapitated buildings and crime.
Worcester lies within a massive valley, and the center has a mountain where the city planners placed their airport. This choice was perfect for three reasons. The high location saved fuel, reduced noise, and if there were a crash, it would be far away from the citizens.
The city zoned the sides of the mountain (it is not rocky) to be a forest. This choice was great because the mountain has beautiful trees. Great job, planners!
Well… Living on prime land with a great view was too tempting. So, a big developer petitioned the city (bribed with backroom deals, there was no public debate), and they allowed a housing development.
Despite underhanded behavior, the city leaders did one thing right. They insisted that all residents of these new houses sign a document stating there would be aircraft noise. Apparently, the threat of an aircraft crashing into them was not a concern. Did I mention Worcester gets ultra cold (wing icing), the mountain is super windy, and it has fog thicker than pea soup?
The houses got built, disclosures were signed, and people moved in. “Hey, planes are loud.” So, the residents filed a lawsuit, and the city responded by limiting the airport to a few daily flights. There, done!
Of course, the airlines had broken contracts and sued the city. (Side note: The universities were also not pleased with the limited flights. They have lots of power but use it quietly.) The lawsuits went on for years. The last time I checked, the flight times were restricted from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and new residents must sign a heavy-handed disclosure.
What the heck was going on? It does not take a rocket scientist to know that planes are loud. And what was the city thinking? Anybody could see a lawsuit coming from a mile away. Are you canceling contracts with a company with lawyers more powerful than the Pratt and Whitney engines that lift their planes into the sky? It’s a no-brainer.
Did these people lack common sense? My answer is that many people ignore how the world works. We see this with the Darwin awards, drivers without auto insurance, parents who take no interest in raising their children, and companies that do not read their product reviews.
Is this really what is going on, or were they pulling a fast one? “Hey, let’s sign the paper and then sue. Yay!” Umm, no. Why? “So, I must slog through a lawsuit? Does this mean testifying, legal fees, paperwork, and court time? Pass!”
I do not think a lawsuit entered the homebuyer’s mind. Instead, they thought, “The noise will be no big deal.” They did no research and did not think ahead. And what research would be necessary? Drive to the house and sit in your car until a plane takes off. Then ask yourself: Can I live with this?” Call it an hour’s worth of easy work to understand the situation. Nope, they skipped that step. “But look at that view.”
Every day, more and more people ignore how the world works. I now regularly see kids on electric bikes/scooters flying down the middle of my street. Just this morning, I had to slam on my truck’s brakes, and the kid did not even flinch. Then he glared at me like I was a criminal. He was on the wrong side of the road, heading directly toward me without a helmet! Did he not understand that a truck always beats a kid on an electric scooter?
The word “always” sums up my point. This is not law, common sense, or an IQ issue. It is basic physics. A Toyota truck traveling at 25 MPH has a giant moving mass. It is dumb iron that will always squish a kid. No logic, law, well-meaning parent, self-driving technology, or AI smartphone application will help that kid.
Yet… I guarantee I will see that same kid riding on the wrong side of the road next week. Is he corner-cutting or being lazy? Nope. Buying a house underneath a flight path or riding on the wrong side of the street without a helmet is an intentional choice. A choice means that thought and logic were applied at the beginning.
And let’s not forget me as a kid on a bike. Sure, I rode without a helmet. We all did in the 70s. Wrong side of the road? Sure! But when a car came, we pulled over and let it pass. The ‘70s kids knew how well a car could smush them.
So… Why am I writing about this? Story characters cannot ignore how the world works. Let’s take the airport example. “Wow, this house is wonderful.” “But Fred, it’s under a flight path.” “Who cares?”
Readers care because they identify the issue and must understand the motivation behind a character’s decision. Perhaps Fred likes airplanes, or he is deaf.
What about riding an electric bike without a helmet? Let’s add some details. “Paul was the type of kid who never thought about consequences.” “He forgot to wear his helmet and texted his friend.” “Paul had no idea he was riding on the wrong side of the road.” “This was his first day riding a bike.” Readers can grab onto that logic.
What if Fred or Paul were arrogant, stupid, or delusional? It is certainly possible to have such characters, but I do not recommend this trait when creating a main character. Readers like clear motives, good decisions, and something they can relate to.
I find it fascinating to explore the disconnect between books and real life. Yet, they both must follow the rules, or there will be consequences. In real life, the consequences are lawsuits, being fired, or ending up in the hospital. The only problems with a bad character are bad reviews and low sales.
It would be nice if fewer people ignored how the world works. Then, there would be fewer accidents, more civilized conversations, and happier days. Alas, no. The best we can do is read books and watch movies in our less-than-ideal world.
You’re the best -Bill
July 24, 2024
Worcester’s entry into the world of aviation began in 1925, and today, they have around 55 commercial flights per day. And this is no tiny regional airport. They fly A320 and Embraer 175 planes with big airlines. American, JetBlue, and Delta.
The geography of Worcester played an essential part in this revitalization. Like all cities, there are good parts and less ideal ones. The areas around the universities have apartments, supermarkets that cater to a younger crowd, and hip clothing stores. Yet, the areas around the closed steel mills suffered from decapitated buildings and crime.
Worcester lies within a massive valley, and the center has a mountain where the city planners placed their airport. This choice was perfect for three reasons. The high location saved fuel, reduced noise, and if there were a crash, it would be far away from the citizens.
The city zoned the sides of the mountain (it is not rocky) to be a forest. This choice was great because the mountain has beautiful trees. Great job, planners!
Well… Living on prime land with a great view was too tempting. So, a big developer petitioned the city (bribed with backroom deals, there was no public debate), and they allowed a housing development.
Despite underhanded behavior, the city leaders did one thing right. They insisted that all residents of these new houses sign a document stating there would be aircraft noise. Apparently, the threat of an aircraft crashing into them was not a concern. Did I mention Worcester gets ultra cold (wing icing), the mountain is super windy, and it has fog thicker than pea soup?
The houses got built, disclosures were signed, and people moved in. “Hey, planes are loud.” So, the residents filed a lawsuit, and the city responded by limiting the airport to a few daily flights. There, done!
Of course, the airlines had broken contracts and sued the city. (Side note: The universities were also not pleased with the limited flights. They have lots of power but use it quietly.) The lawsuits went on for years. The last time I checked, the flight times were restricted from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and new residents must sign a heavy-handed disclosure.
What the heck was going on? It does not take a rocket scientist to know that planes are loud. And what was the city thinking? Anybody could see a lawsuit coming from a mile away. Are you canceling contracts with a company with lawyers more powerful than the Pratt and Whitney engines that lift their planes into the sky? It’s a no-brainer.
Did these people lack common sense? My answer is that many people ignore how the world works. We see this with the Darwin awards, drivers without auto insurance, parents who take no interest in raising their children, and companies that do not read their product reviews.
Is this really what is going on, or were they pulling a fast one? “Hey, let’s sign the paper and then sue. Yay!” Umm, no. Why? “So, I must slog through a lawsuit? Does this mean testifying, legal fees, paperwork, and court time? Pass!”
I do not think a lawsuit entered the homebuyer’s mind. Instead, they thought, “The noise will be no big deal.” They did no research and did not think ahead. And what research would be necessary? Drive to the house and sit in your car until a plane takes off. Then ask yourself: Can I live with this?” Call it an hour’s worth of easy work to understand the situation. Nope, they skipped that step. “But look at that view.”
Every day, more and more people ignore how the world works. I now regularly see kids on electric bikes/scooters flying down the middle of my street. Just this morning, I had to slam on my truck’s brakes, and the kid did not even flinch. Then he glared at me like I was a criminal. He was on the wrong side of the road, heading directly toward me without a helmet! Did he not understand that a truck always beats a kid on an electric scooter?
The word “always” sums up my point. This is not law, common sense, or an IQ issue. It is basic physics. A Toyota truck traveling at 25 MPH has a giant moving mass. It is dumb iron that will always squish a kid. No logic, law, well-meaning parent, self-driving technology, or AI smartphone application will help that kid.
Yet… I guarantee I will see that same kid riding on the wrong side of the road next week. Is he corner-cutting or being lazy? Nope. Buying a house underneath a flight path or riding on the wrong side of the street without a helmet is an intentional choice. A choice means that thought and logic were applied at the beginning.
And let’s not forget me as a kid on a bike. Sure, I rode without a helmet. We all did in the 70s. Wrong side of the road? Sure! But when a car came, we pulled over and let it pass. The ‘70s kids knew how well a car could smush them.
So… Why am I writing about this? Story characters cannot ignore how the world works. Let’s take the airport example. “Wow, this house is wonderful.” “But Fred, it’s under a flight path.” “Who cares?”
Readers care because they identify the issue and must understand the motivation behind a character’s decision. Perhaps Fred likes airplanes, or he is deaf.
What about riding an electric bike without a helmet? Let’s add some details. “Paul was the type of kid who never thought about consequences.” “He forgot to wear his helmet and texted his friend.” “Paul had no idea he was riding on the wrong side of the road.” “This was his first day riding a bike.” Readers can grab onto that logic.
What if Fred or Paul were arrogant, stupid, or delusional? It is certainly possible to have such characters, but I do not recommend this trait when creating a main character. Readers like clear motives, good decisions, and something they can relate to.
I find it fascinating to explore the disconnect between books and real life. Yet, they both must follow the rules, or there will be consequences. In real life, the consequences are lawsuits, being fired, or ending up in the hospital. The only problems with a bad character are bad reviews and low sales.
It would be nice if fewer people ignored how the world works. Then, there would be fewer accidents, more civilized conversations, and happier days. Alas, no. The best we can do is read books and watch movies in our less-than-ideal world.
You’re the best -Bill
July 24, 2024
