Phil Sanderson's Blog, page 9

To Hell with Politics!

In most cases, if a politician’s lips are moving, then he or she is lying.  At least, this is the case here in America.  I don’t know if the same can be said in other countries.  But I imagine that it probably can.

Here in America, our government has become known as being heavily corrupt and abusive toward its rights and the people it claims to support.  The Republicans blame the Democrats.  The Democrats blame the Republicans.  And the finger-pointing never ends!  It is enough to make even the most patriotic citizens say, “To hell with politics!”, and then move to Australia or Europe.

Our country’s government has been racked with more scandals than it cares to admit.  At least a couple of presidents have run their business like kings in a monarchy.  And neither political party is blameless in all the muck of it.

Personally, I think more like the Republicans than I do the Democrats.  But there are things I cannot stand about both parties.  My biggest complaint against the Dems is that they tend to believe in a lot of things that I do not agree with due to my conservative upbringing.  On the other side of the river, I cannot stand the GOP because of their good-ole-boy network in which you have to have money to be able to be equal to everyone else.  They do not believe in a fair flat tax.  They want the working class to pay the majority of the taxes, while they keep sipping their tea and smoking their Dutch Masters in the halls of power (that is unless the Dutch Masters have been relocated into some intern’s vagina somewhere).  It really turns my stomach!

Then we have the IRS scandal…that lovely organization that loves to tax the shit out of all of us.  And didn’t we have a revolution a couple or few hundred years ago to get away from being taxed to death?  Hell!  It appears that our government has become our own King George!

What is the answer?

Some conspiracy theorists will have you believe that the current government needs to be overthrown.  And I’m not too sure that I disagree.  But realistically, I know that any government in the world has the potential to be abusive to the people it claims to govern.  I hate to admit that all of this makes me wonder why the hell the American Revolution ever took place at all.  Some self-proclaimed patriots will try to convince me that “at least now we have tax with representation”.  But, to them, I say:  “My ass!  As long as we have an electoral college, there is no such thing as representation.”  After all, how many times have to majority of the people voted for one individual to only have the electoral college offset it?

So what do you feel the answer happens to be?  As for me, when all the shit starts flying, I choose to duck down and stay clear.

Watch “Pearl Jam Black music video” on YouTube

Get the First Chapter of “An Interstate Ghost Story: The Girl on the Highway”

 

The student driver suddenly witnessed a very strange phenomenon. The sky flashed once again. In that very brief moment, the side of the girl’s face lit up showing a horrific visage! It was as if the light penetrated the girl’s skin.

 

Phil Sanderson just completed his first revision of his upcoming horror novel, An Interstate Ghost Story: The Girl on the Highway.  If you like to be kept in suspense not only by gory horror, but sheer terror as well, then this book is for you!  The author is now giving away sample copies of the story’s first chapter to everyone who registers on his Official Website.  Subscribing is easy!  All you have to do is fill in a couple of text fields in the Subscription Generator found on Sanderson’s main page.

This easily obtained offering is just enough to get you into the spirit of Halloween which is right around the corner!  But more importantly, it will whet your appetite for horror thrillers and give you a hint as to what is next to come.

So what are you waiting for?  Subscribe today!

 

 

Whuz Fappening!

 Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton, Victoria Justice, McKayla Maroney, and various other celebs were victimized by their own lack of wisdom when nude pictures of themselves materialized on a website and spread like a raging, inextinguishable forest fire across the deepest recesses of the internet.  It is said that a hacker somehow accessed the “Cloud” and retrieved these pictures and started said forest fire on the internet.  If anything, I personally feel that what I’ve mentioned here serves as a fine example for all the rest of us who are or are not celebrities.  

Jennifer Lawrence is best known for her role as Katniss in the Hunger Games series of movies.  It goes without saying that it seems she should know better than to post nude pictures of herself ANYWHERE.  After all, she is a terrific and extremely talented actress, though it is arguable about how wise she is in the ways of the world.  

 So this strange event on the internet has famously become known as the “Fappening”.  It serves as yet another valuable lesson to be learned by celebrities who think that the rules that apply to us common people do not apply to them.  Please don’t get me wrong!  I do feel regret over what has happened to them.  But when a person becomes vain enough to think they can just go ahead and take certain liberties that really should not be taken, then there is a part of me that feels like whatever happens as a result serves as a strange type of ironic justice.  

I cannot even imagine taking nude selfies of my own fat ass, much less sending them to my wife or other friends and relatives.  First of all, I would be best served using a telephone that utilizes wide-angle camera lenses (and I do not even know if such a camera exists).  Secondly, my selfies would not look nearly as appealing as those of Jennifer Lawrence and all the others who recently got busted by the Cloud.  Heck, if Jennifer’s body looked anything like mine, they would likely have to change her character name in the next Hunger Games entry to Fatniss.  On the other side of the coin, if my body looked as good as Jennifier’s maybe I would post a picture of my ass on the internet, though most likely not.  After all, my days of feeling vain about my body ended more than 20 years ago!  Even if we had today’s technology back when I was a young, studly, strapping ole lad from Memphis, Tennessee, I still do not think I would have lacked enough wisdom to pull such a stunt.  

Back in those days, people would take nude pics of themselves with various types of cameras and different sizes and types of film and eventually have a private photographer process the compromising nude prints.  Thus, the life-changing film would literally be used to capture the bold deed in question creating a document that could potentially come back and bite the subjects on said compromising prints.  Not surprisingly, certain celebrities from that era eventually regretted having ever posed nude on camera, several of which did so when they were still involved in the hunger games for fame (e.g. Madonna and Vanna White, just to name two).  

I also happen to feel that some people in media are making way too much of the Fappening.  I’ve heard people judging Ms. Lawrence and the other victims saying things like, “It serves them right!”, making a big heyday out of it all.  Sure, being caught with your knickers down is enough to turn even an English nun pink; but have we forgotten about all the celebrities (e.g. Pamela Anderson, Paris HIlton, and many, many others) who have been caught in various sex tape scandals over the past couple of decades?  Things get really hot and sticky when body fluids enter the picture.  It’s about as bad as the seamen being compromised in that long, hard submarine in that famous movie staring Alec Baldwin and Sean Connery!  So compared to these individuals, I find the Fappening celebrities as very mild in comparison.

I guess, overall, all I am saying can be surmised in two wise statements:

Never pose or do anything else on film or digital media that you would not want to be shown to the rest of the world.
Don’t pass judgment on these unwise celebrities; you never know when you may make a similar mistake.  And a very old and wise document known the world over reminds us:  “He who lives in glass houses should not throw stones.”

One thing is for certain…all the celebrities named in this article now know whuz fappening!  

Movie Review: The November Man (Spoiler Warning!)

Prior to seeing “The November Man”, I suspected that I would not like Pierce Brosnan in this role as much as I did in his role as James Bond.  Ever the huge James Bond fan, I always tend to compare spy thriller movies to the Bond films.  And there have been some really good contenders out there.  And this was one of the best!  And I loved Brosnan’s portrayal of Peter Devereaux as much as I loved his as James Bond.

I just finished watching the film after reading a bunch of lukewarm reviews.  I feel that many who have reviewed this film expected Brosnan to channel Bond instead of the character he was tasked to portray, Devereaux.  I am extremely impressed with his portrayal which is a lot more realistic than his portrayal as James Bond ever was.  

This later statement is by no means a slam to Brosnan.  He is one of the best actors to portray the world-famous superspy.  But Bond film producers and directors did not want the same Bond that Ian Fleming had created.  They wanted someone who was more witty and glamorous than the original character who was quite paranoid, somewhat pessimistic, and in possession of a very dry sense of humor.  

Peter Devereaux seems to be closer to the James Bond created by Ian Fleming, but still with certain differences.  For example, James Bond had no close personal ties other than his aunt who lived with him.  He tried getting married, but his wife was murdered on their way to their honeymoon from the wedding.  James Bond could trust almost everyone in his own chain of command.  With Devereaux, you can’t trust anyone any further than you can throw them.  

This movie also showed us some great action and talent from Luke Bracey who portrayed an agent named Mason, whom Devereaux had personally trained in the CIA.  This guy seems to have a promising career as an action star judging by his performance herein.  

The movie is intense and full of action.  Sometimes, it seemed a bit hard to follow, but I attribute this to the fact that I drank my soda too quickly and had to miss part of the movie for a bathroom break.  But overall, I highly recommend this film to anyone who loves action, thrillers, and espionage.  I give this film five out of five stars.  And I hope to see more of Peter Devereaux and his protege in future films.  

First Piece of Puzzle Revealed — “The Girl on the Highway”

As the release of my upcoming horror novel — An Interstate Ghost Story: The Girl on the Highway – nears, I will gradually reveal the puzzle of my cover…one piece at a time on an approximate monthly basis.  Above, you can see the first piece of the puzzle.  I’ve yet to announce the date of my cover reveal, because I’ve yet to decide.  It will most likely be sometime around the middle of next year.  

Cover Reveal: “The Saint Who Stole Christmas” by Phil Sanderson

Here it is, faithful readers! The cover of my upcoming Christmas story! Please enjoy!  For more information on this and other of my works, please visit http://www.philsanderson.net .

Urban Decay

A place to keep other’s belongings…my childhood home…

The place where my Dad and I once happily roamed.  

Four levels, a sundeck, and a courtyard that used to be…

Reduced to nothing more than a Memphis memory.

 

The elevator we used to ride….it certainly had its quirks.

It used to quake and hum…now it no longer works.

Climbed steps up to the old apartment…found no reason, no rhyme.

What once was a door and window, now replaced by metal blinds.

 

Due to “unsafe conditions”, I could not climb the old deck.

What about historic preservation?  Why’s it all a wreck?

On the deck, I used to gawk down at the swimming pool.

I imagined taking a swan dive, imagining it so very cool!

 

The water below, now a mound of dirt, barren as cold hearts…

Those who relocated tenants, the spirit of those that still departs.

As a child, music filled the courtyard while others lounged, tanned, or swam.

Those who see the current scene remember it as it once was, and say: “Damn!”

 

People used to live here, where junk lies in lifeless, lonely compartments.

Neighbors we knew and loved lived in what used to be homey apartments.

All replaced by boxes, books, trinkets, furniture, and things no one can sell…

The storage facility, unable to evict the memories, may have sold their soul to hell. 

You Are All Cordially Invited!

If you live in Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, or Mississippi, I cordially invite you to attend my 2018: An Uncivil War book signing within the next several weeks.  It is being held at the Main Branch of the Montgomery City and County Public Library system, the Juliette Hampton Morgan Memorial Library.  For more details, please see the Facebook link before and indicate whether or not you will be attending.  If you are not on Facebook, you can post a comment here indicating whether or not you wish to attend.  

https://www.facebook.com/events/542859669151912/

Being my very first novel, this book holds a very dear place in my heart and will always do so for years to come.  If you live close-by to Montgomery, but do not wish to purchase the book, please come by to show your support.  I will not try to twist your arm but will instead thank you for showing up.  If you have already purchased a copy of the book, please come by to get your printed copy signed.  I am also planning on having a way to autograph digital photos for those of you who have purchased the e-book version.  I’m not promising that I will be able to do so, but that possibility is there.  

For those of you who wish to purchase printed copies online and reading them prior to the event, you can purchase them here:  

http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000653794/2018-An-Uncivil-War.aspx

The link above will also give you the option to purchase the book in soft-cover and e-book formats.  But I encourage you to follow the link on the Novels Page of my Official Website to purchase the e-book for a dollar cheaper than you can on theirs.

Thank all of you for your continued support of me and my work.  God bless you guys!   

 

So Very Proud of My Daughter!

I’m so very proud of my daughter, Isabella!  She made a 100 on her science project where she had to diagram the various parts of a cell.  Her mother spearheaded the whole effort, so I am very thankful and envious of her (for her sheer brilliance!) as well.  It took them both several days to complete.  I hate to admit that I was practically useless in the whole effort…my idea of labeling a cell would be:  Cot…metal door with bars…stainless steel toilet…roommate who wants to beat the crap outta me for cigarettes.  

Here’s a picture of the final product…and — yes! — that is jello in the middle of it all.