Author: William Fietzer

William Fietzer moved to Poughkeepsie, NY from Minneapolis with his wife and Norwegian forest cat, Selene, in 2019 to be closer to family. He has published academic and popular articles and stories about librarianship, the Twin Cities, Hudson Valley, and national cultural scenes along with three novels. His first two novels, Penal Fires and Metadata Murders, examined America's underworld of class, crime, and technology. His latest, Mission: Soul Rescue, adds the paranormal to that mix. His forthcoming novel, Mission: Soul Sacrifice, continues his investigations into our spiritual and cultural realities.
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Writings As Bait: Author Phishing

Few things feel so good as having a big fish on the line. The anticipation, the excitement, the joy of landing a big one is universal.

This metaphor extends to authorship. When writers put their egos on the line through their books, they make themselves vulnerable. They become vulnerable to all kinds of promotion blandishments, publishing deals, and marketing schemes–good and bad, legal and not. . And that includes phishing.

What Is Phishing?

Author Phishing

Behavioral scientists describe the term as “a form of social engineering and a scam where attackers deceive people into revealing sensitive information about themselves. installing malware  such as viruses, worms, [etc.]” For our purposes, it involves playing upon the ego and gullibility of wirters and authors to spend money on worthless or nonexistent entities and promotions designed to promote their writings.

An Author Anecdote

This issue wasn’t a problem until my books appeared for sale on my Facebook and Google business pages. My newsletter piece celebrating National Unfriend Day in the November issue describes how scammers began inquiring about promoting my books to various reading groups.

Reading Group Inquiries

Reading Groups & Author PhishingInterestingly, the first approach came from an alleged reading group came from a library in Glasgow, Scotland. The scammer said all the right things, how much he admired my book, Mission: Soul Saacrifice, how much he admired its premise, and how it fit perfectly his group’s reading interests.

The Flashing Red Light

Knowing British readers seem more attuned to fantasy and supernatural themes, proceeding to the next step seemed the logical thing to do. Logical, that is, until he asked for advance money for “promotional purposes.” My involvements with most book groups in the States don’t require any upfront advance before making a personal appearance either in person or via a Zoom call.

This red light prompted a call the Library with which the group was allegely associated. The reference librarian there declared he had never heard of such a group. So, I declined their offer and thought that was the end of it.

But, no. Soon, groups all over the United States and elsewhere requested my appearing before their reading groups–money in advance, of course. Perhaps, these blandishments were due to pressure of the upcoming holidays. Or, it may have resulted from  or the sharing of my information over the Internet. But, no matter how many requests I deleted in my mailbox, more kept coming in.

Phishing Detection

Most of these phony requests were easy enough to spot. Some wanted to promote novels I’d written over twenty years ago. Others addressed me last name first, i.e. Dear Mr. Fietzer William or not at all. One addressed me properly, contained all the correct details, and in the proper order. However, they appeared in a font different from that of the inquiry–clearly a cut-and-paste job.

The Boldest Author Phishing Incident

But a request from a reading group in Melbourne, Australia topped the others for deception and sheer gall. A check on the veracity of the request uncovered a legitimate reading group existed in Melbourne. It turned out to be the headquarters of a world-wide network of reading groups, one located in Indianapolis. The request for appearance apparently came from the group president herself.

Only, the inquiry didn’t actually come from the president. Having been scorched several times, I queried the group’s contact person whether their president had contacted me about a Zoom call promotion. She replied the president told her she had not. This was the first time a scammer had impersonated the president of a real club to solicit funds from unwary authors.

What Can Be Done?

The president did provide a two-step list of actions to take (in Google) if readers or writers receive similar requests in the future. They are:

Report Phishing within Gmail (Desktop):

  1. Open the suspicious email in your inbox.
  2. Click the More icon (three dots) next to the Reply button.
  3. Select Report phishing.

Step 2

Report Fraudulent Activity to Google:

  1. Navigate to the Gmail abuse form in a web browse.
  2. Provide your contact information, the subject and body of the email, and any available message headers, which contain information about the email’s origin.
  3. Submit the report to Google.

Despite taking these actions, the president doubted these fraudulent perpetrators would be caught. However, the number and persistence of the requests I’ve received since then diminished significantly.

Author Phishing: Conclusions

Author Phishing Affects AuthorshipIt’s clear after this experience that a lot of scammers are out there willing to separate writers from their pocketbooks. True, they may act anonymously or impeersonate real people from legitimate institutions. However, most of the time their attempts are easy to spot. Or, uncovering their deceit is a simple matter of practicing due diligence.

Nonetheless, in this season of holiday commerce and gift-giving, it’s always wise to check what’s happening the other end of the phishing line. That promotional opportunity you’re about to land with a giddiness that someone’s finally interested in what you have to say? Watch out! It may leave you dangling from a scammer’s hook after fleecing you out of hundreds of dollars or more.

Take care.

What do you think? Let us know in the Leave a Reply section below. Thanks.

 

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Reflections: Post No-Kings-II

In the wake of all the No-Kings-II rallies last weekend, some sober reflections are in order.  Let me promise in advance this will not be an anti-Trump screed (go to some of my other blog posts for that).  Instead, let’s look at the practical as well the spiritual gains these protests achieved.  In short, what was accomplished and where does the movement go from here?

Post No-Kings-II Benefits

Looking south along Hwy 9 during No Kings II rally.

1. Identification:

No-Kings-II rally in Poughkeepsie NY
Looking south along Hwy 9 during No Kings II rally.

First of all, the 2700+ No-Kings-II rallies produced a sense of continuing identity. The second rally proved the first No Kings rally was not a fluke. Instead, it revealed the  growing momentum of  spirit among people united against Trump’s authoritarianism. As Ezra Levin, co-founder of the progressive movement Indivisible, pointed out,  the numbers of people attending each of the three major rallies increased by 40-50 per cent each time.

2. Communication:

Second, preparation for the event required for each rally fostered increased discussion and networking among those who attended. This communication occurred not only face-to-face, but via telephone, email, and social media connections as well. New personal acquaintances sprang up.  And out of this our social and political knowledge evolved.

For example, my wife and I became familiar with organizations and movements such as Neighbor To Neighbor and 5 Calls. In the absence of any local group in the Poughkeepsie NY area, we established PK Power, a local group affiliated with Indivisible intended as a discussion and local action group to support nation-wide anit-authoritarian protests.

Such initiatives, personal and collective, foster a sense of community and support among those involved. Many pundits running the gambit of political persuasion speak out against the Trump’s regime’s intimidation tactics designed to dispirit his opponents. Our groups counter his minions’ activities through their shared resistance. And they provide a sense of unity, a serious psychological support against his followers’  stsrong-arm tactics.

3. Actionability:

No-Kings-II rally in Poughkeepsie NY
Looking north along Hwy 9 at the several thousand who participated.

Finally, these Infivisible rallies and information sessions provide concrete solutions to counter government behaviors that seem overwhelming and intractable. Certainly, when a constitutional legal champion like Marc Elias describes the Trump team’s lawlessness inside and outside  the criminal justice system, their fearsome actions mimic the unrelenting and unfeeling relentlessness of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator characterization.

Unlike Rebecca Solnit‘s incisive is mildly scatalogical assessment of late-stage Trumpism, Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin have provided workable, scalable, and legal activities to counter the lawless actions of  paramilitary organizations like ICE and the extra-legal mechanizations of people like Stephen Miller. Small-scale protests and local acts of resistance are effective and can be scaled up to national level actions.

Drawbacks

Rally poster at the Poughkeepsie NY No-Kings-II rallyMuch like Trump’s minions, resistance under the Indivisible banner is not perfect. The following reveals some of our movement’s shortcomings:

1. Speed:

No-Kings-II rally poster
Rally poster at the Poughkeepsie NY No-Kings-II rally

Unlike the Trump regime with its comparatively small nucleus of participants, people operating under the banner of resistance groups must coordinate with a much greater number of participants. So many diverse groups with their differing goals and initiatives make collective mobilization difficult and unwieldy.

2. Transparency:

Now that Indivisible has organized three separate mass protests against the Trump regime, its operational tactics are clear. Trump’s minions operate in secret and behind closed doors, but mass protests are public and readily knowable. The threat of disruption, incarceration, and violence remains a constant threat.

3. Fatigue:

Maintaining the energy level that fuels protests and peaceful acts of rebellion is always difficult. While the Magas and Trump’s enablers have their zealotry to sustain them (not to mention prison-time accountability should they fail), the people who participate in the No Kings rallies have only their decency and conscience to sustain them. The temptation to give in to their apprehensions is always there.

After No-Kings-II

Sign from No-Kings-II rally, Poughkeepsie, NY
Sign at the Poughkeepsie NY No Kings rally.

What happens now? Ezra Levin says plans are in the works for a third national day of protest. His organizers and participants need time to recharge and reorganize. In the meantime, Indivisible offers a variety of actions and sources for local grou[s to consult.

Judging from discussions I’ve had with fellow rally-goers and PK Power-Indivisible  participants, the time for wake-up calls passed long ago. Tearing down the East wing of the White House demonstrates that fact literally and figuratively. Many people (the majority, I hope) want action. They want to take back the government that is rightfully everyone’s ours. Rallies like No Kings II and organizations like Indivisible provide the ways and means to accomplish it.

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Plausible Deniability from Babbage to Kirk :

Plausible Deniability: Charlie KirkMany people, myself included, first heard the concept of plausible deniability in association with right-wing political activist, Charlie Kirk.  But, did you know that the concept first appeared in the writings of the 19th century “Father of the Computer” Charles Babbage? The concept  enjoyed a checkered, sometimes unsavory reputation since then but received revived attention with Kirk’s horrendous assassination.

What Is Plausible Deniability?

First of all, a definition with some exampless is in order. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, plausible deniability is “the ability to say in a way that seems possibly true that you did not know about something or were not responsible for something.”  For example, an athlete may claim that taking a legistimate medical prescription may be the cause for his/her positive drug tests. Or, an organization pretends that websites run by  representatives are autonomous thus enabling it to disstance itself from controversial statements and claims made by those sites.

Origin and History of Plausible Deniability

Plausible Deniability: Charles BabbageAlthough the concept may have existed throughout human history as the Wikipedia entry  claims, it never received formal recognition until Charles Babbage described it in his Ninth Bridgwater Treatise.  There he depicted it as a deceitful but common political process whereby committee members could maintain deniability regarding sensitive or unethical decisions. It required “a few simply honest men” on a committee who could be conveniently, and temporarily, dismissed when a “peculiarly delicate question” arose. In that way, one of those absent members could “declare truly, if necessary, that he “never was present at any meeting at which even a questionable course had been proposed.”

Plausible Deniability: Allen DullesThis abstract concept lay dormant until 1948. Then, a series of National Security Council (NSC) papers defined “covert operations” committed in behalf of the U.S. government “are so planned and executed that … if uncovered the US Government can plausibly disclaim any responsibility for them.”  Later on In 1952, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA( Director Allen Dulles coined the term “”plausibly deniable” for operations committed in the government’s behalf.

From there the term reappears regularly in political histories, especially American, over the last forty years.  Coverage of events as disperate as the Cuban invasion, Nixon’s Watergate scandal, the Iran-Contra affair, and the Wagner Group’s invasions into Ukraine, Syria, and Africa all reference the term. Even the unbiased Australian media outlet, The Conversation,  speaks of how Kirk’s radicalism evolved from the “casula denigation and dehumanization of the ‘enemies’ . . . into the “dark and sarcastic humor that allow[s] for plausible deniability while still spreading hate.”

Context’s Role

It appears that connotations associated with plausible deniability have changed over the past 150 years since Babbage defined the concept. Whereas he spoke of it in terms of a political ploy used by bureaucrats in the course of their indvidual infighting, the CIA institutionalized it as a procedural weapon against their opponents to evade accountability for their actions.

In Babbage’s case, he wrote of it within the context of the early 19th century’s debate over religion and science.  Whereas, philosopher David Hume‘s rejected miracles as a part of the laws (including human) of nature, Babbage envisioned them as part of God’s divine plan.  Similar to today’s human computer programmer, he envisioned the deity as having “the supreme ‘foresight’ to encode apparent adaptations and deviations into the universe from the beginning.”

Such foresight applies to miracles as well. Rather than a violation of nature, Babbage stated that miracles “follow preprogrammed rules that are too complex for human comprehension.” Therefore, in regards to the existence of such miracles, “it is ALWAYS possible to assign a number of independent witnesses, the improbability of the falsehood of whose concurring testimony shall be greater than the improbability of the alleged miracle.”

Plausible Deniability in the Modern Age

Currently, the idea of plausible deniabilty is neither as loffy nor as philosophical as Babbage’s conception. The telling difference is a procedural one based on economies of scale. Instead of being applied on an individual level, entire governments work to employ deniable plausibility on a mass scale as a part of institutional policy.

Beyond the examples cited above, even computer networks (ironically from Babbage’s viewpoint) can be set to relay certain types of broadcasts automatically. For instance, the original transmitter of a file becomes indistinguishable from those who are merely relaying it. Organized that way, those people who first transmitted the file can claim that their computer had merely relayed it from elsewhere.

Conclusion

It seems ironic that the religious man who conceived of the notion of plausible deniability as part of his defense for God’s existence should have it used for dubious ends such as Watergate and the CIA’s overthrow of countries. Perhaps some of it stems from his mechanistic view of the universe and of the god that created it. The son of a banker and a mathematically gifted polymath from an early age, Babbage seldom appearss to have viewed people as anything other than chess pieces to move around to fit his theories.

In fact, most of his work in his appropriately titled book, The Economy of Machines and Manufactures, delineates  the “careful division of labor” from a managerial rather than a worker standpoint. He restricts his view of human input within the factory system to the time period for recover of training costs.

Plausible Deniability: Babbage's Analytical EnginePerhaps if the conceiver of the Analytical Engine had viewed plausible deniability in a less narrow, more humane light, his legacy as originator of the concept would be less harsh. No individual can anticipate the future’s regard for his work with certainty. Howver, a more flexible, humanistic view of God and the universe might have softened or even nullified today’s ethos. A cultural mindset that promotes worker productivity at the expense their well-being, institutionalizes plausible deniability, and influences radical activists like Charlie Kirk..

What do you think? This post provides another entry in an occasional series about the Trump administration’s impact on our culture (see Shelley’s Unsung Poem & Anti-Trump Protest among others). Let me know in the Leave a Comment section below.

 

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Things Found Searching Other Things

Ever fallen down a rabbit hole while investigating a topic? I have–numerous times. The side diversions of things found researching other things are what make it fun and, hopefully, enjoyable to the reader.

The trick is not to engage in an information dump at the expense of the reader’s patience. A great practitioner of walking that fine line was a syndicated columnist who wrote a column entitled “Things Found on the Way to Other Things.” His column appeared in the Saturday edition of the Wisconsin State Journal back in the 1980 and 1990s. Factoids then, today they’re referred to as nuggets or Easter Eggs. Regardless of time or terminology, they’ purvey the context or back ground of an interesting tidbit of information.

Things Found: A Shaggy Dog Story

Things found: shaggy dog storyThat is what we have here. Originally, this blog post intended to deal with stressed individuals’ growing use of AI and Chatbots instead of human professionals for emotional and psychiatric treatment. (More on that below). However, in the process of developing that narrative, one thing became quite apparent. Despite my previous  blog on the related topic of the mental health of family caregivers, I possessed little expertise on the merits or pitfalls  of psychiatric Chatbot treatment.

Consequently, this shortcoming forced me to expand the scope of my topic and the  research attending it. Being a writer and published author prompted me to approach the topic from a viewpoint more in keeping with my vocational ballpark. Numerous novles and short stories come to mind that depict unreliable or delusional narrators. Edgar Allan Poe‘s “The Telltale Heart” and Henry James‘ “The Turn of the Screw” are two famiiar examples. In fact, the caareers of such gothic horror novelists as William Faulkner, Flannery O’Connor, or Steven King wouldn’t have existed without their mentally disturbed protagonists.

Enter Fyodor Dostoevsky

Found things: drawing of Raskolnikov by BoklevskiyYet, whatever the brilliance of Faukner’s Quentin Compson or King’s Carrie White characterizations, their fictional progenitor has to be Rodion Raskolnikov in Feodor Dostoevsky‘s Crime and Punishment.  Published in 1866, it depicts the killing, retribution, and redemption of an impovershed law student who seeks to justify his hubris by proving he is as “exceptional” as Napoleon Bonaparte was a half century before.

As it turns out, he is not. Rather than having the strength of will he admires in his idol, he suffers from the weakness of conscience, of humanity, in committing such an ignoble act regardless how deserving or corrupt his victim. Since that time, many anti-social personages, famous and ignominous, have sought to distinguish themselves and justify their cruelty and inhumanity in a similar way. Unlike Raskolnikov, none of his successors achieved redemption.

So What?

At this point, you might wonder what this plunge into things found amongst the weeds of literary history has to do with psychiatric chatbots and AI. Well, hang on. We must dig deeper before all becomes clear. One interesting sidelight about Dostoevsky’s creation is his protagonist’s last name. It derives from the Russian term for schismatic, a reference to a member of the Old Believer movement of the early 18th century in Russia.

Though the term suggests a breaking away or splintering from the religious norm, it also reflects the traditional values of the anti-reform dissenters. These people rebelled against Tsar Alexey‘s blending of the traditional Russian Orthodox Church with its Greek Orthodox counterpart. After years of persecution under czarist and  communist authorities, the Old Believers’  strict morals and rejection of all things western now enjoy a renaissance throughout Russia and beyond in the 21st century.

Things Found: The Upshot

Found Things: Cultural UpheavalThe historical relevance of this literary correlation now seems more applicable. As in 17th-century Russia, the adoption of new ways of thinking and acting are seldom affable. In times of great cultural upheaval such as ours, adherence or reversion to the old ways is an inevitable expression of conscience for some. For others, it justifies the cruelty and persecution meted out to those who differ from themselves, whether culturally, ethnically, or intellectually.

It is an old game. Pundits and politicians take advantage of change for their own ends. Professional research indicates that AI and ChatGPT are no match for the caring and concerned treatment of the metally disturbed by a trained, human professional. The trenchant issue is a matter of appropriations and values. Because psychological AI has advised one patient to murder his parents, should that single diagnosis invalidate all AI psychological advising, particularly where there is a lack of funding or staffing? Doesn’t this also mean we should reexamine our priorities regarding these considerations?

Weighty concerns. While you consider them, recall your own reading habits. Particularly you boomers: think back on the Saturday section of your newspaper if you received one. Do any of you remember the syndicated column mentioned at the beginning of this blog? If so, identify the columnist in the Leave a Reply section below. I’d love to hear from you.

 

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Hidden Secrets of Colonial Foodways Revealed

Ever wonder why you eat the things you do? Is it the taste? Your Upbringing? Cultural heritage? A combination of all three?

Poughkeepsie Partnership

Colonial Foodways: Chef Robert PerilloThese issues and more formed the basis of Culinary Institute of America  food historian Beth Forrest and Chef/Professor Robert Perillo‘s presentations at the Town of Poughkeepsie’s Senior Center Wednesday night, July 17th. This first in a series of lectures, tours, and film screenings is partnered by the Poughkeepsie Public Library District and the Town of Poughkeepsie  Historic Preservation Commission.  It kicked off monthly celebrations of our country’s 250th anniversary with a free, full-course dinner that typified the standard cuisine Americans ate during the formative years (18th century) of our nation.

Colonial Foodways Dinner

If you expect (as I did) such a meal would be monotonous and bland, think again. Chef Perrillo and his cadre of CIA student volunteers/aspiring chefs set before each of the hundred-plus attendees platters filled with samples from a variety of food stuffs. These included items as varied as smoked fish, collard greens, and apple-pickled asparagus. In addition, almond pudding and election cakes served as dessert washed down with ginger beer, raspberry-rose drink, or water.

Power Dynamics of Colonial Foodways

Colonial Foodways: Food Historian Beth ForrestProf. Forrest’s pre-dinner presentation provided an overview of the food items available to the average american’s palette. Sugar and salt were scare commodities at this time, so cooks emphasized the savory side through local herbs and animal fat. Sorghum, nuts, and berries formed the basis of most desserts.

A hierarchy of cuisines formed early iin our history. Indigenous dishes including local game such as turkey ranked at the apex with European and African food sources such as okra falling below that. This hierarchy reflected greater cultural themes of environment, heritage, and identity that shaped colonial America well into its future. One example:  Americans originally disdained corn and potatoes as foodstuffs meant only for the poorer classes. Meanwhile, apples came to be prized for their sweetness and their trees prized as property markers.

Colonial Foodways & the Columbian ExchangeColonial Foodstuffs and the Columbian Exchange

As a result, food preferences then and now reflect the evolving power dynamics implicit in food availablity, selection, and preparation. The cultural interchanges among nations of  also occurred in the food stuffs they consumed.  This Columbian Exchange, a term coined by Prof. Alfred W. Crosby, introduced new plants and animals to both hemispheres. For example, European explorers introduced horses to Native Americans. And indigenous Americans introduced Europeans to the tomato.

More Colonial-Related Events to Come

As mentioned above, this dinner introduces a variety of similarly entertaining and thought-provoking events associated with our Colonial Heritage. To learn more, grab a copy of t the Poughkeepsie Public Library District’s newsletter, The Rotunda. Or you can go to their website and look under the “History & Current Events” section for their list of current related presentations.

Let me know what events you attended and why. If none of these events suit your taste (Get it?),  let me know that, too. As always, leave your comments in the Leave a Reply section below. Thanks.

 

 

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Authorship Game-changer: Trump 2.0

Game-changer: AuthorshipThe four months after my blog post  on Trump 2.0 show him to be the  institutional game-changer many of us dreaded. My post at that time discussed how to cope with the impact of his administration in general terms. This one addresses his impact and how to deal with it in more specific and personal areas: independent authorship and publishing. The discussion below itemizes some general points with my persaonl commentary.

Game-changer in General Publishing

An Artificial Intelligence (AI) meta-search on the topic breaks down Donald Trump‘s impact on the publishing industry into five key areas:

  1. Trade and Tariffs
  2. Government Funding
  3. Freedom of Speech
  4. Author Mobility
  5. Shift to Digital Formats

Of these, items 1 and 3 may be the most significant for independent authors. The others can be dismissed for the purposes of this post.

Why?

Many independent authors already embrace digital formats through ebooks and audio formats. Government funding primarily benefits researchers and non-fiction writers in general, i.e. anyone whose income derives from government grants. In regards to author mobility, Trump’s policies affect those writers who have significant readership in other countries. A prime example is Curtis Chin . He claims to have lost ten thousand dollars per speaking engagement due to cancellations on American college campuses.

On the other hand, Item 3 strikes at the heart of the independent writers movement–freedom of expression. Without independent writers, publishers, and bookstores, readers would receive their information only from the corporate legacy publishers and the writers who work for them. The current news cycle demonstrates how easily information from these sources is compromised and homogenized.

Trade and Tariffs: A Personal CaseTrump 2.0: Game-changer

That leaves Item 1. It provides an anecdotal example of Trump’s impact on indendent authorship. Aside from increased printing and shipping costs, Trump’s tariff ban reduces the already-narrow profit margins independent authors and publishers rely upon to survive. These authors either purchase paperback copies of their manuscripts from a bulk printer like IngramSpark or buy them at wholesale prices from an independent publisher. Either way, the retail markup on these items depends upon what reader traffic will bear.

In recent years, with the increasing number of books published annually (circa two million) and the increasing implementation of author giveaways to generate reader interest, the markup margin grew smaller and smaller. Based on personal experience, the top price readers expect to pay for mid-range fiction paperbacks ranges between 15 and 19 dollars. Charging more than that dampens reader purchases because it infringes on what the price range of hardcover genre fiction–$20 – $25.

Since small-press publishers charge authors 55-65% wholesale per item, price increases anywhere along the supply chain (paper, shipping, etc.) diminish the profit authors receive. Add in the initial outlay of purchasing books in bulk from printers like IngramSpark and the giveaways cited above, independent authors face a difficult time making ends meet. Trump’s 2.0 tariff policies along with his cultural ntimidation tactics chill freedom of speech and diminish writers’ livelihoods.

Authorship Game-Changer(s)Game-changer(s): What We Can Do

Some game-changer solutions lurk within the examples above. The Alliance for Independent Authors recommends (with my comments):

  • Monitoring your print supply chain–know where your books are printed and shipped
  • Diversity production–utilize Print on Demand (POD) options
  • Stay informed–consult reliable trade news sources
  • Consider other sources–ebook and audiobooks are unaffected

These bullet points summarize what independent authors can do to maintain the quality and affordability of their products. Furthermore, authors need to reinvent themselves as business enterprises.  That means deriving income from a variety of writing-related sources, not just their books.

In addition, readers can do their share.  Support local independent book stores. Write brief reviews in Goodreads or BookBub about the books you enjoy. Take a flyer on a book by an unfamiliar author at the next writers conference or arts-and-crafts fair you attend. Part of the enjoyment derives from discovering a fresh, distinct voice. That’s what independent writers are all about.

What do you think? Do you have any suggestions not given above? Give me your suggestions in the Leave a Reply section below.

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Triple Crown’s Shocking Slide

Triple Crown of American Thoroughbred RacingLast Saturdaky, Journalism won the Preakness Stakes. Almost immediately, racing touts wondered whether he and Sovereignty, the Kentucky Derby winner, would have a rematch in the Belmont Stakes, the last leg of thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown.  In prior years, this wasn’t  an issue. The Derby winner and its runnerup would face each other again in the Preakness. And barring injury, they’d square off again for the deciding race in the Belmont.

However, that didn’t happen this year. As NBC Sports Steve Kornacki pointed out, Derby winners haven’t raced in the Preakness in three of the past five years. This recent development reflects  the Preakness’ decline in importance in particular and the Triple Crown in general.

The question is: why?

Triple Crown: Pro Forma Reasons

Currently, the most popular reason is the Preakness is scheduled two weeks after the Derby. Judged by current training practices, that timing  is too close to the Derby for competing horses to run to their best ability. For that reason many trainers of Derby winners and losers alike skip the Preakness and run their charges, if at all, in the Belmont, five weeks later.

The standard claim is that participating in three high-level stakes races within five weeks time is too grueling a schedule. Most race horses don’t run on in such a demanding schedule any more. For example, when Flightline won Horse of the Year honors in 2022, he raced only three times. All three were scheduled two-three months apart.  After winning the last one, the Breeders’ Cup Classic, he was retired undefeated. His entire racing output consisted of six races, four of them stakes.

If Flightline could win Horse of the Year by winning just three races, why risk the possibility of injury by racing more often? Granted, he won all three by impressive margins and against the best competition, but should his example set the standard for every other thoroughbred?

Triple Crown: Injury Prevention Argument

Injuries are a concern at any time, particularly life-threatening ones. Indeed, famous horses like Justify (last Triple Crown winner) and Ruffian, champion mare, had their racing careers cut short or died from racing injuries. Trainers, owners, and track managers heeded the public outcry over injuries suffered by horses racing at all levels of competition. Tracks were resurfaced, restrictions placed on jockey tactics, and drug enforcement policies strengthened and enforced.

In light of that, racing horses fewer times seems a step in that same protective/preventative direction. Such measures, however, don’t seem to help. Justify (6 starts–all wins) and Ruffian (11 starts–10 wins) both broke down after a reduced number of starts. They may be extreme examples, but the brevity of their racing careers indicates reducing a horse’s number of starts is not preventative. It does not prevent them from suffering career- or even life-ending injury.

If preventing injury doesn’t address the issue, the answer must lie elsewhere.

Triple Crown: Look at the Literature

Triple Crown: Black BeautyThe treatament of horses in thoroughbred racing long has been subsumed under the rubric of animal welfare in this country. Anna Sewell wrote her 1877 novel Black Beauty in part to champion animal (and human) rights.  As the major means of conveyance in the 19th century, the maltreatment of horses was a common sight.

As was the racing of horses. Exterminator and Stymie, to name two examples, raced well over 200 times between them in the first half of the 20th century. Purses were smaller then, and a horse needed to race more times to stay in oats and pay its entry fees. One might argue these two were geldings and would produce no further income once their racing days ended. However, even Secretariat, Triple Crown winner during the third quarter of the 20th century, raced over twenty times before retiring to stud.

The theme of a beloved horse being sacrificed to satisfy human obligations is a powerful one in 20th-century literature. In a previous blog post, Five Books that Transformed My Life, Walter Farley‘s Black Stallion series ranks number five. One title in particular stimulated my interest in horses and thoroughbred racing: The Black Stallion’s Courage. Predicated on the premise of a retired athlete returning to his sport to rescue the family business, this book produced my lifelong fascination with horse-racing lore and traditions.

Horse Racing and Sportsmanship

At this point, you might be asking yourself: so what?Triple Crown: Walter Farley

The book provided pre-adolescent me with an insight as to why people love their equine friends so much. And it exposed me to the traditions and procedures that constitute thoroughbred racing in America. Some regional biases, too. The Metropolitan, Suburban, and Brooklyn Handicaps make up the handicapped horses triple crown in New York racing. At the time of  the story’s publication (1956), they traditionally ran on Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and the last day of the Belmont spring meet. No horse The Black’s age (7) ever came out of retirement, carried the crushing weight assigned, and won.

Classic plot tropes, all of them. Yet they emblematize the lore that fascinates fans much as winning the batting triple crown does in baseball. It’s the small horse owner pitted against the giant stable, a champion fighting overwhelming odds, David and Goliath.

The Connection

Fine, but–

The connection between fiction and real life occurs when Alec Ramsey, The Black’s owner and jockey, reins in his horse rather than winning the race to rescue from serious injury a jockey riding beside them struggling to regain his seat.  Alec’s humanity and sportsmanship overcomes the financial pressure to win and restore his small, fire-ravaged stable. That  fictional depiction reveals the best aspects of the sport in real life and keeps it alive.

Triple Crown: At the Wire

Horse racing in the 19th century was termed “the sport of kings.” And it still is. It costs money to feed and run a horse. The temptation to retire a male  horse to stud at the first instance of success is always there. So are  the pitfalls if an owner waits too long. The men who owned race horses two centuries ago were wealthy men, yes. But their wealth granted them the luxury of being sportsmen, too. As such, they thrilled at the competition of evenly matched steeds struggling mightily for the lead.

Unfortunately, perhaps, race horses primarily became investments in the 21st century rather than projections of male competiveness. When then President Reagan initiated the economic shift to the wealthier classes, one of the first things this group did was investing in horse farms rather than building factories. Siring 15 or 20 offspring every year for 10 or 15 years became much more profitable (and safer) than risking a horse’s safety and earning potential on the race track. This impetus grows ever stronger with every investment manager who advises his investors to invest in thoroughbred racing stock.

Is it any wonder then that multinational syndicates like Godolphin with horse farms scattered across the globe show only passing interest in racing Sovereignty in the Preakness after his hard-fought Kentucky Derby win? Or why the Triple Crown loses more of its appeal with each passing year?

You be the judge. Let me know your thoughts in the Comments section below.

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Shelley’s Unsung Poem & Anti-Trump Protest

Shelley's Unsung Peem: portraitDid you know the British poet Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote protest poetry? Neither did I. He is most famous for penning the early 19th-cen romantics poems such as “To a Skylark” and “Hymn to Intellectual Beauty.” As such, Shelley seems more a romantic dreamer like John Keats or William Wordsworth than a political firebrand like Lord Byron. Certainly, the titles of his poems appearing in my college sophomore lit course suggest little emotional expression beyond romantic passion.

Protest Literature’s Context

Imagine my surprise when his name turned up on a Google AI search for protest literature! (Yes, I confess to resorting to AI to write this blog post) Not that I expected to uncover many names or a curated list like for some of my other literature lists. Most protest literature reacts to a particular historical event such as the French Revolution (see Les Miserables). Another example is  the American Civil War (see Red Badge of Courage).  As such, it provokes a real life call-to-action in its readers like the Muckraker writings of Upton Sinclair and Ida Tarbell.

Shelley’s Unsung Poem: DiscoveryShelley's Unsung Poem: 1832 cover

That search did turn up an interesting sub-category, however–protest poetry. Among the many names listed, (most of them mid-20th century), Shelley’s “The Masque of Anarchy” stood out. My unfamiliarity with this poem is hardly surprising since it was not published during Shelley’s lifetime. In fact, it wasn’t published until 1832, nine years after the poet’s death. Why? Its editor, friend and poet Leigh Hunt, thought “the public at large had not become sufficiently discerning to do justice to the sincerity and kind-heartedness of the spirit that walked in this flaming robe of verse.”

Shelley’s Unsung Poem: Content and History

The seeds for this type of poetic expression first appeared the previous year when Shelley published his “The Revolt of Islam.” In it, he expressed some of the passion which  served as the epigraph in the Hunt publication: “Hope is strong; Justice and Truth their winged child have found.”

However, this assertion received its full voice the following year. Outraged at the deaths of 18 people who died from a cavalry charge into a crowd of 60 thousand people demanding parliamentary reform, the Peterloo Massacre inspired Shelley to replace the unjust proponent of authority of his time, “God, King, and the Law,” with a new form of social action, “Let a great assembly be, of the fearless, of the free.” Stated as such, literary experts such as Paul Foot and Richard Holmes consider it the first modern expression of nonviolent resistance and the “greatest  political poem ever written in English.”

Shelley’s Unsung Poem: Legacy

Many change-makers have used Shelley’s unsung poem’s meter and imagery to inspire their political efforts. Educator and activist Howard Zinn used the poem’s “very special power” to inspirte and educate the members of the American labor movement. Students at the Tiannamen Square protests in 1989 and protestors at Tahrir Square in 2011 recited the poem during their protest vigils. Shelley’s line “Ye are many-they are few” inspired the campaign slogan “We are many, they are few” used by Poll Tax protestors in 1989. And Robert Reich, former U.S. Secretary of Labor, used a variant of that line for the subtitle of his 2016 book, Saving Capitalism.

Relevance to Today’s Anti-Trump RrotestsShelley's Unsung Poem: Kingston rally

The parallels between 19th century injustices and authoritarian brutality should be apparent to anyone. Moreover, Shelley’s appeal to nonviolent tactics inspired Mahatma Ghandi, Martin Luther King and others as an effective way to combat government oppression.

More than that, however, Shelley’s poem identifies the tactics and energy reserves urdinary citizens have available to change things for the better. Rather than confined to some out-of-way, dusty shelf, poets and writers like Shelley remain relevant to today’s problems. Brutality and government overreach occur in every century. Shelley and today’s poets and writers provide the vision and inspiration to overcome injustice non-violently.

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Special Perks of Grandparenting

Birthday cake: Perks of GrandparentingAre there any perks associated with being a grandparent?At first glance, It seemed doubtful to this Baby Boomer. Oh sure, everybody says they welcome taking care of the grandkids in hopes of witnessing their first smiles. But as they grow up, those moments dwindle in significance compared to our expressions of relief when our babysitting obligaations are over.

Grandparent Memories

That opening question springs from our attending our five-year-old grandson’s birthday party last weekend. Watching the event unfold through the plate glass window at Kangas recalled a similar incident I witnessed at a Boston area McDonalds years before. A glum elderly gentleman dressed in a gray suit and tie sat at a table in the middle of the restaurant. Around him a half-dozen six-year-olds gamboled about blowing on noisemakers and shouting “Happy Birthday” to his grandson at the top of their lungs.

That recollection haunted me for years even after we had children of our own. It certainly didn’t make the prospect of waking early on a Sunday morning, driving 70 miles to an unfamiliar location (Queens NYC), and witnessing a bunch of raucous children any rosier despite the opportunity of escaping Trump’s invective for a day.

Alleviating Anxiety

To deal with other instances of this kind, my solace comes from a source  consulted many times before as a writer: the pages of a novel. Surely, I reasoned, authors more esteemed than I must have  dealt with this problem in their stories.

You’d think so, but it was an unpleasant surprise to discover the dearth of grandparent angst depicted in literature. Out of 319 books dredged misup by computer AI, only a handful dealt with the misgivings of being a grandparent. Most were bildungsromans, coming-of-age stories where the protagonists are children learning to cope with their rampaging emotions and apprehensions over becoming adults.

Perks of Grandparenting: Casting About

“Rightfully,” some readers might say. After all, children have the majority of their lives still before themd. Their environments, their families, and the decisions made from such nurturance form a recognizable story arc authors have used for centuries. Such narratives reflect the commonly accepted reality that elderly people, including grandparents, most of whose life narratives are behind them, should accept their roles as guiders and nurturers of succeeding generation(s).

However, assuming such subsidiary roles doesn’t address the needs, aspirations, and emotions of the elders involved. Are they supposed to be satisfied with playing that non-player character (NPC) role? It recalls the grandfather/narrator role played by Peter Falk in the film version of William Goldman‘s  The Princess Bride. Is imparting one’s wisdom and experience off-screen sufficient recompense for aiding a boy’s slumbers? Would such consignment alleviate the misery of that grandfather experienced at that Boston McDonalds decades ago?

I think not.

Resorting to Science: Nostalgia’s Role

Birthday Party: Perks of GrandparentingMemories come in many forms and provoke a variety of emotions. As instanced above, not all of them need be sentimental or heart-warming. A recent study by researchers from the University of Buffalo and Kyoto University found that nostalgic people may be more inclined to strengthen and maintain long-term relationships than those who aren’t. The reason why: when people reminisce about the good times spent with loved ones, they appreciate them more and strive to maintain those relationships. According to study co-author Kuan Ju-Huang, this means that those positive attachments “may be more likely to last, even as our lives, interests, and responsibilities change.”

What this means for the individual depends upon his or her personality. Those of us who observe life, such as writers and artists, tend to protect their inner selves by  objectivizing life’s activities and relationships. Those who take more active roles subjectivize their life’s activities and relationships. Neither approach is more correct than the other.

However, the former approach can be a two-edged sword. Observation does enable the individual to take a more objective approach to life. Yet, iit also distances him/her from the warm, emotional connections that foster long-term relationships.

Perks of Grandparenting: Abbey RoadPerks of Grandparenting: Acquisition

Reflecting furather on my Boston anecdote, no one can say for sure whether that grandparent enjoyed his grandchildren’s birthday experience. Based on my one-off observations, he wasn’t. Perhaps, inwardly he was, but was unable to express his joy at his grandson and his friends’ celebration. Maybe his being there was all the affirmation he could manage.

Consequently, it’s unwise to pass judgment on what that grandfather should have done or on his level of involvement. Perhaps he participated in all his grandchildren’s life events with that same level of tolerant misery. However, he also could have forged the first link in the chain of family nostalgia by standing up and dancing around the table with his grandson’s friends in celebration of one of life’s milestones.

We’ll never know. But as one Boomer icon concluded on their album Abbey Road, “In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”

What do you think? Place your comment in the Leave a Reply section below.

 

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Vital Tips to Cope with Trump 2.0

Trump 2.0Since the presidential inauguration, Trump 2.0 has proven as threatening and dangerous to our values and freedoms as he promised. Political pundits categorize it as a hostile takeover, government readjustment, or a coup. Whatever one calls it, the times are not a-changing for the better. Rather, they are provoking people’s flight-or-fight responses. In short, they evoke all the symptoms of W. H. Auden‘s Age of Anxiety –on steroids.

What To Do?

However, this is not a screed about about how dire life will become under the second Trump administration. Nor will it reassure you with platitudes about our leaders and the courts are pushing back until the next election. Trump and his allies won’t wait that long. In fact, there is every reason to believe Trump’s campaign promise that “in four years, you don’t have to vote again. We’ll have it fixed so good, you’re not gonna have to vote.”

Guidelines to Cope with Trump 2.0

Perhaps not on an institutional level, there are things you can do as an individual, however, to alleviate stress induced by the current political chaos. Much as family caregivers must cope with stress, we must cope with the political stressors that stymie our actions to restore our democratic power and authority as responsible citizens.

Stay Informed

The first action to take is to stay informed. Find out as much as you can from various news sources including traditional (legacy) and alternative media, social groups, and online sources. Examine issues from the other side’s point of view and determine whether their arguments hold water. Or whether they bother to defend their actions at all.

Take a Break

The second seems contradictory: take a break. After you’ve taken in all you can handle, turn off the TV, put aside the PC, find a quiet spot, and get in touch with your inner self. Rather than a dearth of information, we drown in the firehose of information available in the 21st ceintury. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Hold your breath and release it applying counts of four to each action. Other relaxation techniques include mindfulness, yoga, and tai chi. Learn which technique works best for you, stick with it, and regain your quiet center.

Share What You’ve Discovered About Trump 2.0

Once you’ve recentered yourself, the next thing to do is share the information and opinions you’ve collected with someone else. Start with family members and close friends, then work outwards. Contribute to social media groups. Join their discussions. Britain’s Mental Health Group and the Mayo Clinic encourage people combatting anxiety to socialize. More than that, challenge those thoughts and worries causing your ill health.

Why? because this same approach works for addressing political ansieties, too. Defending your opinions against others forces you to look outside yourself and recognize the thoughts, feelings, and convictions of others,  people who could become your allies.

Trump 2.0: Save DemocracyGet Involved

Take the next step: After you’ve espoused your opiniions on social media and elsewhere, take action. There are plenty of ways to accomplish this. Write postcards to underserved minorities. Call, write, or email your congressional representatives about issues you care about. Serve on committees. Even more proactive: participate in marches, sit-ins, and other acts of civil disobedience to dramatize your convictions.

Hold Trump 2.0 Accountable

The purpose of your activity involves dramatizing your convictions in a way that impacts the most people. Not only does it put Trump and his minions on the defensive, it also forces our representatives to do their part and stand up against the usurpation of their constituents’ rights and liberties.

On the individual level, taking such proactive actions reduces personal anxiety. On the institutional level, it encourages others to take heart and stand against those people who unlafully and immorally are trying to take over our government. Department of Justice lawyer Brendon Ballou said it best on the mpact of outside agitation on employee pushback. “Public outrage gave us courage and the knowledge that we were, in fact, working in the public interest. Advocacy on the outside made advocacy on the inside possible.”

Trump 2.0: Personal Note

Trump 2.0 vs. Viet Nam GenerationThese observations arise from the convictions of a confirmed Baby Boomer who experienced the divisiveness caused by the Viet Nam War.  My rebelliousness then stemmed from my countercultural attitude toward the social mores of the political  establishment. The irony is not lost on me that despite my convicitions remaining the same, I now must defend that culture’s values, constraints, and instituions.  That’s how instutionally powerful conservative America has become over the past 60 years.

However, taking some of the actions cited above holds out hope that with our united effort the United States can become a haven for freedom of choice and democracy once again.

What do you think? Let me know in the Leave a Reply secion below.