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The Most Idiotic Anti-Gun PSA Ever

“Can you take this away? I don’t feel safe with a gun in my house,” a child tells his teacher as he puts a gun down on her desk. So opens one of the most stupid PSA videos ever from the anti-gun crowd. The Sleeper 13 Production video would seem to encourage children to steal improperly secured weapons from their own homes and deliver to their teachers, because, after all, aren't teachers experts at all things pertaining to firearm education? Not!

So, lets briefly explore the depth jaw-dropping stupidity of this video. First, it has a child picking-up a gun which may, or may not, have a chambered round or loaded clip inserted. Children should instead learn never to touch a gun for which they are neither responsible nor trained. After all, the kind of parent who would put an unsecured gun in a clothes drawer is precisely same kind of parent who would leave the weapon loaded and ready for use. 

Second, the video would have the dimwitted child bring the (possibly loaded) firearm into a Gun Free Zone. This not only encourages a serious and life-changing crime for the child, but it also fails to consider what happens if the weapon falls into the hands of another child--perhaps on with darker motives. Sheer idiocy.  It also recommends an illegal transfer of the firearm to the teacher.  If an adult were to commit this laundry list of felonies, I'm told the sentence could approach a century of incarceration.

Even more serious, I'd suggest, is the larger message--reminiscent of Nazi Germany--in which children are encouraged to tell authorities about the private affairs of their parents, if they differ from the state's values. Is this the kind of Utopian society for which liberals hope? This is truly disgusting.

So, the takeaway from this PSA is crystal clear.  Let's teach our kids to steal a gun, which may be loaded, and bring into a no "Gun Free Zone," then deliver the firearm to a stunned teacher who has no firearm experience or knowledge--other than television, of course. Way to stress responsibility.  Idiots.

Tell them what you think.  E-mail the producers HERE.

Enter to Win "The Blood Cries Out" on Goodreads!

"The Blood Cries Out tells the story of Seattle Homicide Detective David Lightholler, who becomes involved in a murder investigation that would shake even a seasoned investigator. Erickson wastes little time in presenting the reader with a ghastly murder mystery that, as it was, cries out for resolution.

This novel is firmly set in the habitations of Seattle and its surroundings. Erickson clearly knows and loves the city, for he spares little in the way of description. Being so detailed about a location can be difficult for a writer, but Erickson pulls it off.

Set against the backdrop of Seattle, Lightholler must face his personal demons as well as the rigors of modern homicide investigation. Again, Erickson shows that he has done his homework when he describes the procedural actions of the hero.

Interestingly, the personal component of the novel often outshines the criminal. In this respect, Erickson's writing packs a certain punch. For example, when the mother of a slain child arrives on scene, her reaction feels tragic and painful. Even reading the book in a reviewer's frame of mind, I was instantly dragged back into the story and made to feel the emotion.

Erickson shows this again when Detective Lightholler must inform a mentally-challenged teen that her friends are dead. "Why can't I see her?" the teen asks. After the detective informs her that her friends have been murdered, she sweetly asks, "But I can see them later, right?" Any parent who has had to deliver bad news to a child understands how big a punch that is.

The Blood Cries Out is a mystery novel dripping in Pacific Northwest details. Readers with fond feelings for Seattle and other Northwestern locales will appreciate every touch of scenery lovingly added in Erickson's debut mystery novel. Readers looking for a detective novel with a human touch will also enjoy The Blood Cries Out."


Alec Merta's 5-Star Amazon Review

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Blood Cries Out

by Karl Erickson

Giveaway ends January 12, 2015.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

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Dinesh D'Souza's "America" is a Remarkable Achievement

I finally watched Dinesh D'Souza's America, and I was really blown away.  Now, I should probably mention here that I'm not new to the work of Mr. D'Souza, but nothing before of his has really come close to What's So Great About Christianity for me.  It's not that I didn't like his other works, but they were hard for me to get into the same way that I entered into that earlier work of his, but  "America" changed all that.

This is a remarkable movie, and its content is shockingly persuasive.  It's like a breath of fresh air from the current idiocy of the political scene in the United States.  He first examines a series of "indictments" against our nation--from the likes of Howard Zinn to Ward Churchill--then proceeds to systematically destroy their anti-American claims with logic, history, and a strong dose of common sense.  It's powerful, and it's unlike any documentary I've seen before.

The emphasis on exposing the attempted rewrite by the left of our nation's history is particularly eye-opening.  I knew the allegations were wrong, but Dinesh D'Souza has a gift for exposing just how ridiculous they are.  Into the mix, he shows the viewer the context of the situation in a new and powerful way.  For instance, he points out that prior to the Civil War, more than three thousand black plantation owners owned ten thousand slaves and were strong supporters of the Confederacy themselves.  Mr. D'Souza exposes the evil of slavery from a different perspective as well: "stealing labor and stealing lives."

As a guy who entered the state political scene briefly about a year ago, it's been incredibly disheartening watching the news of riots and racial tensions across the United State these past few weeks.  It's even more distressing that the protesting sheep are unable to discern who their shepherds are.  The mainline media is simply fanning the flames of division and stupidity once again.  Documentaries like this one are an excellent reminder that sanity remains strong with many still.  It's also an encouragement to re-enter the fray and do all that we can to fight for this country's future.  I urge you to buy or rent this movie today!  (Trailer link below.)

Speaking of these cultural distractions, here's some related food for thought.  We need more purveyors of common sense like this.  I hope you will add your voice to the demand for a return to santity in our nation.  After all, it all starts in the home.

                                          

Karl's Famous Pretzels (Encore Post)

I’ve been perfecting this recipe for several years now, and I think you will enjoy it. One word of advice is not to skip the quick immersion in the boiling water! This step makes all the difference in their final texture, creating pretzels that are moist yet crisp. I don't go into a lot of detail here about forming the pretzels, but just do your best. It takes a little practice. Even if they look odd, they should still taste great!

Ingredients and Preparation

1 1/4 cup water or beer (1/4 cup of warm water for the yeast)

3 cups bread flour

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

about 1 1/2 tsp of dry yeast

2 tbsp softened butter (optional)

1-4 tbsp of sourdough sponge

1 or two beaten eggs

course salt

sesame seeds

1/2 stick of butter

Activate the yeast separately by adding it to the water and sugar. If you have a bread machine, try using this to prepare and knead the dough. (It helps if you add the water first.) If it’s too large a batch for the machine, try cutting the recipe in half. Otherwise, prepare the dough as you would for an ordinary loaf of homemade bread.

Neither the butter nor the sourdough is a required ingredient, but I think both help make a better finished product. The sourdough enhances the depth and richness of flavor. The butter not only improves both the texture and flavor, but it also might help slightly when it comes time to form the pretzels. (You may also want to try adding one tablespoon corn meal and letting the bread "rest" before rising.  Also, cooking sprays work well on one's hands.)

Watch the dough’s progress in the bread machine (or food processor) carefully. It often requires a little fine-tuning with additional water and/or flour in order to achieve a proper ball of dough. You will want the dough to rise for several hours, and, depending on the size and habits of your bread machine, you may decide to transfer before long to a bread pan inside a barely heated oven and cover with a moist towel. (I pre-heat to a couple hundred degrees, put the bread in, then turn off the oven.) As an alternative, you may also want to form the pretzels now, then place in the oven under the towel to rise.  

HINTS: Another alternative, recommended by my daughter, is to roll the dough into eight-inch ropes and let those rise before later forming the pretzels.  You may also find it helpful to roll the pretzles on a floured cutting board.

When it looks like it’s done rising, it’s time to get everything else ready. Beat your eggs for the wash and set aside. Get a deep pan and fill it halfway with water and bring it to a boil. Begin forming the pretzels by making eight-inch ropes. Once they're formed into their classic shape, carefully pick each up and dip in the boiling water for ten seconds before returning to the greased baking sheet.

When this step is complete and they’ve all had their hot bath, then brush the egg wash over each and season with the course salt and sesame seeds. Bake until lightly browned for about 20 minutes at 450 degrees. Enjoy with melted butter.

Some Quick Pretzel History

Pretzels are said to have had their origin in Europe in the 600s, and were used by monks to reward children for memorizing their prayers and studies. The History of Science and Technology, by Bryan Bunch and Alexander Hellemans, describe their invention by a monk "...as a reward to children who learn their prayers. He calls the strips of baked dough, folded to resemble arms crossing the chest, 'pretiola' ("little rewards")". Pretzels were also used as a teaching tool for the mysterious three-in-one nature of the Holy Trinity.

A Book Club Recommendation!

Book clubs are an exciting way to discover great mysteries with friends, and it's even better when authors can drop by to share insights or backstory details on what's being read.  If you are part of a a book club, I invite you to read my new mystery, The Blood Cries Out.  I know that you'd love the story, but it also raises some great topics for group discussion and dialogue.  There are many, many different potential conversations that could arise from reading my novel, but one of my favorite would be the discussion of the unique frontier history of the Pacific Northwest.  One great book concerning our area's tumultuous history--which pertains particularly well the sixth chapter of my novel--is Massacred for Gold, The Chinese in Hells Canyon.  What would you do, for instance, if you found gold that dated back to a tragic historical episode like the Snake River Massacre?  What should you do?

For a fascinating list of other topics related to my novel, just contact me.  From the importance of conveying an authentic sense of place in fiction to the nature of sin itself, there are many, many possibilities for fascinating conversations.  In addition...if you're in western Oregon, I'd love to drop by and talk about my book with you.  I can come with something prepared, entertain your questions, or just join you in a lively conversation about good books.  If you'd like to also discuss the arts, my wife might also be able to join us.  Who knows...maybe I could bring our Newfoundland, too.  :)

There are also unique packages available, if you'd like to be supplied with the books and supplemental materials.  Depending on your budgetary restrictions, I'm also willing to consider visits beyond the Pacific Northwest.  Just contact me for details.  

I look forward to hearing from you today! 

Chesterton is our 150 lb Newfoundland.

Is Suicide Murder?

I'm fortunate that suicide has only touched my life a handful of times.  When a colleague suffocated herself, I found that it helped in sorting out my thoughts and feelings on the matter to write a short story called "The Stars Within the Glass."  Admittedly, those thoughts and feelings can be a little overwhelming.  In 1998, a young woman named  Mora McGowan and her addict boyfriend hung themselves off of Portland's Steel Bridge.  I had known Mora and her sister in elementary school and junior high, and I'll never forget the child's happy, innocent smile or how much she loved to read good books.  If we try to look beyond the emotions, though, what is the morality of suicide?

If murder is indeed the intentional killing of a human being, then suicide seems to fit that description.  With the well-publicized suicides of Robin Williams and Oregon's Brittany Maynard, we need to take a close look at the minefield before us.  If we accept that suicide is a legitimate answer in only some situations--e.g. terminal illness--then we are, in effect, placing the pain of one group of people on a pedestal, discounting the pain of others as inferior.  This only makes it that much more abundantly clear that suicide is never the answer.

In other words, if you support a terminally ill patent's attempt to kill herself, why don't you also support the depressed teen or the mentally ill person who has a similar desire?  How about a disabled person who is tired of living with the pain of a severe disability?  You see, don't you, where this leads?  There is, frankly, no end to the people you might encourage in their planned suicide.  We all experience pain, after all.  If you pick and choose...you're placing the pain of one group of people above the pain of the other.  Your logic crumbles, and it exposes a black heart.  

As an aside, I'll offer a brief suggestion here.  Learn the histories and backgrounds of those organizations who fight for death.  Don't mistakenly assume they have society's best interest in mind, because they most assuredly do not.

Suicide, euthanasia, and abortion are all manifestations of a devaluation of life around us.  Life is not a commodity; it is a sacred gift.  We didn't create ourselves, and we didn't set our own hearts to beating.  Ending this life in suicide is throwing away the greatest gift we have.  Perseverance, hope, and prayer don't offer an immediate release, but, of course, neither does suicide.  Death is just the beginning of what's to come.

So, I ask you to stop glorifying and praising suicide as a "personal choice."  It's the wrong choice; it's a selfish choice, and it's murder.  For once, let's call it for what it is.  Instead, embrace life with thankfulness and endeavor to offer up the pain.
  


Monsignor Ignacio Carrasco de Paula, the head of the Pontifical Academy for Life, said “dignity is something other than putting an end to one’s own life,” when asked about Maynard’s decision to kill herself. Carrasco de Paula said “Brittany Maynard’s act is in itself reprehensible, but what happened in the consciousness we do not know.”

Courtesy LifeNews.com

Additional Links:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Suicide: Finding Hope

List of Organizations

The Catechism of the Catholic Church