What is Facebook Etiquette?

Pondering upon the new way of making contacts and friends online, meeting people whom otherwise I probably would never have come in contact with, I’m curious about how to properly establish the digital relationship. This is not to be confused with my digital-porn relationship, that’s a whole different subject.

Friend request sent, friend request accepted, and now I have a new little face in my “friends” box and a new tick under the number of friends. Which is weird in itself. I don’t recall spending my childhood days keeping account in my brown leather journal of how many friends I had. It’s not like when Javier took my wallet and dunk it in the boys room toilet, I went into my little notebook and crossed him off my “number of friends” list, scratching out 28 to 27. That asshole.

Nevertheless, here we are. And now that I have accepted the friend request, do I go and start commenting on my new friend’s pictures and posts like we are long lost buddies? Notice, I don’t ask if it was acceptable to go through the pictures, because, let’s face it, that’s happening regardless. Those pictures, the personal info wall, and the “likes” are absorbed with such scrutiny it would make the cavity search guy at the airport jealous.

Or better yet, should I initiate with a humble “I Like” on their current status, to warm each other up to our presence in one anothers life? On the hand, one could just dive right in the middle of the action, not unlike Steven Seagal, jumping in the middle of bilingual super-stealth ninjas turned yakuza-mafiosos (with outstanding Armani suits and swords): Kicking ass, not caring about names, and never, ever, losing his cool as much as to flake off his hair gel. Hmmm, I often think about this. I don’t have to worry about gel anymore, but would love to know how you approach your new, never-shook-hands-with, friends.

Giddy up on that healthcare bandwagon!

I, as I suspect most Americans out there, have been hearing about the ongoing healthcare debate taking place currently on Capitol Hill. I’ve made no secret that I am not a fan of the current administration. I’m not a fan of the previous one either, so let’s not get any ideas. Regardless, I do have my opinions which (not shocking) do not jive with either of the propositions. And since nobody asked me them, I’m about to give them to you.

I’ve been listening to my peers argue about not wanting socialized healthcare, that we don’t want our hospitals run like the DMV, or that death squads (and I really laughed out loud, snorting and all, at this one) will be deciding who lives and who doesn’t.

One the other side, I heard about how the social healthcare works in other “advanced” countries, why not here? Let me stick to that point for a moment. Japan has a national healthcare system, one that covers approximately one-hundred and twenty seven million Japanese citizens. An article from NPR discusses just how cheap the health care is. “Perhaps too cheap” reports the article, stating that Doctor’s incomes are extremely low. I already see a problem with this. A problem that we, here in the states, are starting to suffer from. All the smart people are no longer becoming Doctors. And I don’t know about you, but I want my physicians to be as smart as, well, a doctor!


Never mind that for now. Another issue in Japan is that, while the national healthcare program started as a cover all – for everything, it is no longer the case. Over the last years, the co-payments and deductibles have increased, first by 10%, then to 20% and are currently at 30% patient responsibility. This means that in order to have full coverage in Japan, you have to carry two insurances, a GAP insurance if you will. So, they are partially back on private insurance, while their government tries to reel back in the ballooning costs of their healthcare program. And that with 127mil people! We have more than double the amount of bodies here. And don’t get me started on the weight and general health differences.
I don’t disagree with some government interference here though. Some. The pre-existing condition thing has got to go. That is retarded. And if you are offended because you think that the word retarded is insensitive because of those people that are in fact born with brain damage, well, I got news for you. The pre-existing condition thing is retarded.

However, we are a capitalist nation still, last time I checked. Forbid the insurance companies from setting negotiated rates with doctors. Let the doctor or hospital set his pricing according to what they see fit. The market will determine the value of the service, and people will go to whichever provider has mentioned best value. Abolish the referral system, so we can see whatever doctor we feel comfortable with. Let American’s get the insurance plan we want, at an affordable price. Not those ridiculous self-pay rates. Make it mandatory for citizens and residents to have healthcare. It seems to work just fine with auto insurance. Competitive rates, no in-network car mechanic nonsense. Grant us discounts for being healthy, and engaging in healthy activities. Slap us on the wrist for smoking (I’m getting slapped), and for letting our cholesterol shoot through the roof. Prevent as much as we can. Money is a great motivator, and as such we should leverage it properly.

Oh, and we should really reform the DMV. Everyone seems to already know it sucks.
Did I miss anything? Or am I totally wrong here? Let me know.

Books 4 Beer!

This weekend was the Decatur Book Festival in Decatur, GA. A fabulous gathering of booksellers, authors, and readers to which I could not help but smile at. Not to say that the event was without the token redneck, or gratuitous drunk, but it was still fun nonetheless. Literary event or not, this is still Georgia we are talking about.
Regrets: I missed Lee Child's appearance.
That's it, nothing else. Oh, except maybe that its only a weekend, and and not a whole week long festival. Then again, that would probably displace the beer festival coming up in a few weeks.
But I digress. The DBF is one of those events, that to the avid reader and writer, provide an unparalleled opportunity to meet with independent booksellers, authors, and acquire large quantities of reading material for damn near nothing. Seriously, where else can you walk away with eight (8) books in exchange for one (1) beer. Huh? Beat that Amazon!
It happens once a year, but if anybody would be interested, I can keep you posted for next year's end of summer event. Are there any other book fairs or writers conferences worth attending out there later this year? I'd love to know.

Selfless? Bullshit!

I am exhausted from hearing praise for those “selfless” acts. There is no such thing. Selflessness is one of those things that people think they exist, but don’t. Not unlike the pretense of “buy 1- get 1 free”. No free lunch either (sorry). You are paying for it one way or the other.
But I digress, but not really. Even when people do something for the sake of doing it, and have no material, or otherwise apparent gain, it is still not selfless. Those words are usually accompanied by: “It feels right, or I feel good helping, or could stand and do nothing.” Well, that’s grand and all, but you are doing it for selfish reasons still. To make YOU feel good. If one helps without feeling anything, in a true selfless way, it would be closer to apathy, and that would just be sad.
So go ahead, stroke your ego a bit, butter up that hero complex a little, and if somebody gets helped in the process, then you just made two people feel good. In the end, isn’t that really what it’s all about. Let’s not mislabel things. Call them for what they are, and I am confident you will find yourself feeling even better about your selfless *ehm* actions.
I’d love to know your thoughts. Can you give me an example of a non-self rewarding action that is not apathetic?

A Kindle? For me? You shouldn't have... Really. Don't

I love tech, I make a living with it after all, but some things I feel are best left alone. I understand the book publishing industry is changing, but the new e-readers seem less like evolution, and more like evolutionary mutation. I enjoy the leafing through pages sensation, the smell of the pages, the binding, the glue...never mind the type! Maybe I'm a thirty-three year old, old soul.
So, I take no shame when I declare that my approach to the kindle is: "Just say no!"
Maybe time will force my hand, but until then, I refuse.
As far as lending books, I also quit. It easier than quitting smoking, and made me feel good to do so, not antsy like my departing nicotine chum.
A few weeks after parting with my paper bound treasures, I could hear my fathers words echoing in my mind: "I'm not sure who's dumber. The person that lends a book, or the one who returns it." Turns out, I was the dumber-er.
I'd like to hear the other side of the argument though? What is the advantage of an e-reader? Especially if you enjoy book sharing.

Team America, for realss...

On Friday August 28, a ship was seized by UAE. Originating from North Korea, it sailed under Bahamian flag, in an Australian owned vessel supposedly carrying oil equipment. But it was not. Instead, it carried North-Korean munitions, detonators, and other weapons. Its destination: Iran.

That’s right. North Korea and Iran trading weapons. I’m pretty confident we had been warned about this in the past, yet we did not listen. Instead, more UN talks and perhaps a UN resolution and two were thrown out there.

Meanwhile, CNN and their arch-nemesis Fox News will continue to broadcast the healthcare reform controversy or Obama’s fluctuating popularity. However, I believe that two of the [Cartoon-bandit-like-named] members of the Axis of Evil (eveel?), trading weapons should be a bit more news worthy.

What do we do now? Now we wait and see what the new administration is going to do (if anything) about this new situation. Are we going to launch into new talks with Iran about its nuclear program? Perhaps send a new envoy to North Korea to review their supposed powered off reactor? I wish I knew. This new (and improved?) axis of evil will have to be watched. Not because of their nefarious nature, but because they may prove to provide some real entertainment. Think “Team America” goes live-action.  

But hey, I’m just a news digester.

Trillion?

It's official, our deficit is not just scary. It's mind boggling. Granted that we are "only" at 1.9 trillion, but they are projecting 9 trillion. NINE! We owe more dollars than there are stars in the known UNIVERSE! And we know of about 100 billion galaxies. Yeah, do the math. if every person on earth "donated" abo...ut $120, it still wouldn't be enough to cover our deficit. that's 7 billion people. I'm giving myself a headache.

New Hallucinogenic

After hours of reading, and writing, pondering, and enjoying perhaps a bit too much espresso (is there such a thing), I have come to a conclusion. It takes me back to the days when I was a young father, my baby boys was mere weeks, experiencing the world via his new eyes and new years and surprisingly powerful lungs. Those days when "sleeping like a baby" sounded like a cruel joke.
"You mean, waking up every two hours to eat, pee and burp?"
Yeeah. It was during those days that I first experienced that mind expanding, life altering, hallucinogenic power of three-hour sleep. Now, now... I know what you are thinking: "Surely, Acid, ecstasy, or even meth will alter your perception of reality more than this, this claim of yours."
Let me assure you (without self-incrimination) that they do not. Only under the influence of three-hour sleep does taking a nap in your car, in August, in Atlanta, in a 100 degree sun beaten parking lot, sound remotely like a good idea.
As I sit here typing this, contemplating my status reports for tomorrow, what I'll make for dinner for my kids after school, and the revisions I need to make on my book, I can tell you with a certain level of certainty: It's all worth it. Even if I do get a small heat rash from sleeping in the car from time to time.

Synopsis

I'd like to get some opinions on this:

When Jacob Santos receives a message on his phone, he understands all too well the macabre meaning behind the four words: “Got another for you”. A Killer is on the loose in Atlanta, targeting not just single mothers, but their innocent children as well. Without much evidence, or even the law by his side, Jacob sets out to stop this monster. It is a race against time and the Atlanta Police. Jacob knows the blood of the next victims will be on his hands, unless he finds the killer. Unknown to them both, they share a common apparition in their journey, a ghost of their past, guiding their paths closer to one another. An encounter that could shatter everything Jacob Santos ever believed in. Detective Nate Barker, from Fulton County Criminal investigations, is assigned to the case of his career. With nothing but his analytical mind and rookie partner, he must solve the worst serial killing case in Atlanta’s history, while attempting to keep the reins on his disintegrating marriage and estranged daughter. Time is running out. Six weeks, and four murders have taken place, and they are only increasing in frequency. Detective Barker too, must find this killer, before another family is lost, and his faith is annihilated.