Added to my e-bookshelf … The History of British and American Author-Publishers

Through my tenure as an Early Reviewer for LibraryThing, there is only one book that I have failed to read through to the end ... but, there have been a few where I came close, where I persevered and completed my read, cover to cover, even though there were moments I considered calling it quits.

To this small - really, very small group - I am adding Ana Faktorovich’s “The History of British-American Author-Publishers,” published by Anaphora Literary Press.

I read the book through to the end, and I’m glad I did. Faktorovich’s biographical research into the selected author-publishers was exhaustive, and from it I gleaned more that few added glimpses into their lives that were unknown to me before opening the book.

Also ‘exhaustive,’ I’m afraid, is Faktorovich’s pursuit of her thesis about the challenges facing author-publishers over the past 250-or-so years ... corrupt business practices, royal and political censorship, market control and cultivated contempt by what she labels ‘the Big Four’ publishing conglomerates, even the stuff of intrigue - the exhaustive part for me - suggesting the possibility of attempts to corrupt an individual’s mind/body/spirit through various practices, up-to-and-including assassination.

Profile after profile, life story after life story, theory after theory. More than once, I reached a point where I’d think, “sheesh .... okay, I get it ... enough already!”

Some points are totally believable, as they continue to this day ... corrupt business practices, royal/government censorship, market manipulation by conglomerates. But the rest? I’m not so sure.

If there was something to gain from all of this, it was the increased respect I have for individuals who struggled against a variety of challenges to bring their work to the public’s recognition and acclaim ... though in some cases, that all came too late for the individual.

Story by story, chapter by chapter, Faktorovich is consistent in sharing these stories of struggle in a way that earns my added appreciation and respect for these author-publishers ... which is why the last chapter (“Chapter 14: A Quest for Inter-Racial Equality: Alice Walker’s Wild Trees Press”) before her ‘Conclusions’ left me scratching my head. This was one individual whose career - as related by Faktorovich - did NOT gain my respect.

Was it offered as an example of that saying, about “the exception that proves the rule?” I don’t know ... and I have never had much use for that saying, anyway.

To conclude, I recommend this read, and I recommend reading it all the way through. But I also recommend patience, and maybe planning to take a little longer to finish than you might expect ... give yourself time to take a break and catch your breath, maybe enjoy a cup/glass of your favorite beverage, before diving back in.

__________

NOTE: I received a free e-copy of this work through LibraryThing in exchange for a review.

I am PCUSA … and PRO-Fossil Fuel … Pt. 2

• Part 2 of my argument AGAINST blanket divestment

As the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA meets in St. Louis this year and considers demands for an immediate and total, blanket divestment of the denomination’s investment funds from “fossil fuel producers,” I have to ask … is blanket divestment the answer? Shouldn’t we, instead, consider reinvestment of those funds into responsible – even moral – fossil fuel producers?

Try this … let’s turn the demands around, upon ourselves …

Consider how Christians might respond to a call for a blanket divestment from Christianity, inspired by a variety of things that have taken place in the past, or are taking place right now … things that had (or have) nothing whatsoever to do with Jesus Christ and the kingdom He proclaimed, yet were done (or are being done) in His name, and in pursuit of a very worldly and wrongful pursuit of His kingdom.

Take your pick … go way back to atrocities committed during the Crusades, or to the Inquisition. Or, you can get a little closer to here and now, with “good Christians” embracing slavery in 19th-century America, Nazism in 20th-century Germany, or ongoing demonstrations by Westboro Baptist Church.

How, then, might Christians respond to such a call, for a blanket divestment from our religion, our faith?

Me? My response is that a blanket divestment from Christianity is NOT the answer … and would suggest, rather, a reinvestment. That process would begin with a thoughtful and considered look at Christ’s message, and how that message – and Christ’s love – is being lived and shared by others. Based upon that search, and upon what that search revealed about other Christian gatherings, I would reinvest my heart and my mind, my body and soul into where those others are gathered, and join them in their mission.

This is what comes to mind when I read about those within the Presbyterian Church USA who demand an immediate and total, blanket divestment of the denomination’s investment funds from “fossil fuel producers.” I have to ask … is blanket divestment the answer? Shouldn’t we, instead, consider reinvestment of those funds into responsible – even moral – fossil fuel producers?

Is there such a thing? I think there is, and I would like to suggest some criteria for that … criteria that could be used by PC-USA’s Mission Responsibility Through Investment (MRTI) ministry in deciding – on a case-by-case basis – what to do with the church’s investment funds.

• The Producer’s Record on the Environment – There is no lack of local/state/federal government agencies that can provide data on the producer’s record when it comes to environmental impact. How well (or how poorly) does the agency (the EPA, for example) rate the producer? What complaints have been filed, and how well have those complaints been addressed.

• The Producer’s Record in the Workplace – Again, there is no lack of local/state/federal government agencies that can provide data on the producer’s record when it comes to to workplace safety and the producer’s treatment of employees. What is the producer’s safety record with OSHA, for example. This criteria can also be assessed with general data from the producer on pay scale, health insurance, leave policy. You could also look at the producer’s use of a number of amenities showing-up in the workplace … in-house gymnasiums, childcare, walk-in medical clinics, and dining facilities with a menu that includes healthy alternatives.

• A Renewable-Energy Division of the Fossil Fuel Producer – What many people don’t realize is the growing role being played by fossil fuel producers in creating/expanding solar fields, wind farms and other areas of renewable energy.

• Producer’s Voluntary Compliance/Participation – Does the producer voluntarily contribute to and participate in a variety of programs out there that address fossil fuel production in the U.S., and help mitigate the impact of that production? These programs could include efforts to protect/expand habitat areas for listed species of wildlife, restoration of land no longer being used for production, and libraries for the formulas used in such production processes as ‘fracturing.’

• Producer’s Contribution to the Community – How is the producer involved in various facets of the community? This could be through monetary and in-kind contributions to schools and NGOs in the community. It could also be through encouraging employees to contribute their time to community service efforts, and introducing matching grants for employees’ monetary contributions to charities.

• How the Producer is Reducing its Own Carbon Footprint – Whether it’s in construction of new buildings or in the refurbishment of old buildings, is the producer being eco-friendly by incorporating features that reduce energy consumption? Is the same being done in the field by upgrading production equipment and procedures that reduce energy consumption? And what about recycling?

• Producer’s Presence/Record in the Third World – Many of the nation’s larger fossil fuel producers (what we call “the majors”) have operations in in countries outside the United States. When it comes to oversight and regulation of the fossil fuel industry, the U.S. is one of the most challenging countries to do business … many Third World companies have nowhere near the same level of oversight/regulation … if they have any at all. So, what is the producer’s record when it comes to production outside the U.S.?

These are some of my suggested criteria in assessing responsible/moral fossil fuel production. What criteria would YOU recommend?

DISCLAIMER …

Let me give you some idea of my background – the context in which I am composing this post, and future posts on this topic. It’s important to the consideration – if any! – that you will give to what follows …

For the past 34 years, I have lived and worked in and around the city of Midland, in the western region of Texas … smack-dab in the middle of what they call ‘the oil patch.’ There is some cattle and some cotton in the foundation of this community, but most of Midland today is built upon the energy industry, and the production of oil and natural gas plays a major -even predominant role – in our local economy.

I do not work directly for the energy industry … though I have been happily married those same 34 years to someone who is. As for me, I first worked in in this part of Texas as a contract archaeologist … but my vocation has changed more than once with the ups and downs – especially the downs! – in the energy industry over the past three decades. So I have also worked as a television writer/producer, a newspaper reporter/editor, a website/social media manager, and for the past ten years as a website editor for a community college.

This has given me a tremendous opportunity to observe the industry ‘up-close and personal,’ as we used to say in the news business. I suggest that I might have more insight than some others into the industry, its people, its technology and practices, and the changes in said technology and practices. I have seen, reported-on and learned from – to borrow a phrase from a movie title – the good, the bad and the ugly of fossil fuel production … and the beautiful, as well.

Let me qualify that last paragraph, though … my experience observing fossil fuel producers has been exclusively with oil and natural gas. I have no such current experience with the coal industry, and I am not qualified to comment upon changes that may have taken place in their technology and practices. When it comes to coal, all I have to go on are the 55-year-old memories I have of that industry – actually, the remnants of that industry – in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area of northeastern Pennsylvania … observations which helped to firmly set my course down the environmentalism path as a teenager way-back-when.

Anyway, that is where I come from. Where I am going, in the weeks ahead, is to develop my pro-fossil fuel thesis, and to suggest options for a position within the Presbyterian Church USA that still promotes protection and restoration of God’s creation, yet encourages responsible – even moral – energy production that includes fossil fuels. Thank you for your time in reading the above. I welcome any comments you wish to make in the space below … regardless of your stance on fossil fuel production. It is my hope that this will be the start of a discussion among those who ultimately share a common goal, a common destination … though for now, we may be reaching it by different paths.

Added to my e-bookshelf … Cyan

The passage of time in the course of advanced space travel – the way that passage varies between the travelers and those they leave behind, and the effect on even the strongest of relationships touched by that variation – has been a popular topic in fantasy and science fiction for a long, long … uh … time.

I remember watching “The Twilight Zone” as a youth, where an episode called ‘The Long Morrow‘ touched upon that effect. And I’ve enjoyed plenty of other treatments of that topic, in a variety of media, in the decades since … including Cynthia Felice’s “Downtime,” which I reviewed for LibraryThing a couple of years ago.

Now comes “Cyan,” written by Syd Logsdon, published by EDGE-Lite and Hades Publications … and a welcome addition to my shelf.

The story begins on Earth, in a not-distant-enough future. It is a world dealing with a variety of problems, many of which can be traced back to what you and I are doing right here, right now. As the population grows and resources dwindle, more and more are convinced that, truly, ‘the end is nigh’ and that the only viable solution is NOT to be found on this planet.

So where is this solution to be found, and how do we get there? What do we find when – if! – we arrive there, and can we truly handle it? Could we adapt, or would we just adhere to the mindset that got us into the problems to begin with?

And I’m not just talking about global issues, but small, personal, even intimate relational issues between individuals, as well. Borrowing a line from Tina Turner, “what’s love got to do with it?”

In “Cyan,” Logsdon provides answers to these and other questions that arise in the course of his story. They are answers that ‘grow’ the story and your interest in it … though there are times when the answers are less-than-encouraging, even as they develop the story -and your interest – further.

Along the way, the reader will meet a cast of characters that run the full gamut of humanity – and more. As the story progresses, two of these characters will emerge as leading protagonists, each with a vision for humanity’s future, and the path to realize that vision … but at what cost? There will be a confrontation of course, though its ultimate resolution might surprise you … it surprised me, and was one of the favorite parts of my read.

I recommend this read. I think Logsdon has brought a new and fresh approach to an established trope of the science fiction genre … and crafted a good story, too.

Will we see some more in the future? Time will tell.

__________

NOTE: I received a free e-copy of this work through LibraryThing in exchange for a review.

I am PCUSA … and PRO-Fossil Fuel … Pt. 1

• Part 1 of my argument AGAINST blanket divestment

As the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA meets in St. Louis this year and considers demands for an immediate and total, blanket divestment of the denomination’s investment funds from “fossil fuel producers,” I have to ask … is blanket divestment the answer? Shouldn’t we, instead, consider reinvestment of those funds into responsible – even moral – fossil fuel producers?

Let me give you some idea of my background – the context in which I am composing this post, and future posts on this topic. It’s important to the consideration – if any! – that you will give to what follows …

For the past 34 years, I have lived and worked in and around the city of Midland, in the western region of Texas … smack-dab in the middle of what they call ‘the oil patch.’ There is some cattle and some cotton in the foundation of this community, but most of Midland today is built upon the energy industry, and the production of oil and natural gas plays a major -even predominant role – in our local economy.

I do not work directly for the energy industry … though I have been happily married those same 34 years to someone who is. As for me, I first worked in in this part of Texas as a contract archaeologist … but my vocation has changed more than once with the ups and downs – especially the downs! – in the energy industry over the past three decades. So I have also worked as a television writer/producer, a newspaper reporter/editor, a website/social media manager, and for the past ten years as a website editor for a community college.

This has given me a tremendous opportunity to observe the industry ‘up-close and personal,’ as we used to say in the news business. I suggest that I might have more insight than some others into the industry, its people, its technology and practices, and the changes in said technology and practices. I have seen, reported-on and learned from – to borrow a phrase from a movie title – the good, the bad and the ugly of fossil fuel production … and the beautiful, as well.

Let me qualify that last paragraph, though … my experience observing fossil fuel producers has been exclusively with oil and natural gas. I have no such current experience with the coal industry, and I am not qualified to comment upon changes that may have taken place in their technology and practices. When it comes to coal, all I have to go on are the 55-year-old memories I have of that industry – actually, the remnants of that industry – in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area of northeastern Pennsylvania … observations which helped to firmly set my course down the environmentalism path as a teenager way-back-when.

Anyway, that is where I come from. Where I am going, in the weeks ahead, is to develop my pro-fossil fuel thesis, and to suggest options for a position within the Presbyterian Church USA that still promotes protection and restoration of God’s creation, yet encourages responsible – even moral – energy production that includes fossil fuels. Thank you for your time in reading the above. I welcome any comments you wish to make in the space below … regardless of your stance on fossil fuel production. It is my hope that this will be the start of a discussion among those who ultimately share a common goal, a common destination … though for now, we may be reaching it by different paths.

Goin’ nuts in Texas

I’m going totally nuts in Texas … and I’m not alone.

It has nothing to do with the company I’m keeping, though there are those who would question the general level of sanity among us here in the Lone Star State. No … in this case, it’s all about the nuts themselves … and not just any old nut, either.

Carya illinoinensis – more commonly known as the pecan – is a member of the Juglandaceae family, a worldwide gathering that includes several genera and many, MANY species. Until the 16th century, collection and consumption was a confined to native Americans in Mexico and southern portions of what would someday be the United States. Spanish explorers in these areas brought appreciation for the pecan back to Europe with them.

Back on this side of the pond, the passing of time and major changes in society did nothing to alter the pecan’s attraction. Thomas Jefferson grew trees of the Illinois nuts at Monticello, as did George Washington at Mount Vernon … well, at least they oversaw the growing of said trees on their plantations.

In 1919, the Texas Legislature officially designated Carya illinoinensis as the State Tree of Texas, and Native Pecan as State Nut. The town of San Saba, Texas proclaims itself to be “The Pecan Capital of the World” … and they have good cause for said claim – look it up!

Depending upon where you are, pecan nuts start dropping from the trees in mid-to-late fall. I’m one of many, MANY people who have been busy harvesting this year’s crop. On evenings that I’m at home, once dinner and dishes are done, I have a shelling station set-up in my living room, and I’m watching TV while working. I sort the shelled results by ‘whole halves’ or ‘pieces.’ Some results will go in the freezer for use in the months ahead, while the rest goes on the shelf for use now … pralines, pecan brittle, spicy party mix, and pecan pie.

A sad story I once heard at the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, involved pecan pies …

It was November, 1963, and the Johnson Ranch was abuzz with activity. President John Kennedy was touring Texas. Following stops in San Antonio, Houston, Fort Worth, Dallas and Austin, Kennedy and his wife were going to visit the Johnson Ranch for a relaxing weekend as guests of Vice President Lyndon Johnson and his wife.

That included the baking of pecan pies for dessert that weekend - a special recipe created by Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson, herself. Work in the kitchen and everywhere else halted at mid-day when they received news that President Kennedy had been shot in Dallas, followed shortly after with news that he had died, and later that Johnson had been sworn-in as President.

In the midst of all that, I was told, an employee reached up and stopped the clock in the kitchen where they had all heard the news of Kennedy’s murder … and you can still see that clock in the kitchen, set at that time, when you tour the park.

In so many ways – most of them wonderful, and at least one of them terrible – the pecan is a part of the Lone Star State, its history, its culture and its image …. and the reason I go nuts in Texas, year after year.

_____________________________

Here are links to some of my favorite pecan recipes …

PECAN BRITTLE: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/pecan-brittle

SPICY PECANS: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/46029/hot-and-spicy-pecans/

PECAN PIE: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1766-bourbon-pecan-pie

Slipping Back Into an Old Habit

I know, I know … this is that time of year for resolutions, for goals, for breaking away from habits and all. But for me, this time around, it’s a time to slip BACK into an old habit I once had.

It was almost two years ago, now, that I had enough of people commenting upon my appearance, and finally went to see the family doctor. I felt fine, really, but I decided to get a professional opinion.

Little did I know that I was stepping into the ring for the first round of my Texas Cancer Smackdown.

But that’s what it was. It’s an ongoing thing … starting with the initial problems that were fixed – and led to my cancer diagnosis. Then there was the surgery, the chemotherapy and many, MANY tests to check my progress – or lack thereof.

As an e-acquaintance of mine has noted on another forum, there’s a lot more to it than that as you – and everyone close to you – has to embrace a new normal. That was the case for me, as well, as I embraced a variety of changes to my normal … some of which I really hated.

One of those was blood donation. I had been a regular donor for more than 35 years, and it was important to me. And it became more important as people fell prey to fabricated scares of the process, and blood donations dropped. Another factor … I have blood type O-, the ‘universal blood type’ which can be transfused to almost anyone in need, regardless of their blood type.

All that came to an end two years ago, though. And it bugged the hell out of me, especially when the news would carry special pleas for donations from the Red Cross and the blood banks.

But now …

I finished my final chemotherapy infusion on January 1, 2017. Because of the type of cancer I had, I was not allowed to donate blood for one year … but I would be able to donate once again (with some types of cancer, you can’t, ever). The local donor center for United Blood Service is closed today. I could go in tomorrow, but one of the UBS staffers asked if I might come in when she’s there, on Wednesday … you got it!

This week, as others are resolving to break old habits, I’m going to embrace one … and I feel pretty damn good about that. I’m winning another round of my Texas Cancer Smackdown!