An Excellent Perspective

My author interview with Fiona McVie is located at: https://wp.me/p3uv2y-70W

Maria Theresia as Matchmaker.

I found this tale while doing research for a new novel:

“This match-making mania of the Empress sometimes led to very awkward consequences.

Among others, she brought about a marriage between another of the Esterhazys the good-natured Count Francis and a very beautiful but very vicious young lady of the house of Starhemberg; who soon after her marriage ran away to Switzerland with a most interesting lady-killer, Count Schulemburg. The gentleman, having been claimed by the Austrian charge d'affaires, was given up by the Swiss, and condemned to death as a seducer and adulterer. But, wonderful to relate, the injured husband himself was foremost in obtaining his release; and was most profuse in his expressions of gratitude towards Schulemburg, for having rid him of a bad woman.”

Source: Memoirs of the Court, Aristocracy and Diplomacy of Austria, Vol. II by DR, E, VEHSE, (1856)

Need Help with Dress Description

This is a photograph of a painting of Maria Christina, daughter of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria. Does anyone know what kind of dress she is wearing?

Today's Hero

Erie prediction made in 1956

The following is a passage from Deliver us from Evil written by Dr. Tom Dooley and published in 1956 following his involvement in Operation Passage to Freedom wherein hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese refugees were transported from North Vietnam to South Vietnam to escape the horrors of communist rule.

“Just before the debarkation of the refugees was completed,

Bishop Pietro Martino Ngo-dinh-Thuc, Vicar Apostolic

of Vinh-Long, who was in Saigon, paid a visit to our

ship. He is the brother of the defiant Prime Minister, Ngo

Dinh Diem, a man who never bowed to the French and who

stated emphatically that the Geneva partitioning of Indo-

China would lead to a new and more murderous war.”

Anyone who thinks U.S. was wrong fighting communism in Vietnam should read Dr. Dooley’s book.

Hillary Clinton Vs. Me

Swift, Silent & Deadly: Recon Marines in Vietnam is Reviewed by Ray Simmons for Readers' Favorite

Swift, Silent, & Deadly: Recon Marines in Vietnam

Why Not Abolish Public Schools?

The purpose of this blog is to stimulate reflection and public debate on the need for a public school system. In the State of Texas where I live total public education spending is around $108 billion dollars. Average annual school district expenditures per student is about $12,300. In contrast a local Catholic school near me has a per student cost of about $7,212 per year.

If the tax burden imposed by public school systems were abolished, wouldn’t education become a commodity subject to the forces of a free market system? Under that system the parents of those children to be educated would determine what is to be taught and would be free to choose the school the parents think would best do the job. Likewise, there would be competition among schools to attract students, resulting in continuous improvement in the quality of education available.

So what about the poor or underprivileged families? I, for one attended Catholic schools from Kindergarten through 12^th grade. The administrators of schools I attended made accommodations that made it possible for poor students to attend. Then consider that the parent(s) of poor children must prioritize what is important. Perhaps forgoing the cost of television, a cell phone or video game to provide for their child’s education in in order. In addition, the existing welfare system could provide money for a private school. In that case the only restriction to be imposed on the parent(s) is to use the money for education only.

I think many of the discipline problems occurring in the public school system could be eradicated by abolishing the public schools. If a student doesn’t want to learn, why try to force him or her? I believe education would then be looked upon by society as a privilege and attract students to school. A student who wants to learn is preferable to one who is being coerced.

The eBook Version of this title now has the same photographs as the paperback version. It is available at Smashwords & Amazon.

From Omaha to Da Nang - Just Published

My story is now available in paperback at Amazon.

Another Computer Scam

On May 10, 2017, my wife was called by a person claiming to be a representative of VIPRE, a provider of computer security software. The person said the company was going out of business and wanted to refund money she recently paid for a VIPRE software upgrade. The person wanted to do a direct deposit in the amount of $399.00 into her bank account. She allowed them into the account. They then appeared to deposit the amount of $3999.00. Afterwards the person said they'd made an error on the decimal point and, not being able to do a withdrawal, wanted me to send them a money order in the amount of $3600 to repay the excess deposited. When she told them she wouldn't do that they gained control of her computer mouse so she couldn't break contact with them. She was however able to regain control by another means and broke off contact. She then checked her bank account and the $3999.00 had magically disappeared. 

Phone Number of scammer: 888-406-8710

No email given but a helpline number of 850-78-0678 was given as a help line by scammer.