A Real Dirty Dozen that turned out terribly: Unit 684
When I was writing my book Section Eight (Shadow Warriors) which I pitched as a modern day Dirty Dozen, my research revealed that there had been a real unit in the South Korean army modeled after it: Unit 684. After an attack by North Korean commandos attempting to assassinate their president, the South Koreans put […]
Are You Warmer in a Tent or By Building An Igloo?
I participated in numerous winter warfare training exercises and deployments with 10th Special Forces, the one Group that is focused on cold weather and high altitude training because of our area of operations. My first Winter Warfare was an eye opening experience. Forget about an igloo. Takes too long and you probably can’t make it […]
What if there had been a Declaration of Emancipation in Addition to Independence?
First off, if it had worked, many of the big problems in our Constitution that had to be incorporated to allow slavery wouldn’t exist and our present would be much different. But the bigger question is this: would the one for Independence then have even been passed by the slave-holding colonies? That’s the issue confronting […]
Are You Prepared for a Pandemic?
Given the news out of China and now spreading around the world, we’re seeing what is hopefully only a foreshadowing of what is inevitable: a world-wide pandemic. They have happened regularly through history and another one will come. As we are seeing, there are things that make it even more dangerous, such as international air […]
Newly published; Here Next to an Iphone
The Green Beret Pocket-Sized Survival Guide is now available. It’s an updated and upgraded version of previous guides and designed to fit just about anywhere. This is the essential book we all need at least one copy of. The prefect manual for your grab-n-go bag; glove compartment; kitchen drawer. Designed to fit in your purse […]
What Can We Learn From Past Disasters To Prevent Future Ones?
This is the premise of Stuff Doesn’t Just Happen: The Gift of Failure. Two books, each one focusing on seven great disasters of the past. Have we learned from them? What can we learn? Every disaster usually involved seven things happen. Six cascade events and then the seventh, the disaster. At least one of the […]
Today in 1985, the Coen Brothers debuted with Blood Simple
Any film with M. Emmett Walsh is to be watched. Throw in Frances McDormand? Even better.
When an artist gets discouraged remember this . . .
There was a young girl who wanted to be a violinist. She practiced hard for many years. Finally, when she was a teenager, her hero, a famous violinist, a master, whom she modeled herself after, was coming to town for a concert. The young girl attended the concert and was able to meet the master […]
When Should You Not Trust Experts?
Passenger on British Midland Flight 92 reflecting on hearing the pilot announce he was shutting down the right engine: “We were thinking: ‘Why is he doing that?’ because we saw flame coming out of the left engine. But I was only a bread man. What did I know?” We put our trust in experts every […]
How to Write and How to be a Writer
The two are somewhat different. There are lots of writing books out there. It seems after a certain number of years writing, each author tries to capture the essence of their craft and art. I first did this in the early 90s, which, yikes, is a while ago. My first draft of the The Novel […]
What Is An Area Study
I’ve just added this section from the Green Beret Preparation and Survival Guide to Wattpad, and here is the excerpt below. An Area Study is the step many people overlook when they begin to prepare but it gives focus to all efforts. WHAT IS AN AREA STUDY? An Area Study is simply examining your environment […]
Accurately Predicting How A War Will Go Will Make People Call You Crazy
First interesting piece of trivia: William Tecumseh Sherman was the first president of the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning and Military Academy, which eventually became LSU. In 1860, with war clouds on the horizon, he wrote a letter to a fellow professor where he predicated what a Civil War would be like. Not long into […]
Welcome to 2020! Time To Get Ready For The Future—Free Books!
There are several books free for you to start the New Year with! Free today, 1 January 2020 and tomorrow, 2 January, is The Green Beret Preparation and Survival Guide. I really believe this book is critical for everyone and that’s the reason it’s free to start the year. It’s guides you in preparing, […]