Raping Louisiana – A Book About the Katrina Disaster and Its Continued Aftermath

Hurricane Katrina, a disaster of Biblical proportions, is no longer in the news but the devastation of the land and the victimization of the residents of the Gulf Coast continue. Philip Harris’s Raping Louisiana – A Diary of Deceit addresses the aftermath of the storm through the eyes of Steve Burgoyne, a middle aged truck driver from upstate New York. The bluntly honest depiction of his yearlong odyssey working in the Katrina cleanup efforts reveals the corruption, the despair, and the government waste in detailed diary entries.

Burgoyne’s descriptions, presented with the minutia of a daily journal, illustrate the three types of people who came to the Gulf in the aftermath of the storm: crooks, victims trying to survive, and the people who came because they genuinely care. Burgoyne met plenty of all, the faceless contractors came down to make a quick fortune off the government and the unfortunate; the victims as they wandered the streets of the Dead Zone in the lower ninth ward; and the men moving debris and clearing the streets of rubble.

Steve and his crew worked and lived in conditions little better than those of a third world country. They initially slept in travel trailers parked in horse pastures with no potable water or sewage facilities. But even in those conditions, the men stayed on working to make the land clear so the previous inhabitants of the Gulf Coast could return to their land. Every truck load carried away from previously populated area impacted the men who worked there. “It was stressful…you’re picking up pieces of somebody’s life.” Throughout, it is evident that Burgoyne’s family was his support network while he toiled in the land of the hopeless.

On the Gulf, with no affordable places to live, there is no working class to run the shops and businesses in the service industries. FEMA has made a feeble attempt to provide housing for those living in shelters surrounded by hopelessness. Those that stayed and now make their homes there are the disabled, the elderly, and the unskilled labor. They now sit in their FEMA provided formaldehyde-laced cages destitute and deeply depressed. The rebuilding of the city has completely ignored this disenfranchised population, government supplemented affordable housing is not a priority in the re-building boom.

New Orleans is currently the murder capital of the world. Depression, suicide, and anxiety are rampant. The devastation of the storm still takes victims in its path through drugs and alcohol abuse. The imported workers and those refugees who remained self-medicate as they live side by side in a ravaged land.

Ignored, forgotten, and abandoned the Gulf Coast is still a hotbed of contention and corruption. Raping Louisiana is a good read for raising America’s social consciousness. We can provide millions of dollars to tsunami stricken countries, we can fund a war to fight terrorism, and we can forgive billions of dollars of foreign debt but we have written off our own citizens. Raping Louisiana should be a wakeup call to those who have forgotten Katrina and her victims. Is anybody listening?

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"Beneath A Marble Sky" author John Shors: BOOK REVIEW

It’s simply not often you find a story that touches you so deeply that you truly weep on its pages. But remember, not all crying is sadness. This book takes you through the lives of a Royal Family and it is truly so profound that you find yourself lost in its pages. You will find yourself holding your breath, crying for joy and sobbing for the losses you feel. You truly become one with the book and the book is written with such profoundness that you cannot help but feel every ounce of emotion involved in the story.

While it is a book of fiction, it is also firmly based on the truth of history. Many aspects of life in Asia (India, Persia, etc.) are so true to life that you cannot help but become encompassed by the life style and ways.

It begins with the Emperor’s daughter, Jahara, telling her story of love and war, life and death. It tells of her family and how one evil, heartless brother can change their world. And most enthralling of all, it tells the story of the Taj Mahal (one of the eight Wonders of the World) being constructed, as an everlasting sign of the love Jahara’s father had for her mother.

The author is quick to point out that while his story is based on fact, it is definitely a work of fiction. People debate to this day as to the length of time it took to build the Taj Mahal and who the head Architect was that was in charge of the project itself. While the story of the reason behind the Taj Mahal has been something told over and over in Asia, the Western World has heard very little of the intimate love story involved. The author brings this age old traditional tale to the Western World in a way that simply amazes you from the very first page.

Jahara tells the story of her life and history to her own grandchildren, in order to hopefully bring her Empire back to the greatness it once was. As her granddaughters have come of age they are given the responsibility of a secret well hidden for many years, as they grew up never knowing they were of royalty. Jahara begins at the very beginnings of her father’s love for her mother, as he meets her in a bead shop and instantly falls in love. Being of royalty he cannot marry beneath him and knows that he must follow the rules he has been born into, but simply will not let this rest. His father gives in to this desire in the end, and with many rules and deals, decides that his son may marry the woman he loves so very much if he abides by what the father needs him to do before the marriage. Waiting 5 years, they finally get to marry and from that day forth never separate again until death. She tells of the births of her siblings and herself, of the moments she stole with her parents, seeing their undeniable love for each other. She tells of the ways of the Empire and royalty in that time and of how women were simply second class citizens. Yet somehow, her father was wise well beyond his years and saw the importance of his women’s minds and abilities. This insight allowed him to rule his kingdom in near bliss until his oldest son becomes a horrible threat, not only to the kingdom but to the happiness of the family.

The author somehow tells of every minor detail of the life of a princess in India with such intensity you wonder how he can not truly be the princess herself. He tells of friendships, so loyal that you cannot believe and of love so profound it stands the test of not only time but hatred and sabotage. He shows how easy it is to give up your own desires and dreams, simply to make others happy. He shows how love can be everlasting and hatred can eat a person’s mind away, creating unhappiness so profound it borders insanity. He shows all of this through the wise eyes of princess growing up and growing old.

It is very rare that you will find a book this intense, this fulfilling and this intriguing. By the end of this wonderful story not only had I laughed, cried and held my breath but I was so intrigued with the ways and lives of Asia that I began to delve into investigating the Taj Mahal itself. After reading the book, you no longer see just a building of extreme beauty… you see so much more.

Truly one of the best reads of 2006 and hopefully for years to come as I think everyone of every age would benefit from reading this historical fiction. My teenage daughter heard about the story and immediately staked claims on the book, the minute I finished. It can intrigue males and females, teens and adults. It’s simply filled with so much knowledge that you walk away a changed person. And in the end, you will wonder if you are as strong as you thought. Could you end up the way this beautiful princess did? Could you make the same choices so easily? You will dream of India in a whole new way, even without a plane ticket there. Lucky for us, we can go there through the eyes of a princess and see the Taj Mahal in a way many never will. Don’t miss the opportunity to see the world from a whole new perspective.

Beneath a Marble Sky

John Shors

New American Library (2006)

ISBN 0451218469

Reviewed by Beverly Pechin for Reader Views (5/06)

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Japan’s History – A Book Review

Are you looking for a very good book, one which will help you learn about the history of Japan? If so, there is a very good book I would like to recommend to you, one which is in my personal library, and one that I believe will give you with the overview you need to understand modern Japan. If you don’t understand the history – you probably won’t understand the culture, people, or even how Japan came to be what it is today – the name of the book is;

“A History of Japan – From Stone Age to Superpower” by Kenneth G. Henshall, professor of Japanese studies at the University of Waikato, New Zealand; Published by St. Martin’s Press, New York, New York, 1999. ISBN: 0-312-21986-5.

This is a complete history book of Japan from ancient times, including all of their ancient myths to the present, or the year 2000. It takes us from the very earliest of inhabitants, which are thought to be circa 13,000 BC and all the way through this Stone Age of hunter gatherers. This book is broken into six parts in all. Part two takes us through 700 to 1600 BC where the reader will learn about the Nara, Heian, the warrior state or the Kamakura Period, and the Muromachi Period, as well as the Azuchi-Momoyama Period.

In part three we learn about a closed country, drawn inwardly between 1600 and 1868, and in part four we watch as the nation of Japan is building into a modern country. We watch the economic development as well as the war and the politics. In part five we watch the preparation for war and the lead up to the war; and finally the war itself, which changed the Japanese Empire forever.

Lastly, in this six part we see the incredible resurgence of a strong people who rebuilt their country into the second largest economic power house on the planet, something incredible for an island nation. You will understand why the Japanese are so proud, and how Japan came to be. I would recommend reading this book prior to reading any history in the last decade in Japan. This way you will have an overview, you can understand that context better. Indeed, hope you will please consider all this.

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"Savage Days Haunted Nights" by Bennett Kremen

“Savage Days Haunted Nights” by Bennett Kremen is a crime drama about a man who is a walking contradiction. Dorian embodies a mix of good and evil and the opposition between his conflicting ideas, behavior and feelings threatens to drive him crazy. The story will take you to Chicago, New York and even the wilds of Alaska and Kremen’s detailed descriptions will put you right in the thick of the action.

Dorian and his girlfriend, Ana, live in Manhattan and work the flea markets together. She finds the items to sell and he does the heavy lifting and rents the truck. Two weeks ago she left him because he decided he wanted a baby. Without her sales expertise he’s having trouble making ends meet and he makes a big mistake. He borrows $15,000 from a loan shark and has no means to pay him back. The interest piles up and Frankie wants his money. Then Dorian makes an even bigger mistake. He runs into Frankie near Sully’s Pub and when Frankie demands his money, Dorian becomes belligerent and gets in his face. He threatens Frankie, emphasizing the fact that he’s from the old West Side in Chicago, Capone territory. This doesn’t sit well with Frankie and before long the word is out that Frankie is gunning for him. Dorian holes up in his apartment and thinks about his past. He was a dyslexic boy who couldn’t read and ended up hanging with a bunch of hoodlums. When he got a little older he made his way to New York with a bag of stolen money. He wanted to do better and he painstakingly wrote book reviews and essays but his impaired ability to comprehend written words made it a very slow process and he couldn’t make a living at it. When he met Ana the two of them scratched out a living and he was happy. But then things went sour and now he’s afraid to go outside. Dorian hears that Ana is being threatened and his old violent nature surfaces. There’s no way he can allow Ana to be terrorized. He leaves the apartment via the roof and manages to buy a gun.

This is a story about buried hopes, the choices people make and the consequences that result. Dorian is a convincing character and the author makes you privy to his thoughts as he tries to analyze his situation and how to deal with it. Will he learn from past mistakes or continue on a destructive path? There’s plenty of suspense and action along the way. It’s an engrossing read on many levels. I expect we’ll see more from Bennett Kremen.

Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (October 12, 2008)

ISBN: 978-1419655029

Paperback: 278 Pages

Price: $15.00

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Book Review – Coyote Jack, by Jack Lyndon Thomas

An Important, Relevant Memoir of a Viet Nam Veteran

“Coyote Jack” written by Jack Lyndon Thomas shows an amazing insight into a man’s soul. Thomas grew up in an era of dramatic change in values, respect for authority, and a redefining of patriotism. Thomas has shown a sensitivity, and understanding of human needs, emotional, mental, and physical. This book speaks for thousands of men who served their country valiantly in a cause of questionable ideals.

The author has made himself vulnerable, as he related the complex issues of his own personal discovery by paralleling his experiences in Viet Nam with reconciling his own personal search for satisfaction and creative expression.

Thomas described exploring and embracing the culture of Viet Nam, of trying to understand the politics, and religion of the country, and of his appreciation for the natural features of the landscape and the topography of the countryside. He described in words of poetic beauty the peasantry that inhabited the rural areas.

The author went on to describe the ineffectual leadership, the ill-defined goals and objectives of the country’s leaders. He told of the internal conflict he felt in the midst of the external conflict being experienced all around. This was often traced back to the lack of solid support and execution of the politicians and the man on the street in the United States.

I particularly enjoyed the profound poems and statements that introduced each chapter. Part II of the book with Maps and beautiful colored photographs awakened all my senses to the culture, the country, and the people who impacted the life of young Jack Lyndon Thomas through his Viet Nam experience.

Thomas is a gifted, creative, and articulate. This is a remarkable account of a period of United States History that needs to be revisited and understood. “Coyote Jack” is a book for every veteran, for every serviceman and women currently serving our country, and for everyone in a position of leadership, influencing decisions being made in planning our country’s current military strategy.

As reviewed for Midwest Book Review

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Working With Major Publishing Houses

Publishing a book is one of the best ways to build credibility and gain exposure. Not only can it position you as an expert in your field but it could also open the door to entirely new opportunities just because you are now an author. Indeed, almost any author will tell you the best thing they ever did was publish their first book.

There are three primary options for getting your book published. The easiest way is to self-publish the book yourself, meaning you complete the work and send it to a printer. Done. The second option is to use an independent publisher. These are legitimate publishers but they’re smaller than the big boys and tend to specialize in one area or another. The last option is the most ambitious and it involves the industry majors like Penguin and Random House.

Any aspiring author would prefer to get their book published by a major publishing house. It gives you far more credibility and enhances your chances of selling the book once it’s on retail shelves. But getting one of the big publishers to publish your book is no easy task. There are a number of things you need to keep in mind before you even get started.

Most importantly, the big publishing houses only work with proven authors. That means it’s extremely difficult to get them to work with you on your first book. They want to know you’ve successfully sold books before. And if it’s your first book, you better have an impressive platform and an audience you can easily tap into to promote sales. Bottom line; they don’t really care what your book is about. Their top priority is your ability to sell it.

The big publishers generally don’t deal directly with the author anyway. They prefer to deal through Literary Agents. These are basically screeners who receive hundreds of book proposals each month and sift through them looking for those with real potential. Getting a Literary Agent is step one if you hope to get your book published by one of the big publishing houses.

A great way to find Literary Agents is to go to a book store and find books similar to the one you’d like to write. Then look at the acknowledgements. In most cases, the authors will thank their agents in that section and you can simply make note of their names and then look them up on Google. Then contact them and see if they’re accepting new proposals.

Book proposals for the big publishing houses are generally quite large. It’s not unusual for the proposal to be 100 pages long. In fact, you’re almost better off writing the entire book ahead of time and then putting the proposal together afterwards. You’ll end up including a sample chapter in the proposal anyway and there are plenty of other things it should include. You can find more information about what needs to be included by doing a Google search for book proposal.

Getting your first book published by one of the industry majors is difficult but it’s not impossible. Do your research on the front end and learn how the system works. That will be your greatest asset when starting the process. You can find a lot more tips and tricks for getting books published on my website and I hope you take advantage of the free information available there.

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Tinnitus Affects Millions

Called ringing in the ears, tinnitus is a very common disease.

If you experience noise in your ears, you may have tinnitus. Tinnitus is usually not an indication of a serious illness and can easily be annoying very disturbing field. Tinnitus can hiss, buzzing, ringing, roaring, pulsing, clicking or even a high-pitched beep. Some experience it as a constant sound heard, while others only temporarily on. Millions of people suffer from tinnitus,but most have not dealt with because it is not annoying enough to seek medical help, or they think there is nothing that can be done. Tinnitus can sometimes be as easy as with earwax influenced by an audiologist or physician to be cured from.

Natural treatments that are good for some, but not so good for others. If you suffer from tinnitus, you may have to experiment to find out what works best for you. As is the case with hearing loss, tinnitus can be caused by excessive noise like loud music be causednoisy machinery, and noisy environments in general. Other culprits that have been found to cause tinnitus in some people, medicines, antidepressants, migraine medications and drugs over the counter. Poor nutrition has proved to be a factor in hearing loss and tinnitus.

Most natural treatments consist of herbal ingredients. The one plant that most often appear Ginko biloba. Ginko thins the blood and increases blood flow to the inner ear. When you clickBlood thinner, you have with your doctor before you ask other blood thinners for your health regime.

Many of the treatments have a money-back guarantee, but you have to read the fine print. Some I found said that receive if they do not work, send back the unused portion of the refund. Usually means that you return for a refund for the unused portion only if the proportion of do not, you still have to pay for it. For me, this is not really sound like a guarantee,with the exception of the manufacturer, which guarantees payment or something.

You can ernet effective treatments by searching the Int or see your doctor. There are several good sites that cover every aspect of tinnitus. If you insist, you will find a way to alleviate the problem.

Other treatments that have worked for some people who are acupuncture, hypnosis, dietary supplements and electrical stimulation. For those who find disturbing tinnitus in their daily lives and have tried tonatural treatments, medical help may be their only choice. Some find the answer in prescription drugs and others have to resort to surgical procedures. Natural treatments are by far the easiest to try and the safest to use. When used according to directions, most have no side effects and cost very little to try them.

Some people have had great results with hypnosis and autosuggestion. A book I’ve seen recommended various times is called “Stop The Ringing” by Geoff Barker. I’ve found it on the Internet and it’s advertised as guaranteed to help you get rid of ringing ears forever.

If I’m out in high winds for extended periods of time, I’ll invariably have tinnitus, and find my hearing is also impacted. My hearing problems center around loss in the higher acoustic range and wind in my ears aggravates the problem. I can hear low noises at great distances and the click from the alarm clock will wake me up, even though I can’t hear the beep-beep of the alarm itself.

Acupressure, and the tapping used in Emotional Freedom Therapy (EFT) as outlined in one of my other articles, helps reduce the effects of tinnitus for me, especially when the problem is connected with, or caused by, wind noise. Hot, dry, strong winds have never been my friends and helping relieve the emotional attachment may be why EFT works. The ringing doesn’t always go completely away, but it isn’t as much of a disruption. Reduction of my tinnitus in any amount is welcome.

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5 Benefits Of Setting Goals

Setting goals isn’t always top priority. With hectic schedules and limited time, we rush through every day, scratching to get everything done.

What if your days could be more productive? There is a way–set some goals for yourself. Listed below are five benefits of setting goals.

1 – You will save time. By setting goals, you will be able to cut out a huge chunk of wasted time each day. Saving time means you’ll have extra time to do more important things.

2 – You will be more productive. Setting goals helps you to determine what needs to be done and when. You’ll get more things done in a fair amount of time, rather than wasting precious moments trying to figure out what hasn’t been done yet.

3 – You will eliminate questions. When you have a solid list of goals, you will always be prepared. There will never be a question about tasks or appointments. You will know exactly what needs to be done and when.

4 – You will feel less stressed. Setting goals can totally eliminate the stress factor from your life. When are you most stressed? It’s probably when you are unsure of what lies ahead. You can throw that stress right out the window simply by setting a few goals for yourself.

5 – You will stay on track. Goals are just a roadmap to help you get where you are going. Lay out a plan to help keep you headed in the right direction. List the steps you need to take you to where you want to be.

Goal setting is simple and easy. Remember that just because you set goals for yourself, they aren’t in concrete. You can change and modify them at any time. In fact, you will most likely find that modifying them will be necessary as you grow and reach your final goal.

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Secret Societies – An Insight Into History’s Clandestine Organizations

Over the holidays I enjoyed reading Sylvia Browne’s newest book Secret Societies. For one who enjoyed the intrigue of The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons, this book added insight to many of the questions raised in the novels. Sylvia acknowledges author Dan Brown for the thoroughness of his research, therein clarifying that many of the theories presented in the books have indeed more truth than fiction.

On our recent visit to the Louvre in Paris, our tour guide paused at the base of the inverted pyramid. He commented that “according to the Da Vinci Code, it was hinted that Mary Magdalene might in fact be buried here”. Fiction I’m sure, but pause for concern. In Secret Societies Sylvia does point out that Mary Magdalene was buried in France.

Three of the Societies mentioned in the book are of special interest. The first is the Skull and Crossbones, a prominent clandestine group of sorts that calls Yale University its home. Prominent members include both George W. Bush and John Kerry. Can you imagine those two sharing the “secret” handshake? Two other Societies of interest are the Freemasons and the Knights Templar, both which share histories back to biblical times.

The Freemasons were originally formed as a union to protect the job security rights of the stone masons during the period of the Roman Empire. As the influence of the Empire spread throughout Europe so did the influence of the Roman Catholic Church. And as Catholicism spread, so did the construction of many new cathedrals and churches.

The masons were employed to build the churches. Yet when construction could not keep pace with the ambitious schedule set forth by the Church, problems occurred. When the Church began to bring in additional masons from other countries to increase production, a standoff occurred. The newly formed union protected the territorial rights of the masons in this endeavor.

Today the Freemasons continue to exist worldwide as a fraternal organization with thousands of members. In the United States they’re more commonly known as the Shriners.

The Knights Templar came into prominence during the Middle Ages and existed as a mighty military force for more than two centuries. Templar Knights with their distinctive white mantels and red crosses were among the best fighting forces of the Crusades.

What I found interesting about the Knights is the fact that they were the essentially the world’s first bankers. Travelers would “bank” their cash with the Templar’s before traveling throughout the countryside. Upon completion of their journey, they would redeem their chit on the other end for cash. Their success here eventually led them into the loan business where they became quite wealthy. Even Kings borrowed from the Templar’s in times of need.

The Roman Catholic Church officially endorsed the Knights Templar and contributed greatly to their wealth. Secret Societies explain some of the theories as to how the Church contributed to their accumulated wealth.

By chance I caught a program recently on the Discovery Channel which highlighted much of the historical background of the Freemasons and Knights Templar. It was quite enlightening but did not include some of the explicit facts outlined in the book.

To agree with some of the statements or conclusions drawn by Sylvia you must first accept the concept of spirit guides. Sylvia Browne often quotes her spirit guide Francine as the source of some of the facts. Many of the conclusions stated are indeed controversial, but well worth consideration.

My wife and I have both studied the phenomena of spirit guides and the merits of their existence. It is all part of a bigger picture that is not only time related but supports the supposition that we have all gone through many lives before reaching the one where our souls now reside. For those with an open mind, this is interesting reading.

Secret Societies simply opened the door for me to learn more about many of the underground organizations that exist today or have existed throughout history. Interestingly many of the Societies share the same ambitions and goals, some of which we’re seeing come to fruition in Europe today. What began centuries ago may find its ultimate goal reached sometime in the future.

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What My Dog Taught Me About Getting Published

My dog Luther showed me how to get published. Okay, I confess. I’m already published and was really just looking for a way to adore my dog and count it as writing time. Even so. I think he had some great ideas!

1.It’s okay to be a mutt. Just as Luther doesn’t have to have a pedigree for people to say he’s a great dog, you don’t have to have a doctorate in science to write a science book for kids. You don’t have to have an English degree to write a novel. Be yourself. Draw on your strengths, your curiosities. If you wait until you’ve earned all the “right” degrees, you may never start writing.

2.Follow those who feed you. If I have lunch in my hands, Luther sits next to me, but doesn’t beg; he waits patiently. As a writer, you have a choice of who you approach to publish your manuscript. I prefer to send my writing to paying publishers, though occasionally I donate articles. Paying publishers help me feed my family. After I send my manuscript, I wait patiently for them to respond. Sometimes I get a rejection, but other times I’m amazed by how great the response is. It’s like throwing a steak to Luther. Don’t think that because you are a beginner or have been rejected before, you aren’t worthy of submitting to paying markets. Submit, then sit. Stay. Good dog.

3.Always be ready to run. Luther told me that other less-obedient dogs will dart out the door at every opportunity, then race away from their angry owner. Luther only does that when he sees a rabbit or squirrel and thinks he can catch them. Writers should always be looking for their opportunities be published. Pick up magazines in the dentist office – market research. Join message boards online that relate to writing and to your specialty. If you write (or would like to write) Christian parenting articles and books, join groups for writers, Christians, parents, Christian parents, single parents, moms, dads, etc. — whatever you can relate to your genre. Then, become more than a chatty member. Become a resource for others and learn from them. Ideas for articles and opportunities to become published will pop up all over the place, if you are ready.

4.Leave your mark. When I take Luther on a walk, I’m amazed he doesn’t become dehydrated with all the “marking” he does. Anything vertical gets wet. Please don’t pee on your publishers. That’s not what I’m talking about! Don’t be afraid to leave your mark by promoting yourself. Put your website address in your signature line for every e-mail you send. Keep business cards with you at all times. Have a writers resume and clips updated at all times (and keep a copy or two in your car – you never know who you’ll run into when you visit the library or pay for an ad. Remember to let people know what you do. If you don’t tell them, how will they ever know?

My husband may think Luther is only good for matting the carpet with dog hair, but I think he’s a great interview. Certainly, there are many more tips for getting published, but if you follow my dog’s sage advice, you will find opportunities almost everywhere you go. And, you will be ready!

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