I'm a Spaceman!

TB44

Fragment from undisclosed source:

(TB44) joined the organization as a writer and analyst in the Fall of 1998. He was assigned to the Torbin Project and proved to be a quick study by offering up a detailed overview of all related sub-systems only two weeks later. All field manuals were subsequently updated and DOD reported qualitative changes that saved lives. By then, TB44 was working on three other projects and assisting with real-world scenarios by supplying logistics support.

TB44 is facile with computers, networking, and on-the-fly coding but is a generalist rather than a detail-oriented worker. The Company considers TB44 a valuable commodity and would like to see him develop into the role of an idea guy, VP New Products, perhaps, or New Business, rather than a hands-on problem solver. TB44 becomes bored easily and is moody at times. He keeps to himself and prefers to work alone. In that regard, it is recommended TB44 attend the Company's yearly management training seminar.

Other recommendations include on-premises covert drug testing and soft surveillance off-site. TB44 is elevated to Security Status IV.

Any of the faithful know what this is about?

That's three animal memes in a row. What's going on here?

Orleans

The Korolev Crater

The Korolev crater on Mars is 82 kilometers across and found in the northern lowlands of Mars near the polar cap. It is filled with water ice. Verified. Let the terra-forming begin!

Click to enlarge.

Xylanthia

Hypnotized

eBooks for Christmas!

Click me please.

The Harry Irons Saga

The Greedy King

I am not the writer TommyBoy is but I put this little story together and decided to post it here. Hope you like it.

Once upon a time, there was this country, see? Unfortunately, it was ruled by a greedy King. The king sent his Royal Expeditors out across the land to seize the crops of the peasants as taxation. They took 3/4 of the harvest, leaving the peasants with barely enough to live on. If a particular year had a particularly bad harvest, the Royal Expeditors would seize other property the peasants owned. Cattle, furniture, and even the daughters of the peasants. Can you believe it? Finally, the peasants had enough. They knew going up against the well-armed Royal Expeditors would be crazy. So instead they went after soft targets -- the families and friends of the Royal Expeditors. Naturally, the King's allies were appalled that the peasants would stoop so low and so, predictably they increased their brutality against the peasants. However, this only emboldened the oppressed even more. Eventually, the Royal Expeditors could no longer protect the King because they had their own families to defend. Without protection, the King found himself alone and under siege from the peasants. It didn't take long before the peasants found a way inside his castle. The king was found hiding in a sewer ditch. As punishment for his greed, the peasants impaled the King upon a hunting spear. The Royal Expeditors were systematically hunted down and given the same treatment. Afterward, all lived happily ever after. The End.

So, how did you like my story?

So Long, Chuck

"Colorful" Women

Attracted by the wrong sort of woman?

The Problem With the World

I am certain I have posted this quote before. If you've never read Bukowski, I have nothing else to say. Otherwise, God says the meek inherit the earth and I take that to mean we get buried in it while confident, brutish oafs set themselves to rob us of everything.

Review of Starshatter by Black Knight

Starshatter, author Black Knight's first effort, is the name of a Terran spaceship outfitted for war in the vacuum of space and designed to keep the peace by confronting invaders and space pirates. The ship is operated and maintained by a crew of Terran humans, uplifted Terran lower animals, and the lofty intelligence of distributed AI.

"Uplifted" is a term from David Brin's marvelous sci-fi where species of lower intelligence are helped by a superior species to actually raise their IQ, or consciousness, or whatever you want to call it. So that's how Mr. Black Knight has written intelligent rabbits and hamsters into his narrative. It's all in good fun and reminds me somewhat of the Guardians of the Galaxy sci-fi/fantasy movie series.

The action starts on the first page and doesn't let up for a second. The reader is thrown into a space battle that reads like an old-time account of a naval conflict between opposing ships. The account swings from one side to the other so the reader is treated to both sides of the story as characters are introduced whilst in the throes of space combat. Great fun!

There was a problem in downloading the most current version of Starshatter and I did not get the latest until after I had completed the book. The version I had was indeed a bit dodgy with a wandering storyline that left me at times wondering where Mr. Knight's narrative was leading.

Well, as it turns out, Starshatter leads to the Twin Suns of Corolla, which I have not yet consumed but look forward to reading. The Black Knight plans on writing a ten book series with the same characters and in the same sci-fi universe. Good luck to Mr. Knight and I hope to see him soon on Amazon's bestseller list.

PS Here is a blurb from an earlier review that would help prior to reading Starshatter:

"It is the year 2018 by Earth's calendar. The Terran Imperial Minarchy faces enemies on all sides and has but a few precious allies. Its small, decimated by a previous pirate invasion population, is now strengthened by a multitude of uplifted animal species. The humans and their newly created brothers in sentience chose to colonize Fringe Space - a large expanse, rife with piracy, slavery and a multitude of other dangers. Ruled by arrogant Pirate Lords and drug running Cartels, its current Masters are poised to permanently deal with the uppity, freedom-loving Terrans. Especially those in the employ of the treacherous and mighty Taz'aran Empire. Fast paced heroic action sci-fi pulp. Think something Edgar Rice Burroughs might have written if he was a fan of H. Beam Piper, Catshit One, and Macross."

Challenging Observations

Click to enlarge.

Thanksgiving 2018

It is Thanksgiving in America, 2018. It is also the anniversary of JFK's assassination -- another traumatic event for the American consciousness that remains unsolved, much like Sandy Hook, the Boston Bombing, double handfuls of mass shootings across the country, and other red flag events. Most Americans will not be thinking about conspiracies this Thanksgiving holiday. Nope, not with professional football on television and something good to eat in the frig.

Families across the country will dine in stony silence in order to avoid discussion of politics and other topics that might ignite fireworks. For those who just can't help themselves, lectures will be held on morality and political correctness. Leftists will brag about the fairness of trade unions and conservatives will lament their rapidly fading voices.

Many people will spend the day on the internet buying Christmas gifts and posting their complaints to Facebook, Twitter, and all those other social platforms.

Me? I have a book to finish and then I must write a review. While my back was turned, my dog took my small uncooked turkey from the kitchen counter and promptly consumed a portion making the remains unsuitable for consumption. I now plan on having a bologna sandwich and a banana for my celebratory dinner. Maybe some Cheetos and a couple of sweet pickles on the side.

Best Sci-Fi

Xylanthia by Thomas C. Stone. Best damn sci-fi I've read in years.

-- Marilyn Munro

Why?

Separated at Birth

Jimmy Buffett

Jesse Ventura

They could be brothers. No?

More Than a Pump?

The heart is the first functional organ to develop around three weeks into embryogenesis. Not the brain or the central nervous system, but the heart. It's also interesting to note that the heart gives out an electromagnetic field much stronger than that of the brain.

Protein Formation: Happened by Chance? Look at the Numbers.

Click to enlarge.

The Libran Exchange

Available for Kindle on Amazon.

DIY Marketing in a Slippery Field

Cornpone made me what I am.

Well, crap. Since my marketing blog (northtexasdrifter.blogspot.com) was hacked and taken down, I shifted my efforts over to Gab.ai. Now, Gab.ai has been effectively shut down by its internet provider. I had not planned on using Minds.com as a marketing tool but it may be the only way for me to get ads out about selling my books.

This cultural war we are witnessing is working against me. Publishing houses and social media platforms are notoriously Leftist. They don't like white guys from Texas who served in the military. In their world, we have nothing to offer. Of course, that's not true but after being in publishing and professional writing my entire adult life, I can say with surety the gatekeepers in New York and LA are deaf to the voices of white guys from the Southern US of A.

Oh, I have my own website at www.thomascstone.com (a nod to GoDaddy) but I'm all about the culture wars this season and do enjoy the rowdy debates and posturing on the Minds.com boards. Besides, these social platforms have a built-in audience. My website doesn't.

Anyhoo, if you're reading this and you get the notion, check out my author page on Amazon or Smashwords. My stuff is also available from Barnes&Noble, Apple, and most other fine ebook retailers. As always, thanks for reading!

Freedom

Rock God

Same Three Digit Number

Think of any three-digit number in which each of the digits is the same. Examples include 333, 666, 777, 999.

Add up the digits.

Divide the three digit number by the answer in Step 2.

The answer is 37.

Highway Tune

Bellator Weekend

Mitrione vs Bader

All-righty then, tomorrow night in the Bellator Heavyweight Championship Tournament, we have Matt Mitrione going up against Bad Ryan Bader. Both are ex-UFC and big men. Matt is 6'3" and is listed at 255 lbs. Bader is 6'2" and weighs 205. Sure, he'll be considerably heavier for the fight but so will Mitrione. Bader is the current Bellator Light Heavyweight World Champion. Bader formerly competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship in the Light Heavyweight division, obtaining an overall record of 15-5. He is currently ranked the #3 Light Heavyweight in the world by Sherdog and the #15 pound for pound fighter in the world by MMAjunkie.com.

Matt holds a notable victory over Fedor Emelianenko in a previous bout. Mitrione gained fame playing college football at Purdue University and then professionally in the National Football League (NFL) with the New York Giants and the Minnesota Vikings. He has yet to win a championship but this may be his biggest chance.

Mitrione is a beast and is the big man left standing in the tournament. Mitrione is my personal pick to win the match with Bad Ryan Bader and go on to defeat the winner of the Chael Sonnen vs Fedor Emelianenko match-up to be held on the following night.

Emelianenko vs Sonnen

Sonnen vs. Emelianenko will be a great battle and could be over quickly if Chael doesn't keep his chin down. Chael is coming into the fight at 6'1" and 265 lbs, as listed, and I can't believe Sonnen is that big. We'll see for ourselves Saturday night, I guess. Chael has not yet won a professional championship but he has been close. Fedor Emelianenko is a legend, of course, and requires no introduction. Fedor weighs in at 225 lbs. and stands 6' even. Chael is going to wrestle him to the mat and attempt to hold him down. If he is successful, he'll win, otherwise, Fedor will land a heavy punch and put Chael to sleep. I'll pick Chael as the winner in a decision.

This animated GIF is a big file and takes a bit to load properly (It's crammed full of butterflies, as you can see for yourself!). Be patient.

I Me Mine

The Answer Is 2

Think of a number.

Multiply it by 3.

Add 6.

Divide this number by 3.

Subtract the number from Step 1 from the answer in Step 4.

The answer is 2. Every time.

On Language

Language is more than words and syntax. It is perception and understanding, a window into the human soul. Short essay here.

The Notorious vs The Eagle

MacGregor vs Nurmagomedov Saturday night, October 6, 2018 -- UFC Lightweight Championship. Who ya got? The Irishman or the Russian?

Gab

Gab.ai. A new social platform dedicated to free speech!

What Animals Are Thinking

16:27 mins

Animal Pics

The internet proliferates with animal photos, especially people's pets. Personally, I try to avoid posting animal pictures; like, here's what little punkinhead did this morning that was so funny. But today is a little different. For one thing, these pics are not of my dog. As far as I have been able to establish, the picture at left is of a real dog although I have no idea of breed or other details of interest. Looks sort of like a poodle is my guess. Check the accompanying photo -- it shows more of the dog in toto, so to speak. In toto, get it? Yes, you and your little dog too, Dorothy.

That mutt has a face. The question is, do you find it charming or not just a little creepy?

How about this one of Shaggy relaxing on dad's lap. Funny or disturbing?

You know, unfortunately, not all of us love animals or even make an attempt to take care of our pets. You know who I'm talking about, that family down the street with four kids who all want either a dog or a kitten or a hamster or maybe even an exotic snake. The dog ends up chained to a pole out in the yard, the kitten gets out and gets run over on day three, the hamster escapes and eventually dies behind the refrigerator. The snake has babies, lots of them. Yep, it's best to really think about pets before bringing them home.

Of course, if your choice of pet has a person's face, that could change the entire process. Did your parents ever talk to you about the care and treatment of pets? Or animals in general? My parents did not but I did have to feed the family dog every evening for the eleven years we had her. Sometimes I napped with Minnie Fae in the backyard in the shade of the house. Minnie would "herd" any little kids left with her and loved the company of people. She was not so crazy about other dogs or cars.

Have you ever wondered whether you'll see your deceased pets in heaven? How could it be heaven without the dog you grew up with? Yes, I know, it's a dangling preposition but you get my point.

If all these questions begin to make you a little nervous, perhaps it's time to take Spot for a nice, long walk and get reacquainted. As the above GIF suggests, maybe you're a cat person. Certainly nothing wrong with that. Cats can be loyal companions as well.

Here's a rendition of my one-eyed black cat. Most days he fancies himself a pirate. Dogs may be loyal but cats are funny. I think there's even a Youtube channel by that name.

eBook Sale!

Everybody loves science fiction, right? And ebooks are so dang cheap! Thomas Stone is having a sale for his books everywhere you look. For the best in current sci-fi, check out Thomas Stone.

Xylanthia is the first book of a thrilling sci-fi trilogy of space travel, time distortion, wormholes and represents the latest effort by author Thomas Stone. An engaging tale of time and space, as Stone points out on the cover. For sale at Smashwords, Amazon and other fine ebook retailers.

Return to Xylanthia is, of course, the magnificent sequel to Xylanthia. Purchase it today and tell your friends about it too! Amazon or Smashwords.









Last book in the Xylanthian trilogy (The Xylanthian Chronicles). The Galactic Center sums up the Mackenzie Maguire story and what happens to her time-traveling friends. You won't know how the story ends without reading it. Amazon or Smashwords.

Collected Short Stories is a volume of ten short stories by Thomas Stone. Most of these are not science fiction but that doesn't mean they won't give you something to think about. Amazon or Smashwords.

Oh my gosh! They're here and they're from the depths of outer space! What's worse is they mean to kill us all! Song of the Elowai is an alien invasion military sci-fi novel set in the near future. Smashwords or Amazon.









In a near future scenario, the sexes have declared war on one another -- for real! But what happens when soldiers from the opposite sides fall in love? Purchase The Gender Wars at either Smashwords or Amazon.

Smolif traces the fortunes of Contra Marlo, a retired, alcoholic, security specialist. Contra was the best before he dropped out and became a full-time drunk. When a company rep offers him a job, Marlo must deal with sobriety, inexperienced team members, and a lack of information -- as well as the dangers of an alien world and the man who would be king of that world. Amazon or Smashwords.

Rolling Thunder follows T. L. O'Toole as he rescues a stranded scientist from rebellious natives on the world of Pax Noma. With a cast that includes an intelligent truck, a genetically engineered pet, a cruel cyborg, and an alien entity, he unravels the secrets of Pax Noma and finds romance in the process. Rolling Thunder is fast-paced sci-fi intended for a general audience. Amazon or Smashwords.

Incident on Walsh Street is a quirky story of American political intrigue and suspense in novella form. Carter Smith is a regular guy with a dominating wife and boss who finds refuge in studying conspiracy theories, especially the Kennedy assassination. How far will such a man go in pursuing the truth? Incident on Walsh Street is a study in political correctness and corruption. Amazon or Smashwords.




By no means is this a comprehensive list of Thomas Stone's work. For more, go to Stone's Author Page or to his personal web site. Happy reading, everybody! Enjoy! Thomas Stone's books are also available from the Barnes & Noble web site, Apple iBooks, and most other fine eBook retailers.