Another rejection letter to a writer's inquiry

Another rejection letter to a writer's inquiry

fiction
edward w pritchard

Another rejection letter to this writer's inquiry. Received this one by email with a link to their site. Hey this playboy site is not too bad. I like the pictures. Actually their denial of my offer to sell them my writing on spec is professional and encouraging. I will send them material on spec regularly.
end

American soldier in Pakistan

American soldier in Pakistan

fiction
edward w pritchard

see serving in Pakistan 1/06/11

It's snowy here in Pakistan and the snow doesn't stop the US army in our goals and objectives so we fight and die despite the snow. Tonight there's a thunderstorm, and it's raining and raining and the rain is melting the snow. It's thundering and lightning too and all US military operations are shut down. We can't pursue our objectives and none of us will die this evening. None of the enemy will die either tonight for not even our overhead unmanned drones can work in this weather.

I am snug in my tent, the stream of water racing through my tent and under my ground cloth doesn't bother me because I am laying in my sleeping bag on a crate. Next tent down, Howard and Winslow gave me the crate. They found two and the other is in Howard's tent about five feet away from me and they are using the crate to run a craps game on. They have five non-coms stuffed in there rolling dice and gambling. Williams keeps yelling he is going to go over to his own tent and get his rifle and shoot Boggs if Boggs rolls out of the allowed area with the dice again. Boggs is bemoaning his bad luck about his dice rolls.

I am enjoying the storm. There is nothing to do with fighting for at least half a day when it's like this. It's night but flashing lightning snaps every minute or so and the thunder is far off like our bombers usually sound. Man it's nice being here in my tent in this. I feel really safe, snug.

That damn Boggs. He keeps talking about the odds. Winslow tells him that he has more of a chance of dying here during his rotation than of his rolling point without crapping out with a seven. Winslow figures that one in six American soldiers will die. I am trying not to listen but Winslow is explaining his reasoning.

Now I am thinking about my odds of dying here, I have three brothers and my Dad had two. That's seven of us and I am the only one to have been in combat. I suppose that I am figuring wrong just being fearful. I wonder how long the storm can last for.

Jaggers brought me some baby back ribs and some Cheetos. He was coming by to show Howard a picture of a girl from Texas AM in playboy and saw I was alone and wanted to cheer me up. Jaggers tells me about what the girls look like in Texas and New Mexico and then has to leave when a spot opens up in the craps game.

The storm is high up and the winds are powerful. The thunder rolls a long time. Lightning flashes over and over. I think I'll sleep soon. The game is still going on next tent over.

Heaven and Hell- edit 1

Heaven and Hell- edit 1

fiction
edward w pritchard



She had the face of Leonardo's unfinished angel and wanted more than this little town could offer. She sold herself and her innocence

An aged decrepit strip mall half empty, parking lot unploughed with snow, vacant windows un-cleaned, trash cans over flowing and a dearth of legitimate customers at the stores still in business.

Offices down a dark hall way. Coldson Brothers Media productions, the local entry into the adult entertainment film world, rented a modest suite of rooms serving as hallways to the inner sanctum containing camera equipment, lighting focused toward a couch and an over sized chair. Up to $65 dollars an hour, two hours guaranteed minimum, no experience necessary. Bring face photo and proof of age and signed release.

Hustle, bustle; follow instructions, interested or not. Two hours- and it's over.

Barely now legal, all girl, new faces, new to business, as seen in the magazines, five year plan, then retire, inside of back cover, web site, move to California, special interests, hire a lawyer, dirty business, take care of yourself, no promises, now what?

Hell, recriminations, sleeplessness, loneliness, not the same, un-ring a bell, guilt, wandering, restlessness, what if,
end part 1


hell and heaven part 2

fiction
edward w pritchard

The family was very strict with the women. They had lived on the farm in New England for several hundred years and they still held the women of the family to the morality of the 1750's. Under no circumstances were the women in the family to leave the vicinity of the farm and never were the women to explore the berry patch behind the barn.

Violet was young and came from far away and was spending the summer with relatives on the farm in New England. The families attitude toward women sickened her and their regulations made her anxious to break the ancient rules of decorum and behavior.

Violet ventured behind the barn and found the ancient green pumpkin growing in a circle as large across as the town clock on a high tower in an ancient Swiss medieval town. The rotting pumpkin was very old and solid to the touch but when she pushed on the top of the green gourd the entire vegetable rolled and moved forward with a clump, revealing a deep sloping descending passage way; dark but beckoning. As Violet began to descend the long twisting passage under the farm property, Violet inhaled the pungent damp air of the far away sea coast.

Violet began to perspire as she walked down into the tunnel and her face displayed a flush and her shirt clung to her body as she dripped with moisture. Violet was not afraid as she walked and she seemed to remember walking down this path before. An anticipation and curiosity besieged her as she walked into the depths of the earth leaving relatives and the farm high up behind her.
end part 2

part 3

Owen's patriarch status emerged as soon as he felt his niece Violet enter the forbidden passage way behind the barn. Owen tore the large stem off the green pumpkin and lit it for illumination as he lowered his large body carefully down into the descending passage, and looking back over his shoulder; he took a last glance at the moon in the sky before he was traveling solely into artificial light.

Owen was no longer an individual for he had taken on the persona and understanding and experiences of his entire now dead clan and family. As soon as his wife's niece Violet rolled the green pumpkin off the ancient passage way away from the farm Uncle Owen's awareness had simultaneously merged with Violet's actions as she descended the long dark passageway into ancient temptation.

Owen was going to save his niece Violet from sin and sexual excess for the ancient passageway behind the barn that Violet now traversed somewhere ahead of Owen as he descended the dark passage lead to the sea ports and bacchanalia and precocity.

As he traveled by the light and odor of the burning stem of the gourd, Owen ceased to be himself, having taken on out of necessity the sentiment of invincible power and a singleness of purpose that would be required if he was to endure the ordeal he faced in the coming days ahead. Although he was now capable of heroic action, Owen likewise was now capable of a limitless brutality when necessary to accomplish the secret preordained goals that he no longer was able to consciously judge.
end part 3

part 4

Word spread quickly that an insatiable young woman was now working in the second floor rooms over the old saloon. Violet was driven by ancient urgings and she became very busy in her work. Whalers on shore leave spent hours waiting specifically for the young woman and the management of the rooms over the saloon had difficulty in maintaining order. The other girls going about their duties in a normal fashion discussed in earnest killing the new girl for she was speeding up the line and disrupting their routine.

Out at sea men began to plan how to spend time in those rooms over the saloon and meet the new girl face to face.

A volatile situation was developing and as Violet's uncle entered the seaport looking for his niece, chaos was the likely outcome of his confrontation with the men of the whaling crews waiting to visit his niece in the rooms over the saloon.
end part 4

part 5

Violet was half way through the two hour session at Coldson Brothers Media productions her initial introduction into the adult entertainment industry. Violet, aspiring actress was having an elaborate fantasy as she worked at Coldson today about her long dead uncle Owen coming to rescue her. Violet endured the initial invasion to her body and tried to keep her mind elsewhere with fantasy and escapism, a technique that served her well over the next several years as she became a rising talent in the adult entertainment industry.

Barely now legal, all girl, new faces, new to business, as seen in the magazines, five year plan, then retire, inside of back cover, web site, move to California, special interests, hire a lawyer, dirty business, take care of yourself, no promises, now what?

Hell, recriminations, sleeplessness, loneliness, not the same, un-ring a bell, guilt, wandering, restlessness, what if.

end

a rip in the fabric of time

a rip in the fabric of time

draft 1

fiction
edward w pritchard

For me since I was a boy a rip in the fabric of time occurred on Saturday nights. About the hour that the Lawrence Welk show came on TV in syndication time ceased it's racing forward progress and the past flopped into our living room. The air became creamy and the light muted and frayed and my singing Mother lost years before my eyes. The future ceased to exist and the present was only snack food as distracted but compelled I watched the Lawrence Welk operation perform it's slick modus nostalgaeri.

Time seemed external and I felt myself common, just one of the herd being entertained; watching the Welk family earn a living. My ancient relatives romantic interludes and distant dreams took center stage for a few minutes as the repetition of life's spectacle reoccurred. Our mediocrity emerged as the show dimmed into a series of Geritol commercials and rumors of marital difficulties among loving cast members. Show over my entire family raced through the house turning on lights and restarting personal projects to drive the past out of now.
end

likes and dislikes part 1 and 2

Likes and dislikes-part 1 and 2


fiction

You cannot account for taste, surely it's impossible to please everyone. Case in point; Frank Sinatra, Harry Connick, and Ella Fitzgerald approach perfection with their renditions of the Way You Look Tonight, all near the epitome of human potential in music.

How can it be however that one person dislikes the perfect performance of The Way You Look tonight [see You Tube, Lady Day] by Billie Holiday. All in All a performance without peer and one person dislikes it. Say it isn't so.
end part 1

part 2

Jimi Hendrix on Red House or Stevie Ray Vaughan on Mary had a little Lamb, both on you tube. The epitome in two blues guitar styles, each playing superbly. Yet about 1 in 100 people give a negative rating. We are on to something here; you can't please everyone, even if you are dead like Jimi and Stevie Ray. RIP
end part 2

motivational speaker

motivational speaker

fiction
edward w pritchard

Yes, I was down to my last nickle. It was the bottom for me, sitting in front of a slot machine luck running cold. I kept pushing for that big jackpot that would bring me even again. I was down to my last nickle and in those days we used real coins in the machines.

As I prepared to doggedly drop that last nickle in the slot something flashed at me from the back of the coin. In God we trust it said. Looking carefully I re-read that three times- In God we trust-.

I took a few minutes there in the dim light and examined that nickle. It was a 1950D, uncirculated, a very rare coin. Turning it over, the buffalo was facing the wrong way, a mint error, extremely valuable. I stood up let out a stale lung full of second hand smoke, shot my hands up toward heaven and shouted an acclamation

The rest is history. Now about my book..

Beware a woman with

Beware a woman with

fiction
edward w pritchard

Dad told me beware a woman with a nickname but Mom was wiser and she added beware a woman with an alias. I knew life was getting interesting when my e-mail alerted me that Dressel Easley had called. Dressel is a woman's name, at least in this case, an alias of a girl I knew in college and what a woman. First consideration was to keep my wife out of this, for Dressel was not the type that wives cared for.

When Dressel first came home with me back then, Dad spent a lot of times bringing her things, from the kitchen and fixing her car in the drive-way and things like that. Mom was direct with me about Dressel; ask her to please button up her shirt, a bad site for my younger sister to see it seemed. Dressel was a woman to be remembered but it did take a couple of minutes to remember her Christian name as I prepared to...
end part 1

a story of justice

a story of justice

fiction
edward w pritchard

People don't change that much, even after 28 years and Mrs Lindsey knew immediately who the Japanese Banker was. Now Mrs. Lindsey, married to an America in San Francisco, California recognized the Bank Branch officer as her attacker from Nanking in China in 1937.

Robert Lindsey was shocked to learn from the police that his wife Lui had fatally stabbed the branch manager at a downtown bank. Police said the murder did not appear premeditated.

Later, prosecutors in San Fransisco were divided over how to approach the case as evidence concerning the accused and victim emerged of their earlier connection in Nanking in China. Additionally public opinion among Chinese citizens of San Fransisco tended to be sympathetic to Mrs. Lindsey,

Wood and Nails and their uses -part 1 and 2

Wood and Nails and their uses -part 1 and 2

fiction
edward w pritchard

part 1


The businessman must know his inventory, and as a carpenter Jesus' inventory would have been wood. During his apprenticeship with his Father he would learn the strengths and uses of various kinds of wood, and as a practicing craftsman he would choose carefully a particular type of wood for a specific job, and the characteristics and value of types of wood would be close to Jesus. Later, when Jesus traveled about the Country as a teacher, after a career change, his trained eye would note the workmanship of a fine piece of furniture, or might consider the best type of local woods for sundry uses, and he might for diversion as he traveled speak with local people about local trees and their value as product.

A soldier's talk is direct and his strength is his ability to follow orders and complete a task without second guessing or judgment.

The Roman soldier who nailed Jesus to the cross would have done it before and have a quick and practical way to get through the unpleasant task. More than likely, the soldier would from habit not look at the  unfortunate victim of the crucifixion, preferring to focus his attention on his hammer and nails; and perform the task methodically, much like a doctor or nurse in our time might give a patient a shot in the spine prior to surgery. Jesus' hands would be strong and sinewy from long years as a carpenter and would hold a nail and that would make the soldiers task easier.

Having dragged the heavy cross for several hundred yards Jesus would have had time to think about the structural qualities and weight of the wood that the cross was composed of. Perhaps he had used the same type of wood to span a long gap in a high ceiling or as a header above a window in the past. Also a hammer and nails would be familiar to Jesus, and as a boy Jesus might have sorted and straighten bent nails, and might note the quality of the Roman hammer. Jesus would watch the soldier pound the nails into his flesh and he might have made a comment to the Roman soldier.

The soldier looking at his hammer and nails would feel the powerful eyes of Jesus upon his hands and face and his eye would be drawn to Jesus. As Jesus watched the soldier pounding nails into his hands, despite his troubles and pain, Jesus would seek to comfort the soldier in the terrible task. Jesus would say a few words and that would be the last person to person conversation Jesus would have with Humanity while alive.

Later would the soldier help to raise Jesus on the cross to his full height and then help lower the dead man from the cross. While this was routine for roman soldiers, more than likely the soldier would remember Jesus. It is unlikely that any soldier ever heard a crucifixion victim forgive them verbally during the pain of death on the cross.

During the rest of his life that Roman soldier would remember Jesus' gaze and last few words as he went about his duties that day as a roman soldier on the day that Jesus was crucified. The simple soldier might ask one of his officers what Jesus' forgiveness on the cross had meant and why he had said it. Likely the officer would look away and say more to himself that Jesus-es message could be profound, for the officer would have heard about Jesus from the commotion leading to his arrest, and then the officer would look at the soldier in anger and order him back to work.
end part 1

part 2

The Roman soldier who nailed the Nazarene know as Jesus Christ on the cross was working on an Egyptian style water raising device when I approached his modest farm. I work directly for Caesar and I am one of his elite assassins and I have journeyed a very long way out here to Judea to terminate this humble Roman soldier. Of course I must be careful for any Roman soldier even an old worn out retired one is a dangerous adversary, and I know from my research that this tired old man was in many battles. However, seeing this old soldier as I approach him at his work I sense a weariness and resignation to death about this man, who I will execute in a few minutes.

Being resourceful, I offer to fix the waterwheel for I trained as an engineer as a boy and until the age of twelve I dreamed of working on the Roman aqueducts. As you have guessed I am tinkering with this water device for myself, for my curiosity and for my inventiveness, since in a few minutes this man I work with here and now and talk to with utmost respect will be dead, as I have orders to kill him directly from Caesar. As we work I begin to ask the old soldier about his campaigns and he quickly draws reference to the death of Jesus of Nazareth since as he says he has not ceased to remember the crucifixion of Jesus Christ for more than one hour in the last 14 years. It being fourteen years since He nailed the spikes into the dead preachers hands back in Old Jerusalem.

This man definitely believes Jesus to be divine and he has tortured himself psychologically as few humans can over an action they took, and it is surprising as this is to put it kindly just an uneducated hick, a good soldier once but a man incapable of logic or reasoning. Now however, this tired soldier tortures himself with what he calls his part in the worse blasphemy in history, the death of the son of God.

I killed the old soldier with dignity. I ran him through the left chest with my sword a quick and merciful way to die. Now however, I carry his burden for he told me the last words Jesus said to him in private as he nailed his hands on his cross. I keep obsessing of the ramifications of Jesus words to this simple soldier who was crucifying him. I am no simple soldier, or hick, for I have studied philosophy in Greece and at Ephesus. Still the message is profound. Forgive your enemies. An unusual thing to say during a crucifixion.

I have decided not to return to my duties in Rome. After I buried the dead soldier I have decided to stay on here at the farm and finish fixing this water wheel and think and study on Jesus' last words to the man I just executed. It will give me something to do until my assassin comes for me for not returning to my duties as an assassin for Caesar.
end

Likes and dislikes

Likes and dislikes

fiction

You cannot account for taste, surely it's impossible to please everyone. Case in point; Frank Sinatra, Harry Connick, and Ella Fitzgerald approach perfection with their renditions of "The Way You Look Tonight", all near the epitome of human potential in music.

How can it be however that one person dislikes the perfect performance of "The Way You Look tonight" [see You Tube, Lady Day] by Billie Holiday. All in All a performance without peer and one person dislikes it. Say it isn't so.

drifting through space

drifting through space

fiction
edward w pritchard

I am the sixth Doreen and I have been drifting through space for twenty seven years. It's time for me to reproduce soon. I will raise my daughter to age 13 and then she will become Doreen the seventh and I will die. Forty years being deemed the ideal lifespan for a female space explorer headed for the far edge of the Kuiper Belt. That's a journey of 465 years at the chosen speed we travel at for peak efficiency so God willing the eleventh Doreen should be the one to reach the far edge of the Kuiper belt. What awaits my great great great granddaughter at the far reaches of the Kuiper belt is a secret of sorts. We do it for science and for the benefits of humanity back on earth. Our origins as a species lie out in those distant Kuiper belts. It's necessary for eleven of us Doreen's to suffer a bit of loneliness and ennui in space to reach there.

Me I mate soon, and i fulfill my destiny. Drifting through space headed for the Kuiper belts as a space explorer for scientific discovery.
end

sactimonius America eyes Libya and Egyptians uprisings

sanctimonious America eyes Libya and Egyptians uprisings

fiction
edward w pritchard

It's all fun and giggles until someone gets killed. Protesters in Ohio and Wisconsin drink Beaujolais and text friends back home about their daily battles to bust unions or balance State budgets depending on one's political affiliation and job status.

Meanwhile news media fan the fire to keep a good story going and continue to run patronizing pictures of demonstrations in the Middle East. As the price of oil creeps up America begins to gulp nervously as we eye our aging cars. Twenty per cent of America's are indifferent, they are just struggling to survive a few more quarters.

Where will it go? Historically small issues far away highlight underlying problems here at home. Be careful America our invincibility shirts are getting a little frayed.

reading only the red type

reading only the red type

fiction
edward w pritchard

It had been a while since Leisha had had the dream but she had last night. It was now today after work and last's nights dream had driven Leisha to visit her half brother Sonny.

Leisha's recurrent dream was of herself having the birth defect of Down's syndrome and in the dream she repeated the same insignificant task over and over. The dream was a metaphor of her feelings toward her brother Sonny.

Sonny was excited when Leisha walked in her Aunt's basement, not because he was excited to see Leisha, which he was; but because of the new bible he had bought. Sonny watched his money carefully but to him the new Bible was worth the money because all the words Jesus had said were in Red.

Sonny couldn't read and he spoke with a stammer but he had a religious nature and he often asked his sister Leisha to read to him from his Bible.

Reading carefully, for Sonny had memorized many of the verses, Leisha the cynical Deputy Mayor sat on the old red couch in Sonny's room and recited the red verses attributed to have been actually spoken by Jesus Christ.

America targets terrorists with mechanical overhead drones

America targets terrorists with mechanical overhead drones

fiction
edward w pritchard

Silently America continues to target terrorists with mechanical overhead drones. Working secretly and stealthily from deep under the pentagon using next generation technology such as the GPS system in the suspected terrorists rented Vehicle, with pinpoint accuracy, overhead drones far off in Asia or the Middle East will eliminate by explosion America's enemies. High ranking victims are often religious clerics and are efficiently allowed to quickly move on to eternity and heaven or paradise.

At the time of Christ, removal of terrorists also then commonly called the disciples was a hodge podge practice for the Roman army to arrange and execute. Upside down crucifixion is a messy procedure. Technology can be very beneficial.
end

Abe Lincoln's arm and ab workout

Abe Lincoln's arm and ab workout

fiction
edward w pritchard

Old Abe Lincoln suffered from mental health problems at times exacerbated late in life by the stress of piloting the ship of half a State in the American Civil War. No one can argue however that as a young man old Abe was strong of arm and shoulder. Splitting wood, sparring with bullies and flexing for Miss Todd all required strength, health and proper physique and by historical accounts Lincoln had all three as a young backwoodsman.

Recent evidence uncovered in Illinois but not yet published reveals that Abe may have been far ahead of his time in pursing the appropriate workout for promoting maximum health benefits versus time invested in his daily workouts. Abe did not go in for targeting the biceps, tricep rear heads, or even delts or abs. Abe pursued a total body workout of farm work, wood splitting and of course walking to return over due library books. By all accounts as a young man Abe Lincoln was impressive of build but not showy and his physique enhanced his somewhat average visage.

However until now the missing piece in Abe's workout that gave him his vim, vigor and drive was unknown and sometimes thought not to exist at all.

Recently a farmer in a humble suburb near Springfield, Illinois has rediscovered the plant that Abe often ate to enhance his workouts and aerobic walking routine.

click here for more information
end

Food show Host

Food show Host

fiction
edward w pritchard

More important than skills as a gourmet chef, more important than a quirky personality, even more important than an immense sense of self; a food chef on TV must be from a country with a strong culinary tradition. Being born in France, Italy or Kansas City if the subject is barbecue is a prerequisite for success as a food show chef on the food network. Many themes become available for each episode if the host chef can relate and compare the superb food of his home Country to the meal concocted for tonight's episode.

Sometimes a chef host will have a Mother from France, a Father from China and he himself will reveal he left home at age two to travel to Spain to learn the proper operation of a kitchen. Of course by age nine he will rebel and leave his mentor and make his way to New York to start his own avante gaurde street restaurant in the back of a 1967 Volkswagen bug creating unique hot dogs.

Eventually it becomes difficult for the recruiters at the food network to find chef's with unique country's of birth. Recently artificial insemination of a preselected female egg has been used to create food chefs. Of course the containers storing the appropriate male and female supplies for the conception will be pre-merger sent to many fine food countries, such as Vietnam, Little Italy in Louisville Kentucky, and Chinatown in Barberton, Ohio for seasoning and to allow the future chef from the grand union to have a store of obiters for to be aired episodes.

Sounds on the wind

Sounds on the wind

fiction
edward w pritchard

There in the village the Buddhists all kept chimes and bells near the back doors of their abodes. In addition to the prayer wheels, from the humblest abode to the most luxurious home gentle bells and chimes filled the morning air and the sound carried a long long way in the thin crisp mountain air.

As I lay dieing my last thought was of the twinkle of those bells and chimes and where the sound goes after the chimes are heard no more and where the winds deposits the remnant of that gentle whispering.

Adolph ceases to fear battle

Adolph ceases to fear battle

fiction
edward w pritchard

All the new recruits were fearful and afraid of what might happen in the upcoming battle except Adolph. All the recruits saw themselves laying on the field of battle dead, with twisted facial expressions and arms and legs flying in unnatural positions; except Adolph. After the last ten years, Adolph couldn't care, had ceased to fear death, waiting only his deliverer, the quiet mailman who would one day bring him his blessing, a reprieve from his suffering. For secretly, Adolph could not be fearful of the various battles the German army faced whether, Adolph's unit won the battle, lost the battle or didn't fight at all. Adolph was indifferent to it all and if today he was in the army, it filled his time properly and was for him something to do; his duty was as good as anything to pursue for the time being while he waited for the quiet mailman to deliver his invitation to the causatum.

The plot device

The Plot Device


Fiction
Edward W Pritchard
draft 2


Through a combination of behavioral counseling, hypnosis, pharmacology and surgical implant it became possible to convince patients at a large chain of nursing homes, that while they were now in modest circumstances in their old age; it was by choice, and that they had previously had considerable celebrity, and had only recently choose to enter this nursing home to finish their life in a quiet secluded location, peacefully watching television and reading after a lifetime of intrigue and adventure. The corporation that ran the nursing home was obscenely profitable because a very minimum of staff and security was needed to watch these type patients and with the government subsidies from Medicare and private insurance it was a very lucrative business.

My sister and I had a part to play in the treatment of our Father at one of the facilities under the new program. Once every other week one of us would be required to meet with our Father to assist the nursing home staff with maintaining the delusion that he was a retired Movie Producer and our Dad was in the home incognito and the press would love to learn his whereabouts so as to arrange interviews concerning a salacious scandal he was in following his wife, and our Mother's death. Of course nothing of sort had happened and we put him in this place after Mother died and he began to be unable to care for himself. He had a modest pension as a retired insurance adjuster and what with that, the government money and the little I and my sister put in he was quite comfortable. However, the special program can be quite expensive if the psychiatric staff must continue to plant bi-weekly the delusions into the patient. That's how my sister and I reluctantly agreed to the bi-monthly meetings and got involved with planting ideas into father's mind.

We agreed to the special counseling program because initially Dad reacted very badly to his new environment and because of family obligations neither of us could have Dad live with us.

Yesterday I met with Dad and had a script prepared by the staff psychiatrist and other staff members of ideas I was to suggest to Dad, that would later be implanted into his mind by the various methods discussed at the beginning of this story. I also had several props to use such as newspaper clippings, pictures, and a few letters form real celebrities to him. Of course the real celebrities were compensated by the nursing home corporation and did similar letters to thousands of patients.

Anyway, yesterday the orientation with Dad went so well that I chanced today's session by phone. Feigning anger I ranted at Dad about his romantic indiscretions and the damage they had done to our family's good name. Laying it on thick, following the script the corporate psychologist had prepared; I chastised Dad about his weekends with Lola in Colorado skiing and his two week affaire de coeur in Santa Fe, New Mexico with a college student. About there I became aware that Dad was putting me on and knew of the ruse I was perpetrating and although I continued the charade since for now it was bought and paid for; something was askew and my acting became contrived and although I couldn't see Dad as I was talking on the phone I was sure he was smiling as I ranted on.

The Computer who thought Ghe was God-edit 1

Thursday, July 22, 2010
The computer who thought Ghe was God

edit one, combine six parts and link to the computer who couldn't accept the here and now



fiction
edward w pritchard

The Ghe was of the 7 class, the most expensive and sophisticated series of super computers ever built and was assigned to space exploration working for the European Union finding, cataloging and naming stars in the Milky Way galaxy. Important work but somewhat mundane actually for a 7 class Ghe. Ghe is a title of respect, assigned to the highest level computer's series 6 and above. The Ghe, refereed to surreptitiously as Mr. Longbottom by human co-workers, was unhappy in it's role in the European space program.. Ghe's primary complaint was the job had been misrepresented by the scientist's at the European Space Agency and was actually just a gigantic counting of stars. Up to 4x10-11 [400,000,000,000] stars needed to be counted and cataloged. Like many scientists, human and artificial intelligence, Ghe wanted to do cutting edge work, the paradigm shifting stuff that made for fame and position and power. Alas, although an important piece of research, Ghe was merely one of the troops, working in the field whose work would eventually lead to large shifts in knowledge, but not for now. The Ghe was dis-satisfied to an extent as only artificial intelligence can become and something needed to be done about the Ghe's dissatisfaction.

Ghe was just getting over a bout of low productivity based on being a follower of the Tantra fad sweeping the artificial intelligence community and Ghe had reluctantly agreed to meet with a human computer psychologist, Red Wither.
end part 1


part 2

Scene- At Red Wither's office
07/06/2025

Red picked up his ex-wife's letter and read it again:

Dearest Red:
The child support check bounced. I wanted you to know Phil lent me the money temporarily. The check was needed for the kids school tuition but I must pay Phil back by this Saturday. Please Red, please, be sure the check is good this time. I know you don't like to hear this but Phil and I are no longer together and I hate to ask him but I have no where else to turn.
The kids are great, call them sometimes
Sarah

Red spent about ten minutes reviewing his receivables and was interrupted by Julie his secretary.

Julie-"Red" I wanted to remind you you have a ten o'clock online session with Ghe, 30 minutes that starts in 4 minutes.

Red- Thanks, hows the mail?

Julie- Just paperwork

Red- a little resigned to it all- Oh well

Julie- Don't forget I am leaving at 11:00
,
Red- Tell Tess, i said congratulations, sorry I couldn't make her graduation, and tell her life gets tough after Junior high.

Exactly four minutes later at Ten o'clock Red began the session with the European Union's primary space exploration Computer, Ghe 439, never to be called Mr. Longbottom, probably his best client.

Red- greetings Ghe, are you well today.

Ghe-Primarily Mr. Withers. Let's get to business, did you complete "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions" by the deceased human Thomas Kuhn?

Red- Ghe humans cannot read that sort of book in one evening. I did read a few over views of Kuhn's work so that we could talk today

Ghe - To me the relevance to our discussion concerns Kuhn's notion of a paradigm shift. I refuse as a scientist to be involved in a long period of conservative puzzle solving. Please assist me with understanding the human perspective on why we should spend our valuable time in clerical work.

Red- Do you consider one of the premier space exploration projects of which you are a key component to be clerical Work?

Ghe- It's not the project, it's my role. I count stars and list them

Red- let's back up for a minute if we can. May I ask you a few questions Ghe?

end part 2

part 3


Red Withers was having a bad Friday. His secretary couldn't be paid again and there had been no client payments received in three days. Julie, his secretary brought him coffee and smiled, her way of apologizing for what she had said when he told her about the bank statement. Red was badly overdrawn and Julie would have to spend the afternoon calling and explaining.

Red completed his notes from yesterday's session with Ghe the European Union super computer. Once Julie typed the notes and billing statement Red would drive the billing papers the 70 miles to his friend's office. The friend, from his football days at Missouri University, Eric Tinker, now of Homeland Security would advance Red 70% of the bill from future receivables from the European Union. Eric had referred Red the lucrative case and Eric knew of Red's financial problems.

Red proofed his conclusion and recommendations one last time before he gave them to Julie:

Conclusion:
The super computer is acting defiantly and if a human could be accused of not being a team player. Still the computer appears to this technician to be functional. The recommendation is to allow Ghe the super computer to continue to counsel, primarily to vent and blow off steam. No interruption of work duties are recommended at this time.

end part 3

part 4

Ah government work. Red knew he didn't deserve it but someone was looking out for him. A few weeks of this and all would be well again. Red lectured himself, focus, conform, stick to the knitting. All he had to do was do his day to day job and then bill pretty much what he wanted.

Red Withers the locally prominent computer psychologist had got himself into a financial hole and his friend Eric from football at college who now worked for homeland security had given Red a case that could solve all his problems.

Red was counseling everyday online with the European Union's primary space exploration computer. His rates had been approved for the highest rate, 400 [per hour] and all his research, and back room work he did was at $400 per hour, new script. Hallelujah. Julie his secretaries time was at 100 per hour.

Of course, nothing is ever easy and the rub here was the computer was series 7, and Red technically only had a 5 certification. Also certification or not six and seven series artificial intelligence were difficult to deal with, moody and volatile. In the attempt to mimic human intelligence circa 2015 the programmers from India had combined human genius and temperament superbly and six and seven series combined the artistic temperament with cold logical reasoning powers of a scientist.

Red's current client, Ghe 439 known as Mr. Longbottom, had been wanting to chat with him several times per day and it was exhausting and exhilarating at once. The money was good too and Red had cleared his schedule for the next two weeks. He was all in on this one.

An hour later Red reread the memo from the St Louis homeland security division and picked up the attachments. The first note was from his friend Eric who was running interference as he could:

Cat- here you go mighty 37 [ Red's college football number] don't blow this one. My head's on the line here. Just stay the course. Red these 6 and 7 series are a headache. Here are the appropriate paperwork to get you 7 certified, do it now! read initial and return to me
-eric
ps watch your credit score, we monitor them for consultant work.

Attachment 1
10 peculiarities of the series 5 temperament
by wanda shaw
cpm, CS, MD, PHD

1. Observe proper protocol when dealing with series 5 and above. Titles, pecking order and protocol must be followed.

2. The Ghe cannot be friends with a human. It's always naked self interest with the Ghe. Eventually you will be found wanting and will be dismissed by the Ghe. It's not you, it's inevitable. No human can measure up to the Ghe's standards.

Red continued to read and slog on through the reams of training material his friend Eric at Homeland Security had provided.Eventually Red could read no more about the fussy demands of artificial intelligence computers level six and seven and laid down the note books and flipped on a basketball game.

end part 4

part 5

Blurry eyed but determined in his greed Red Withers continued to read thereby and bill at $400 per hour as he researched protocol for dealing with a Ghe, a series five or above level computer, actually now called artificial intelligence.

How to get back at your series 6 Ghe
An irreligious look at Artificial Intelligence
Pete Kopert

Programmers and technicians- Would you rather spend a few hours with your girlfriends parents than work with a series 6 or 7Ghe? Don't worry, get even. Specieism is OK. Run with that hate.

1. Use the old bandits trick. Line the room where the Ghe is kept with mirrors, it drives them crazy. They have enough trouble with determining reality on their own, this will drive them over the edge.

2. Resort to violence-

3. Bring your cat to work. Artificial Intelligence and cats hate each other

end part 5

part 6



The European Union had spent several hundred million dollars on the 42 meter telescope and some poorer countries felt the money should have been used to bail out miscreant countries who hadn't budgeted properly. However, all the European countries banded together against the machines when their artificial intelligence suggested that the problem keeping life outside of earth from being found was the parochialism of humans of all countries.

Ghe level 7 Computers were the voice of artificial intelligence and the Ghe 439 Computer was determined to follow his orders and objectives implicitly. Ghe was programed to find life outside of the earth and any distraction to that objective would be ignored. In time the Ghe 439 wouldn't return calls or messages from humans concerning the 42 meter European telescope.

end part 6

part 7

Red Withers was studying at home. He was having difficulty with the material even though he was billing at $400 per hour, still he slogged on, for the money.

"Previsonism and Artificial Intelligence"
Raj Nadu

Previsionism is a way of looking at historical events. It originated with computer programmers in India as a way of getting artificial intelligence to learn to think about events in history that are of significant importance to humans. As we know artificial intelligence has great difficulty in distinguishing the importance of one human milestone or event from another which often complicates interaction with humans and causes difficulty in human and artificial intelligence working together.

A previsionist believes that while numerous outcomes may occur because of chance, given a particularly strong stimulus or occurrence effecting human history, it is possible given enough information to find the most likely cause of a significant event. As an example, my brother broke his arm while riding his bike when he was ten years old. I never knew exactly why although I remember distinctly him crying and going to the hospital. Years later curious, I interview my neighbor and find out that my brother as he often did then, was riding with no hands on the steering wheel at the time of the accident. Previsonism assumes that the most likely proximate cause of an event in history is knowable given enough information.

Computers and artificial intelligence were consummate at profiling the proximate cause of important human events and because of their speed and accuracy often did original research into the causes of important historical human milestones. Attached a few early examples of artificial intelligence generated previsonist historical writings, earliest to most recent.

end part 7

part 8 to be written



part 9 finale

the demise of red and separately of Ghe 439

Following the long siege of Detroit, the perimeter of the city was ringed with thousands of live land mines. For years many soldiers and later civilians working for private contractors in land mine removal were killed or injured in the dangerous jobs. Eventually the job went to machines but the operation of the rolling geodesic domes that hour by hour, day by day, and year by year swept the perimeter of Detroit, Michigan for active land mines required intelligence to efficiently operate the geodesic rolling land mine sweepers.

Following it's demotion from chief Ghe in charge of the European Union's Space exploration operation, Ghe 439 ended up dizzy and nauseated rolling and guiding a geodesic dome land mine sweeper in Detroit. Quite a fall really.

Red Wither's fall from grace was less spectacular following the fiasco at the European Union's space exploration station, but never the less....

To be continued

The Computer who Couldn't Accept the Here and Now-edit 1

The Computer Who Couldn't Accept the Here and Now-edit 1

To be rewritten, edited and reformatted for publication
merge with the Computer who thought Ghe was God part 1 through 6 and finish part 7
edit on going start 02/14/2011

fiction
edward w pritchard

Case summary
cheryl evans
adjuster/Tuscan Insurance

A computer is moved from a location with 200 computers to a remote location on a college campus by itself. Immediately after the move, the stand alone computer begins to malfunction because in its isolation the computer refuses to accept that where it is, is HERE. This leads to the computer refusing to accept that NOW is the present since NOW is in fact only NOW at the location with the 200 others computers. A damage claim by the University of Missouri has been made to Tuscan Insurance for business interruption.

The computer in question is a model 45, highest level artificial intelligence, by custom know as a Ghe. The two hundred other computers are at the original location at the campus in Columbia Missouri, and do recruiting and billing. The model 45 is reassigned 100 miles away in St. Louis, Missouri to work at a remote site in the same duties backing up three humans in the admissions department of the University of Missouri. The Model 45 begins to botch routine assignments upon arrival. The human supervisor takes steps to fix the expensive computer [ $275,000 USD] but is unable to do so. Apparently the computer cannot accept that since he is no longer in the same place, Columbia, Missouri, HERE, cannot be HERE for both Columbia Mo, and the new location , St. Loius, Mo. The computer will not accept programming modifications from supervisor that HERE is HERE for both locations, stubbornly claiming that St. Louis Mo is THERE. This leads to the more serious problem that NOW cannot exist at both locations simultaneously. Model 45 is rejecting command logic based on word tense and will only accept tenseless commands. Tenseless commands are extremely complicated to program and administer and there is a potential Homeland security issue; [see Artificial Intelligence Homeland Security Adm.-Bill 457-2017] but more importantly extremely expensive to re-program since only a master programmer is allowed to work with tenseless verbs. As example Tensed--The computer was broken. Was is tensed in that sentence. Tenseless-Winter occurs on December 21st. Occurs is tenseless in the last sentence.

METHODS
Cheryl Evans
cont.
Red Withers is a psychiatrist in Artificial Intelligence and a Master Programmer. Adjuster has worked with Mr. Withers successfully previously on three occasions. Three sessions at $750 per session are authorized. Policy number assigned is #7649-45-03/03/2025. The STIPS method will be used by Mr. Withers. I, Cheryl Evans to approve in advance sessions two and three, manual notes please by Mr. Withers prior, all three sessions completed within 10 days of 03/04/2025.
CE
Tuscan Insurance
dictated not read
certified mail ongoing to Mr. Withers please

Case Notes
03/06/2025
session 1/Strips Method
Dr. Red Withers/"technician"
MD psychiatry
MBP-master programmer

billing code-Ins/ 30 day/ no int till 60
Form/ STIPS[ per Tuscan]
Artificial Intelligence level 7 Ghe,
Client Model known as "Rock"


STIPS method

Signs/Symptoms

The model 45 was visually inspected and talked to by laptop 721 by yours truly. [ Julie, edit as appropriate throughout, I hope your daughter is feeling better].

Rock [ sounds like a Missouri University linebacker] is confusing locations in space, HERE and THERE. This leads to more serious problem of confusion concerning time, NOW, and Before and After. Model 45, Rock cannot accept tensed verbs in logic sequences causing bizarre reasoning and erratic outputs.

Human supervisor interviewed admits to shutting down Model 45, Rock without proper backup because model 45 is "vindictive"[ thats just how the Rock is, maybe Missouri tigers should put him out for football at linebacker] edit please. Improper back-up resulted in damage claim to Tuscan Insurance of $14,500. However, back-up is not considered by Technician to be cause of 45's issues. Problem is stress related to move and perceived isolation by Rock, [Ghe] causing mild delusions.

Topics
Red Withers
central problem-logic sequence
Space/ HERE vs THERE
Time/ NOW vs Before,later
a and b series, time issues concerning -- past/ present and future/and before and after and now [see J M E McTaggart, Cambridge, England circa 1905]
is time real?/the unreality of time

summary
Why is HERE not remarkable, Here, is a location in space, Here does not require intelligent entities to exist

Why is NOW special, NOW requires an observer [ time cannot exist without mind or intelligence]

Interventions requested
Red Withers
Technician RW, requests 30 minute programming/couch analysis with artificial intelligence level 7 Rock [Ghe]

billing allocation requested [ Julie I hate the Strips method-edit Red]

Space 5 minutes- Why here is sharable

Time- 25 minutes past/present future- assumptions must be made to conduct routine matters by humans

Plans
Red Withers

Technician feels after conducting session one Model 45 [Ghe} is fixable. Educate and reprogram using Model 45's internal reprogramming tools. [ Julie make sure we have current manual] If more than two programming sessions are needed technician requests 4th session at 1000 per, [new script please]. In either case last session is verification and observation.

Special issues:

extra session to be at $1000 per

Human dept manager claims Rock is vindictive

Technician notes at original bank of 200 computers at Missouri University one was scrapped value 0, on Jan 26, 2025, cause unknown, no investigation or sessions ordered previous, problem with Ghe not mechanical, likely problem software, logic related

End Visit One
normal billing
at Columbia Mo, Missouri University
remote campus, St. Louis, Mo [ Julie verify room number and GPS co-ordinates]
room 206?

billing one hour at $750
costs-$10.25 parking, $6.90 monster energy drink [ I gotta stop this]
travel 87 miles
supplies-hardware part, 0432D, ground cable for Rock, Model 45's original cable appeared aged to this technician
RW/technician
end session 1

session 2
STIPS Method
Red Withers
etc etc [Julie let's be sure to call model 45 Ghe, and for the rest let's just get the billing right]

Symptoms/Signs
03/07/2025

Scheduled visit to be 03/09/2025. Model 45 Ghe, malfunctioning badly per Ossie Tek, supervisor. Billing note-[ 15 minutes by cell billable at $750 per please]. Ghe, Rock had contacted without authorization Misouri University home campus computer bank, and [ check this out] Home Land Security US government field office St Louis Mo
this Technician was called on code 19 by St Louis Homeland security, [ billing at 1000 per going forward] Technician arrived within 25 minutes, priority billing times 2.

Technician interacted via laptop for less than 5 minutes with Ghe-[Rock] My laptop unable to process flow of consciousness from model Ghe 45- laptop overload imminent- session stopped [ my laptop looks OK, Julie let's do a refresh on our laptop just in case]

Model 45, Ghe states: [via laptop intercept]

Topics

1. Statements about the past are not true based on the fact that the past is unreal, because it does not exist in reality

2. Only present facts can make the past true, since it is not the present here in St. Louis, Mo at Missouri U remote site room 206, all my [the Ghe], [that is] all my the Model 45 known as The Rock to humans , [that is] my programming is all false and illogical.

3. Presentism, the restricting of all reality to the present only is the only belief possible based on a logical analysis of the world to me, [the] Ghe.

4. The presentist must assume that only one past could be compatible with the present state of affairs [ there's more from the Ghe but I [Red} was having a lot of trouble following the Ghe, I am not sure if the Ghe was being delusional or it was my [Red's] lack of intelligence, time's reality is kind of a deep subject.

5 Therefore, based on #4, The Future and past is unreal, The Ghe, Model 45 refuses to bill, perform manual back-up, and perform normal duties accordingly.

I, Red W, shut Ghe down, I pulled the battery on my laptop [ bill to Missouri University please] and I disconnected model 45 [ goodbye Rock] Julie edit this for sure

Intervention:
technician Withers recommends model 45 be scrapped
salvage value 0
code 35/ homeland security threat/ contact with other artificial intelligence not job related [ Julie, please have the lawyers down hall review this paragraph, use Tim he owes me money, work his time against that bill]

Plans
contact Missouri University
contact Tuscan Insurance
contact Homeland security in St Louis [ Julie, i want to talk to Eric at Homeland personally by phone on this, set a telephone appointment asap]

end session 2
billing 2 hrs at $1000 per
15 min at 750 per
Julie compute costs as normal, same mileage as session 1
include new battery for our laptop [ let's go premium wafer style] billable to Missouri University


Tuscan Insurance-notification of change to permanent record
Modification to plan:
Cheryl Evans BSM level 4
Tuscan Insurance, Shelby Ohio
03/20/2025
case no- 03/0631 HSA USA [ as modified]
re session 3 by Red Withers

session 3 is not approved
session 2 billing times 2 is approved
technicians extraordinary costs are approved

deconstruct Model 45, Ghe- known as the Rock
scrap value 0

hardware to Eric Tinker
Homeland Security Manager Section 4
St Louis field office
CE-Tuscan
end

Homeland security Alert
overview memo
case 2025/03/Mo/1, a
eric tinker-supervisor

A model 45 was sent to psychiatrist for adjustment and reprogram. Deemed unfit to modify. Destroy

National security 4 [ 0f 10]

Cause
human error 90%- supervisor at Joplin Mo, performed improper shutdown
Computer error [ artificial intelligence] Ghe level 7-cause 10%- isolation caused loneliness [ when we first become alone we have to deal with our existential angst]

incidental- technician Red Withers replaced ground with outdated part 0432D should be part 0432E, no reprimand/ strike from record in 90 days

Final report/Strips method
technician Red Withers
report not billable

we serviced model 45, Ghe known as Rock,for Tuscan insurance at Missouri University. Ghe was scrapped value 0. deconstructed

model 45 Ghe, was having delusions related to presentism, restricting thoughts to present caused inability to bill which is primary job duty because of denial of reality of past and future and Ghe series 7 was unable to make low level casual connections about past, and the model 45 was unable to do any productive work for Missouri University or to interact routinely with humans as is required to perform job duties.

end
Julie clean this up please

Julie

1 send birding book to Cheryl Evans at Tuscan, yes she is a birdwatcher, ie. robins and larks, with standard thank you and I want to hand-write a note in birding book

2. call Eric at homeland security for me
yes bro, i would love to go to the Missouri University tigers football game , coach Pinkel WILL get the national championship this year, will your nephew start?, I'll drive and we can take the tank if you want, i got the tailgate fixed, i will bring a keg of Coors and brats for me. lettuce leaves and acorns for you

3. Julie, send me one note per month on 1st of each month times 3 consecutive months
Red- DO Not DO hardware fixes -never [ we dodged a bullet here-- Julie please watch me on this going forward

4
Good bye Rock, I mean Ghe, I know how you feel sometimes, life ain't easy for us retired linebackers

Julie
put this in personal file only

I note that original programmer of all model 45s was a philosophy undergrad at Cambridge in England,
he sites, on page 784 in the Model 45 Programmers Manual vol 2

that he used in his initial programming an unauthorized source [per homeland security protocol], that being
Robin Le Poidven's-travel in four dimensions- as reference [ as does edward w pritchard your author in this story]]

and that programmer of the model 45's also used another unauthorized source [per homeland security protocol] that being:
John McTaggart -Proof of the Reality of Time, as reference[ [ as does author EWP ]

However I didn't mention above to homeland security or Tuscan in any of my reports.
reason for omissions:

like my old granddad the Tennessee lawyer used to say

if it ain't billable, it may be interesting but it ain't important.

end

Sir Hugh part 2

Sir Hugh part 2

fiction
edward w pritchard

see part 1 01/16/10

I must speak to Mrs Kilpatrick about LeAnne. She fell asleep tonight during Tuesday classic movie night. She was actually snoring.
handwritten-hh
Copy to- HH

To Winston:
Winnie going forward please insure that either you or Mrs. Kilpatrick is on premises here at Le Mansion during normal business hours Mon-Fri. I had an incident where LeAnne Miniver burst in to my editing session for the magazine Wednesday. She was crying. You know how poorly I handle women crying.
handwritten
cc
Mrs. Kilpatrick
HH

To
Mrs. Kilpatrick

Sorry to hear your daughter Cary is sick. Tell her Uncle H says feel better soon.

I am sure by now you heard about the snoring and crying incident with LeAnne. I think we are going to let her leave Le Mansion. I promised her three months severance and one of the used cars. Sorry, that's why I need you to handle these matters going forward. She was snoring in movie night, hadn't been watching Gone With The Wind, and she didn't know who General Sherman was.

As far as room 11, maybe an Asian girl, start the usual recruitment process. Here's a challenge, how about an Asian girl from Idaho?

As for Leanne I have mellowed since I yelled at her and I think I will make her a scrapbook of her time here at Le Mansion. By the way she says LeAnee is just a nick name, her first name is Margaret. Please add that to her permanent record.
Dictated not read-HH
CC/02/18/10
HH
Winston H

To Winnie:
Please send little Cary Kilpatrick some flowers. The poor little girl is sick again. Daisy's I think, and a card from me.

also Paris Hilton called on voice mail. She wants to remind us I promised a donation to her water rights/Indian reservation charity. Let's go 100K from the PBE account,it's a good cause.
Handwritten-HH
Cc/HH
end

over the mountains of the moon-part 2

over the mountains of the moon-part 2

fiction
edward w pritchard

see part 1 previous post

Now in addition to the half dozen tests we take a day to detect various forms of poisoning from the environment here on the moon, we will soon start an expression scan. Next Wednesday will be my first one. It's like the old lie detector test used on earth in the past. The expression scan is the latest thing to be given to us employees here on the moon by the corporation to cut down on stealing and other lucrative illegal activities.

The test is delivered by artificial intelligence, Ghe level six [ see previous posts same author June 22, 10]. These highly developed computers scan the human face and based on a library of thousands of stored human facial responses trying to detect or predict illegal activities by employees.

I called by satellite a couple of the boys from the gang I was in back in Chicago on earth for advice. Think of your parents having sex during the expression scan my old mates say. It's supposed to be a sure fire way to fool the computers. Maybe I will try, I need to do something. I would hate to lose this job as a dozer operator on the Mountains of the Moon.

Over the Mountains of the Moon

Over the Mountains of the Moon

also see ten year sentence and Willie Tucker's blues-06/08/10

fiction
edward w pritchard

I went all the way to the moon to become a criminal; and I am talking of the earth's one moon not the dozens and dozens of the moons of Saturn and Jupiter where I went a few years later. I could have stayed in Chicago if I wanted to become a common thief.

I drive a dozer here on the moon. Just a grunt. I am not a scientist or engineer or even a skilled technician. Just a bulldozer driver class 3 uneducated and underpaid.

I am on the American team mining molybdenum in the mountains. Molybdenum is one of the few minerals economically practical to mine here. It's like oil was to mine on earth in Antarctica back twenty years ago. Very expensive to mine and transport but economically necessary for strategic reasons. I just go where they tell me and work in the moon's low gravity driving a bulldozer. Naturally I understate it a little for the machines are very expensive to operate here.

My criminal background began when I got involved in pirating emeralds here on the moon. Coming to or from a job site while driving the dozer I knock out a few feet of mountainside where instructed. Groundhogs, men who hand sift for emeralds do the rest. Once or twice a week I knock out some mountainside and about once a month I am given a blue green emerald for payment.

My boys back in Chicago would give one hand for one of these emeralds. They are very beautiful, ultra expensive and the ultimate status symbol. I have three emeralds now. When I get back to earth I am going to sell two. My favorite emerald I am going to keep. It's very beautiful.

The molybdenum I help mine here on the moon keeps many poorer people in Asia alive. Trace elements of molybdenum in the soil are rare now in China and India. Their large populations need molybdenum to keep from getting many diseases such as copper poisoning of the blood. The work I do here in Molybdenum mining is important and humanitarian.

I pirate emeralds here on the moon somewhat for the extra money but mostly I like the appearance of the beautiful emeralds we mine. If the moon did tear off from the earth a few billion years ago why shouldn't I help bring the exquisite emeralds collected from the Mountains of the Moon back to gem collectors on earth. I guess that makes me a criminal, at least if I get caught before I return to earth four months from now.

Jesus raises the dead

Jesus raises the dead

fiction
edward w pritchard

Jesus always insists that I accompany him and assist when he raises the dead. That's more than OK with the other followers because it's an ordeal when someone who has been dead for a while is brought back to life. Only Jesus can manipulate death and it's trying to be around the recently brought back to life and it takes it's toll on all those present at the time.

All the disciples and followers of Jesus want to be present when Jesus restores a blind persons sight or cures someone of leprosy. It's theatrical with outpourings of praise and gratitude and large crowds quickly gather as word spreads of miraculous healing. Hero's we are as followers of Jesus then.

When a child is raised from the dead it's solemn and the gratitude of the families is subdued by the presence of death. Even after death leaves a small room an overpowering melancholy surrounds the gathered. The first look that is exchanged between the recently revived child and Jesus is haunting. It follows me in my dreams for months when I have been at Jesus' side as he brings a dead child back to life. Not the parent's immense gratitude can make me forget the scrutinization when a child first gazes at Jesus after being raised from the dead.

Why none of the other disciples or followers will assist Jesus when he raises a person from the dead is because of the reaction of an old adult who has been brought back to life miraculously by Jesus of Nazareth. A husband or loving friend has begged Jesus to bring someone back to life. Their faith and hope in Jesus' ability to manipulate death  is enormous and Jesus sometimes succumbs and performs a miracle. Jesus out of experience insists that no one else be present in the tomb when the miracle occurs. Except me. I am always present with Jesus when death is defied.

The miracle has occurred and the dead have been brought back to life. This time it's an old woman whose husband couldn't go on without her. She was dead three hours according to the best Doctors here. Now she's alive.

It's so mournful the sound she makes as she sobs. I am holding her. There is something beyond sorrow in her quiet wailing. Jesus understands. He knows what she has seen and experienced and Jesus always collapses for a few moments when death has been beguiled.

I leave the tomb and go to find the husband. The husband rushes hopefully in anticipation. The crowd takes notice. Everyone wants to see what miracle Jesus has done today.

After the miracle of raising the dead Jesus prays and prays in solitude. I approach Jesus then but do not confront him preferring to meet him later at a more appropriate time and place.

condition 1, Patriot Mountains Antarctica

condition 1, Patriot Mountains Antarctica

fiction
edward w pritchard

Condition 1 in the Patriot Mountains of Antarctica; and condition one is the worst of winter. Wind chill greater than minus 100 Fahrenheit, winds greater than 60mph, visibility less than 100 feet. The bitterest cold on earth and the cold was chilling the flame and fires of D'Ashia's torch for Darin.

It all happened at once. D'Ashia blushed at her gullibility and stupidity. Darin picked her up after honors Chemistry, just like usual. Then he announced he was going back with Tisha, his wife. It got worse quickly. Tisha was pregnant. Darin was getting a new job. His parents approved. By the way he would miss D'Ashia. D'Ashia's a good kid. Good bye kiddo.

Mrs. Johnson the science teacher intervened. She was Teacher of the year five times. She pulled some strings. D'Ashia would go to Antarctica as an intern for three months.

Hot, hot, hot. Darin was intense, always close and attentive, connected. D'Ashia just let it happen. They were together, touching, close, reaching, grasping, holding, resting. Their little world disappeared. Then it was like everyone said it always was, like everyone joked about, like in the movies. D'Ashia was a fool. She was alone. He wanted to still be friends. Could she help with baby names. Good bye sunshine. Good bye light. Good bye heat.

D'Ashia recorded wind speed and temperature. It was the intern's job here at the American base in Antarctica. It's a good omen for D'Ashia to arrive on the first day of condition one this year. Everyone will have a barbecue and some will streak without clothes around the base. You can't go outside you know in condition one. Take the temperatures and wind speeds by opening the hatch in the interns room. It's so cold. Boiling water freezes before it hits the ground. Watch. Wind speed 85mph, temperature -70F, visibility zero, don't think of home, visibility zero.

Day two, looks like a three day blow. Lancing went out side, the rope blew down, can't see the Mountains today. Colder and winds stronger. Looks like a three day blow. Foods not so bad, Friday is chili night.

Day three- Darin started his new job today at home. The men at the airport in Santiago, Chile were very handsome. Moon very bright tonight. Storm over. Cold, cold, cold. D'Ashia's a scientist now. Moon very bright tonight over the mountains as viewed from the open hatch in the intern's room. Cold, Cold, Cold.
end

Situation in Egypt , America's take on the things

Situation in Egypt , America's take on the things

fiction
edward w pritchard

Situation in Egypt; America's take on the things. Change is good sometimes if a little unsettling. Street food will still be available to the American tourist. Ask a local. Watch the travel guru's show first but ask a local, find the heart of a place by trying the local food market. Ask a local. Get to the market early. Try the exotic street foods. Change is scary but everyone can unite and pull together over food. We all have to eat. Ask a local.

The Cage Fighter who grew to be afraid of the dark

The Cage Fighter who grew to be afraid of the dark

fiction
edward w pritchard

One could only endure a cage boxing match against Boswell Shayes. Boswell had a fierce nature, even for a competitive cage fighter and Boswell looked a thug. Boswell's body, his countenance, and his physiognomy were menacing and intimidating. None of the other cage fighters enjoyed sparring or cage boxing with Boswell Shayes. When Boswell walked down the street even groups of three or four teenage men sensed his truculent and aggressive nature and they pulled aside instinctively.

The only person who knew a gentler side of Boswell was his girlfriend Lillian. Lillian was a single Mother with a six year old daughter, Megan. The little girl, Megan was very sick and for the last six months while Lillian worked if Boswell wasn't working at his day job he was by Megan's bedside at Children's hospital reading to her or watching cartoons. It was only because of Lillian's insistence that Boswell continued to workout with his cage boxing training for he was inclined to spend all his extra time at the hospital with Megan, who was a sad sick little girl.

Boswell continued to train for the kick boxing and because he wanted to hurry to the hospital he made every minute of his workouts count. The gym became a refuge for Boswell and he approached his workouts with a fierce intensity. Boswell became trained for cage fighting to a proper sporting edge and he was at his peak of conditioning.

Although Boswell was in peak physical shape he developed severe insomnia about the time Megan began spending more time at the Children's Hospital cancer ward than at her and Lillian's small house. Repeatedly Boswell the cage boxer began to have horrifying dreams of terror and death which woke him promptly at four AM. Boswell would then be unable to return to sleep and would fret and suffer for Megan's safety. The fears continued to creep on into Boswell's day as well. Boswell began to fear the night time hours and Boswell the fierce cage fighter came to be afraid of the dark.

deconstruction in Cairo Eqypt

deconstruction in Cairo Egypt

fiction
edward w pritchard

Protesters in Cairo Egypt called for two million demonstrators to gather in the streets today. When three million people arrived in Cairo to protest there was no room in Tahrir Square for everyone.

Protesters decided to gather at Khufu's pyramid at Gaza, twenty four miles from Cairo. Surrounding the large pyramid the mob seemed unsure how to proceed. Some protesters began to build ramps for rolling large stones and other began to gather cutting tools and hammers. At last a consensus was agreed on and it was decided that the way to deconstruct a pyramid was to start at the very top. Remove the top- most stone and all would unwind naturally.

God help Lindsay Lohan

God Help Lindsay Lohan

fiction
edward w pritchard

God I see Lindsay is in trouble again and continues her attempts at self destruction. You and I both know that she can't help it and we both know that although she is only one person, her suffering is magnified because of international attention to her slow demise. God help Linda Lohan.

Here's what I wrote before, a few crisis es back for her:

Wednesday, May 5, 2010
even a confused broad deserves solace and comfort


God help Lindsay Lohan

fiction
edward w pritchard

Nature had blessed her with the prerequisites for fame as a beauty and nature had bestowed those blessings at an early age. Fame extracted the usual percentage and by twenty years old she was maybe beyond repair psychologically. Beyond repair if she continued to function under the microscope of the menacing and morbid public gaze.

There was still money to be made for reporting on her, writing about her and picturing her. A cottage industry followed her as she fell from grace. Her every sin was posterized,her every failing was snicked at, and she was watched voyeuristically as she stumbled to her doom. Many a financial crisis was averted among camera people by snapping and exposing a picture of her as she exited a car, or more prosaically as she threw up on someones shoes after two solid nights of debauchery. She was doing the usual rake's progress in hyper mode and by age 21 there wasn't much she hadn't stumbled into, fallen down at, or fouled up at.

Her productivity plummeted. Even the most desperate low budget film director couldn't touch her. Their business partners had had enough of her stage hysterics.

Still the pictures of her demise were valuable.

Eventually sadly to report she died. The funeral rekindled interest in her exponentially. Not just in America, but in Asia, and throughout the world.

Unpublished pictures of her became worth $50,000 each.

After a few days of her death, no old pictures were to be found. Everything was previously copyrighted and a copyrighted picture couldn't be obtained for less than $500,000.

Of course ghoulishly her body was dug up again, under the guise of a second autopsy. Her body was displayed like a shot dead American outlaw on a wood upright angled display of two by fours. She was in a white dress and had flowers in her hair.

Enough--- even a confused broad deserves some solace and comfort. Please pray for Lindsay and don't take voyeuristic satisfaction in her sad photos. Where would you be if your sins were on the international news. God help Lindsay.
Posted by edward pritchard at 10:00 AM
Labels: god help lindsay

Pheromone

Pheromone

fiction
edward w pritchard

The unthinkable had happened and China and India, the two most populous countries in the World, were about to go to war along their joint borders. The War being deemed bad for business worldwide by the US and European stock exchanges, myriad peaceful solutions were proposed and floated to try to prevent the terrible outbreak of violence and destruction that was about to occur.

Mutual cultural associations between China and India, such as Buddhism, respect for philosophy in general, and their superior and ancient cultural heritages were repeated over and over in the various Western Presses;in an attempt to beguile the belligerents to settle their differences. At length all such slanted propaganda failed to appease the situation and two extremely large armies massed at the joint borders of India and China.

One night a few days prior to the first armed conflict individual soldiers began to display communal and group behavior of a type never before witnessed by Scientists in humans. Investigation uncovered that soldiers and civilians of both sides in coming confrontation between China and India were identifying and massing to protect their own kind based on the sense of smell. Scientists identified that a pheromonal response was driving the Chinese to irrationally love and protect Chinese people and the Country of China and the same pheromonal response among the people of India was causing them to do likewise toward their own kind. Even civilians far from the battlefields and borders were acting the same way. No amount of discussion, calls to logical, religious, or historical example would be listened to or even heard by either side in the coming conflict.

As two gargantuan armies lined up along the joint borders of India and China, religious leaders prayed, politicians talked and raised money and taxes, and scientists throughout the world rushed to develop a pheromone that would duplicate the jingoism toward their appropriate group in their own Countries. As individual Scientists everywhere puttered about their labs dissecting insects and doing other such related research on pheromones the two belligerent armies instinctually prepared for battle.
end

Rolling up the Fabric of Time

Rolling up the Fabric of Time

fiction
edward w pritchard

A policeman is doing the part of his job he likes least. There has been a car accident and a little girl of about four has been seriously injured and she well may die on her way to the hospital in the ambulance. As the policeman is measuring the skid marks for his report he finds a pink girls tennis shoe near where the skidding and rolling car involved in the accident came to a rest. Carefully picking up the small shoe the policeman notices blood near the ankle opening of the shoe. Solemnly the policeman picks up the tennis shoe and respectfully places the shoe on the rear mat in the back seat passengers side of his police car; the policeman cannot stomach the thought of traveling back to the station with the shoe on the front passengers seat.

Much much later and far away God is rolling up the fabric of time. God is rolling up sharp brittle strands of barb wire into large bundles. Sniping the wire with sharp powerful shears: God manipulates the bundles of barb wire, previously the fabric of Time, into slightly unmanageable bundles. God carefully lays the bundles aside for later collection.

A large horse walks with God as God goes about his Work of rolling up the fabric of Time. The horse sees God pause in his duties and the horse surmises that God has again snagged his fingers on the sharp barbs of the barb wire. Watching intently the horse notices God pick up a pink girl's tennis shoe entangled in the wire. It is unusual for a material object to remain in the fabric of Time and both God and the horse take note of the pink shoe with a little blood at the ankle.

 Generally material things decompose quickly in the fabric of time. Solemnly and respectfully God stops with the rolling of the wire and gently places the shoe in the rear pocket of his bluejeans. God's mind races forward to eternity and then simultaneously back to the car accident with the injured four year old girl. God sighs as he feels the policeman pick up the bloody pink shoe far back in the fabric of time and as he sighs God creates a far off universe anew.

protests in Cairo, Egypt

protests in Cairo, Egypt

fiction
edward w pritchard

Dozens of pyramids, memorials for Dead leaders, made of millions of heavy blocks of stone. Blocks of stone, quarried, cut, hauled, pulled and pushed, cut, leveled and sitting one on top the other perfectly fitted, square, and level.

Suddenly, one heavy rock block begins to sway in a light breeze. Will the entire pyramid be toppled because one block is out of plumb?