Danke

an alle deutschen Leser, danke

Digireads comments for September

The hidden agenda behind a courteous reception often gives hope when no satisfactory resolution will be forthcoming. Pleasantries and small talk often hide a deep-seated bias against the person who, though hardly naive, nonetheless presents facts that may act as a trigger to unleash an obstruction that may prove to be insurmountable.

Before the Peace Corps or the N.G.O.'s, volunteers went to Africa to try to ameliorate the conditions under which Boer women and children suffered. For the most part volunteers either paid their way or were sponsored by established charities. The government resisted subsidizing them as they were thought to be too political and therefore disruptive of the government's approach.

The very narrow line between politics and charity is more often honored in the breach. An inadvertent crossing is forgivable; however accusing someone who adamantly respects the line, especially if the purveyor of charity is of the opposite political persuasion, taints the charitable effort. The result of such a political canard often means that those who would contribute to the relief of temporary displacement spurn the charity and thus deprive the unfortunates of needed succor.

War may be like a fever that rises to a crescendo as it runs its course. In that difficult process reputations as well as lives lay wasted as the juggernaut struggles toward its acme. When the fever breaks and the guns fall silent little thought is given by the warring factions to the months of agony just experienced by those who in the current parlance are collateral damage. One of those people so characterized was Emily Hobhouse, a woman whose only goal was to minimize the suffering of Boer women and children. Rather than succumbing to either depression or revenge she rose above being a victim to accept the accolades of a grateful people, not in her own country but in the war torn region of South Africa.

August Digireads comments

To continue in spite of overwhelming odds is a choice few, if any, are prepared to make. Assessing the utility of continuing and balancing that assessment against a cessation in favor of resting, regrouping and then returning often moves the decision in favor of discontinuing, perhaps to reenter the fray from a more substantial position.

War and natural disasters have similar results for people in the affected zone: loss of life and property as well as a feeling of hopelessness. Picking up the remnants of lives so brutalized is a difficult and time consuming task. Human kindness can often be the difference between despair and renewal.

What is now called "asymmetric warfare," i.e., a modern army versus guerrilla forces doesn't produce victory for either side; rather the result is a protracted loss of life and property. In the midst of such struggles doctors who uphold the Hippocratic Oath treat friend and foe alike.

Scorched earth, collateral damage, death and destruction: all words and phrases that try to describe the misery that war brings to the people of a geographic area. Once begun, the fury of prosecuting the war has no limits until one side breaks under the awful strain.

Comments from July Digireads

All the Africaans-speaking farmers (Boers) wanted was to be left alone to govern themselves, but the great British Empire would have none of it, so the four horsemen of the Apocalypse galloped into the Transvaal and the Orange Free State.

When the cannons boom and the machine guns rattle do soldiers think of martial songs? Probably not, but as they march in lock step to board ships or planes to face the enemy the bands give forth stirring renditions of military music. The citizenry expects it and such goings-on are in sharp contrast to the broken and maimed soldiers who are fortunate enough to live through the waste of lives and treasure that is an integral part of combat.

War intensifies the political calculations made by politicians, bureaucrats and military commanders. Trying to overcome the inertia of those involved in making the calculation is a Herculean task and one that only the strong willed dare attempt.

Leaving home, especially without the approval of those you hold hear and dear, is a challenge to your resources and psyche. The reason for so doing has to be kept uppermost in your mind to maintain the necessary balance.

Digireads, July, August and September

Digireads will spend the next 3 months examining a three-volume roman a clef with Emily Hobhouse as the primary historical character.

In July, Vol 1: Sweet Drop in Africa: Hope.

In August, Vol 2: Sweet Drop in Africa: Charity

In September, Vol 3: Sweet Drop in Africa: Faith.

New web site

I used Go-daddy as the host for my web site for years, but this year their greed was the final straw. So I terminated my relationship with them, starting a new connection with Ehost. The introductory charge for 4 years of hosting, including a free domain was less than I originally paid with Go-daddy. I didn't want to use the same format that I'd used in the past and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy Ehost's drag and drop site creator is. There is a learning curve with site creator but it's relatively shallow and I was able to design and create the new site with a minimum of hassle. You can see the new site at: www.williambehrmueller.com

Digireads for June

We’ll have a change of pace for June, reading short stories instead of a novel. The title of the collection is “Rider and other stories.”

Here’s a brief look at each of the stories:

Rider, a rousing tale of a two-wheeler in the dead of winter.

The Princess and the Knight, marriage at its best.

One Last Chance, a look at compulsive gambling.

The Saga of Doggie Zimmerman, an old sea dog who doesn't give a damn.

Heartbreaker, a mother has to give up her child.

One for my Master, night shift on a rice ship.

Casey's Fort Zinderneuf, life mimics art.

Columbia Dig, solving an archeological mystery.

The Ordeal of Jane Manning, survival at all costs.

Raney, occult powers that reshape reality.

Kirby, a vacuum cleaner salesman who makes a strange sale.

Fighter, jealousy in a high-powered jet airplane.

Force of Habit, an almost perfect murder.

The Water, a space odyssey with a twist.

Kenny's Jump, more courage than good sense.

Coming White, conquering an unreasonable fear.

The Deadbeat, a strange kind of revenge.

Jack Be Quick, the peril of being a published writer.