Trial of Billy Ranhalt


Book Description

This is the story of Billy Ranhalt, who is struggling with one of the most difficult challenges one can face. He is in defense at a trial within himself as well as in society that came about in the prime of his life. He is being tried for an injury or as some would say illness that can be found in every society throughtout the world. He is guilty before his trial. His offence is almost invisible to himself as well as many others that may suffer from his offence. His injuries are almost invisible to those surrounding him, yet he sees them himself but does not want to see them. Billy Ranhalt tries to overlook the impossible but must face trial. The injury Billy suffered is one that has become more prominent to our society in the past few years with the growing number of war veterans. The character Billy Ranhalt; is a person most people have seen or may see some day within their job, their friends or among family and very well themselves. The intent of this story is to open the eyes and minds of people incurring awareness and respect to those suffering as Billy did from an incurable but not, untreatable suffering. The only cure Billy finds is not what he really wanted, which is carried out by those unwilling or failing to see his injury. The setting takes place in modern day United States, among a typical American family. It has a strong emphasis on a Gulf War veteran, yet similarites found throughout the world in various surrounding. The ending is not a good ending for Billy, his family or friends. However, an ending that foresight and forethought could have been prevented.




Desert MASH


Book Description

This is a historical fiction satire story written based on my feelings and views gathered in the workplace of both the civilian and military environment. It may even present itself as anti-war to some. However it is just a conglomeration of my thoughts after spending much time within the military and always wanting to make it a lifelong job and adventure. I had spent many years working in the field of performance and productivity with the both the military and civilian workplace. I attended many schools and classes outside of my college classes which focused somewhat on anti-micromanagement. While taught and preached, micro-management is one aptitude I failed to see disappear while I worked in the military or civilian positions as a soldier and as a leader from the end of Vietnam era to today. I wrote this satire setting in the military realm with influence form one of my most favorite television shows and movie, which was M*A*S*H* 4077. I recall one time while working as a field consultant for the military productivity division coming into the classroom we were to teach a class on leadership at. The lead instructor had written on the board PERCEPTION IS REALITY. I was a newcomer to the division and only a lieutenant at the time but opened my mouth as I read the board out loud. "Wow whoever wrote that did not know apples from oranges. I did not realize the department staff was sitting in the adjoining room having coffee and reviewing for the class. As I entered the room all eyes were upon me and I was asked if I had a problem with today's lesson. Knowing I was in the dog house, I said no. I was then asked by the lead instructor to define the topic written on the board. I said. "Well I think Reality can be deceived by one's perception based upon the angle their senses absorbs the event." I added that it was a great topic and that we should teach this great relationship between the brain and the outside world. "We could add to the comment that all apples are fruits but not all fruits are apples." Was my final comment for the day as I sat down for meeting too begin. I soon learned that I would not be teaching that day. One of my most favorite songs Don't Rock my Boat, by: Bob Marley began playing in my head and still is today. So, this book as, well as some of my others will most likely rock someone's boat. As an anthropologist by degree I did want to participate in a war as my father and other family members. This is a human characteristic that will be with mankind for many years. I do see it as a profit in the area of capital gain for some as well as a gain of dominance for a few others. I also have learned from studies as well as experience that some wars are a waste of human life along with destruction of social and material products of nature and humans. I probably have watched all of the good old TV series and movie M.A.S.H. and sometimes caught myself saying, "Ah hell there is no way that could really happen." Well I have learned; yes it can and unfortunately will continue as abusive power exists.




Ghosts of Petra


Book Description

GHOSTS OF PETRA tells the story of an unexpected encounter in a once thriving city. This city exists in modern day Jordan just south of the Dead Sea. Sam and his girlfriend Jill on on summer break from college between graduation and graduate school. They encounter the question of: What is life, Does the soul physically exist, and can the soul be re-born? This book is a suspenseful spirituality event that takes place from 106 A.D. to the era of Nanoscience.




Ghosts of Petra


Book Description

GHOSTS OF PETRA tells the story of an unexpected encounter in a once thriving city. This city exists in modern day Jordan just south of the Dead Sea. Sam and his girlfriend Jill on on summer break from college between graduation and graduate school. They encounter the question of: What is life, Does the soul physically exist, and can the soul be re-born? This book is a suspenseful spirituality event that takes place from 106 A.D. to the era of Nanoscience.




Death of Innocence


Book Description

The mother of Emmett Till recounts the story of her life, her son’s tragic death, and the dawn of the civil rights movement—with a foreword by the Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. In August 1955, a fourteen-year-old African American, Emmett Till, was visiting family in Mississippi when he was kidnapped from his bed in the middle of the night by two white men and brutally murdered. His crime: allegedly whistling at a white woman in a convenience store. The killers were eventually acquitted. What followed altered the course of this country’s history—and it was all set in motion by the sheer will, determination, and courage of Mamie Till-Mobley, whose actions galvanized the civil rights movement, leaving an indelible mark on our racial consciousness. Death of Innocence is an essential document in the annals of American civil rights history, and a painful yet beautiful account of a mother’s ability to transform tragedy into boundless courage and hope. Praise for Death of Innocence “A testament to the power of the indestructible human spirit [that] speaks as eloquently as the diary of Anne Frank.”—The Washington Post Book World “With this important book, [Mamie Till-Mobley] has helped ensure that the story of her son (and her own story) will not soon be forgotten. . . . A riveting account of a tragedy that upended her life and ultimately the Jim Crow system.”—Chicago Tribune “The book will . . . inform or remind people of what a courageous figure for justice [Mamie Till-Mobley] was and how important she and her son were to setting the stage for the modern-day civil rights movement.”—The Detroit News “Poignant . . . In his mother’s descriptions, Emmett becomes more than an icon; he becomes a living, breathing youngster—any mother’s child.”—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette “Powerful . . . [Mamie Till-Mobley’s] courage transformed her loss into a moral compass for a nation.”—Black Issues Book Review Robert F. Kennedy Book Award Special Recognition • BlackBoard Nonfiction Book of the Year







Mississippi Trial, 1955


Book Description

As the fiftieth anniversary approaches, there's a renewed interest in this infamous 1955 murder case, which made a lasting mark on American culture, as well as the future Civil Rights Movement. Chris Crowe's IRA Award-winning novel and his gripping, photo-illustrated nonfiction work are currently the only books on the teenager's murder written for young adults.




One Odd Duck


Book Description

When an odd duck, which looks very much like a bunny, pops out of a shell in Mother Duck's nest, she is astonished but not put off. "Not to worry," says Mother Duck. "He'll grown into a fine feathered duck when he grows up!" This is her explanation for all the other oddities she discovers: he can't swim; he has fur where feathers should be; he likes fruits and vegetables rather than worms; he has whiskers; and he hops instead of walks. When he grows up, he still can't do any of the things a duck can do. But, he can do one thing very well - dye eggs! Proud of her odd duck of a son, Mother duck realizes that not everyone is like every other one. Their talents might lay hidden inside of their dreams. Yet everyone is worthy of dreams it now seems.




The Face of Emmett Till


Book Description

In August, 1955 the body of Emmett Till was found floating in the Tallahatchie River. His mother Mamie, was determined that his death should not go unnoticed, and due to her persistence it became a national issue and the springboard for the Civil Rights Movement.




The Fifties


Book Description

This vivid New York Times bestseller about 1950s America from a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist is “an engrossing sail across a pivotal decade” (Time). Joe McCarthy. Marilyn Monroe. The H-bomb. Ozzie and Harriet. Elvis. Civil rights. It’s undeniable: The fifties were a defining decade for America, complete with sweeping cultural change and political upheaval. This decade is also the focus of David Halberstam’s triumphant The Fifties, which stands as an enduring classic and was an instant New York Times bestseller upon its publication. More than a survey of the decade, it is a masterfully woven examination of far-reaching change, from the unexpected popularity of Holiday Inn to the marketing savvy behind McDonald’s expansion. A meditation on the staggering influence of image and rhetoric, The Fifties is vintage Halberstam, who was hailed by the Denver Post as “a lively, graceful writer who makes you . . . understand how much of our time was born in those years.” This ebook features an extended biography of David Halberstam.




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