At Amazon:
We Were Soldiers Once . . . and Young: Ia Drang—The Battle That Changed the War in Vietnam, by Harold G. Moore and Joseph L. Galloway, $1.99
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2,769 ratings
5-star: 82%
4-star: 13%
3-star: 3%
In November 1965, some 450 men of the First Battalion, Seventh Cavalry, under the command of Lt. Col. Harold Moore, were dropped into a small clearing in the Ia Drang Valley. They were immediately surrounded by 2,000 North Vietnamese soldiers. Three days later, only two and a half miles away, a sister battalion was brutally slaughtered. Together, these actions at the landing zones X-Ray and Albany constituted one of the most savage and significant battles of the Vietnam War. They were the first major engagements between the US Army and the People’s Army of Vietnam.
How these Americans persevered—sacrificing themselves for their comrades and never giving up—creates a vivid portrait of war at its most devastating and inspiring. Lt. Gen. Moore and Joseph L. Galloway—the only journalist on the ground throughout the fighting—interviewed hundreds of men who fought in the battle, including the North Vietnamese commanders. Their poignant account rises above the ordeal it chronicles to depict men facing the ultimate challenge, dealing with it in ways they would have once found unimaginable. It reveals to us, as rarely before, man’s most heroic and horrendous endeavor.
https://www.amazon.com/Were-Soldiers-Once-Young-Drang-ebook/dp/B009S33I68
Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas, by Nicholas Pileggi, $2.99
765 ratings
5-star: 71%
4-star: 18%
3-star: 7%
Focusing on Chicago bookie Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal and his partner, Anthony Spilotro, and drawing on extensive, in-depth interviews, the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of the Mafia classic Wiseguy—basis for the film Goodfellas—Nicholas Pileggi reveals how the pair worked together to oversee Las Vegas casino operations for the mob. He unearths how Teamster pension funds were used to take control of the Stardust and Tropicana and how Spilotro simultaneously ran a crew of jewel thieves nicknamed the “Hole in the Wall Gang.”
For years, these gangsters kept a stranglehold on Sin City’s brightly lit nightspots, skimming millions in cash for their bosses. But the elaborate scheme began to crumble when Rosenthal’s disproportionate ambitions drove him to make mistakes. Spilotro made an error of his own, falling for his partner’s wife, a troubled showgirl named Geri. It would all lead to betrayal, a wide-ranging FBI investigation, multiple convictions, and the end of the Mafia’s longstanding grip on the multibillion-dollar gaming oasis in the midst of the Nevada desert.
https://www.amazon.com/Casino-Love-Honor-Las-Vegas-ebook/dp/B01LXOUHHY
A Sea of Troubles (Commissario Brunetti Book 10), by Donna Leon, $1.99
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875 ratings
5-star: 61%
4-star: 27%
3-star: 9%
On a beautiful spring morning on the island of Pellestrina, south of the Lido on the Venetian lagoon, a small boat moored at the docks suddenly explodes, killing two local clam fishermen. When it becomes clear that the fire was deliberately set, Brunetti decides to investigate. But when he tries to dig up information about the murder, the island’s tight-knit, closemouthed community closes ranks—forcing Brunetti to accept Signorina Elettra’s offer to visit her relatives there to search for clues.
On the island, Brunetti finds himself torn between his duty to solve the murders and his concerns for the Signorina’s safety. And though he is loyal to his beloved wife, Brunetti’s concern for his boss’s spirited secretary may be driven by more than platonic feeling . . .
https://www.amazon.com/Sea-Troubles-Commissario-Brunetti-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0097D79G4
No Better Place to Die: Ste-Mère Eglise, June 1944: The Battle for La Fière Bridge; by Robert M. Murphy, $1.99
142 ratings
5-star: 66%
4-star: 23%
3-star: 6%
In the dark early hours of D-Day, nearly every airborne unit missed its drop zone, creating a kaleidoscope of small-unit combat. Fortunately for the Allies, the 505th Regimental Combat Team of the 82nd Airborne Division hit near its drop zone. Its task was to seize the vital crossroads of Sainte Mère Eglise and to hold the bridge over the Merderet River at nearby La Fière. The paratroopers reached the bridge only to be met by waves of German tanks and infantry. Reinforced by glider troops, the 505th not only held the vital bridge for three days but launched a counterattack to secure their objective once and for all, albeit at gruesome cost.
In No Better Place to Die, WWII veteran Robert M. Murphy provides a personal chronicle of countless acts of heroism by the men of the 505th. No World War II veteran is better known in 82nd Airborne circles than Robert M. “Bob” Murphy. A Pathfinder and member of A Company, 505th PIR, Bob was wounded three times in action, and made all four combat jumps with his regiment, fighting in Sicily, Italy, Normandy, and Holland. He was decorated for valor for his role at La Fière and is a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor.
https://www.amazon.com/No-Better-Place-Die-1944-ebook/dp/B0041OTA34
Dead Stop (Sydney Rose Parnell Book 2), by Barbara Nickless, $0.99
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2,030 ratings
5-star: 76%
4-star: 19%
3-star: 4%
The search for a missing child leads a courageous railway cop down a twisted trail of murder.
It’s been five months since Special Agent Sydney Parnell survived a violent confrontation with a gang of brutal thugs, an encounter that left her physically and emotionally scarred. Deep down, Sydney fears she isn’t ready for another investigation. But when a woman is murdered on the train tracks and a child goes missing, she knows she’s the only one who can lead the hunt for the killer. While Denver police and the FBI chase down blind alleys, Sydney focuses on a single cryptic clue left behind at the crime scene—one that will send her down a path of greed, violence, and long-ago love.
With Denver beset by a series of monsoonlike thunderstorms that threaten to flood the city, Sydney and her K9 partner, Clyde, must wade through a murky trail of murder that stretches back thirty years — all to rescue a child…and catch a killer with a long memory and an insatiable appetite for destruction.
https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Stop-Sydney-Rose-Parnell-ebook/dp/B01KZOA32U
Truth or Dare (The Men of the Sisterhood Book 4), by Fern Michaels, $1.99
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903 ratings
5-star: 82%
4-star: 13%
3-star: 3%
The Sisterhood: a group of women bound by friendship and a quest for justice. Now their male allies, the Men of the Sisterhood, have formed a top-secret organization of their own, with the same goal of helping the helpless and righting the wrongs of the world . . .
When the call comes, the Men of the Sisterhood drop everything to help their friends. This time it’s Cyrus, their four-legged hound dog and unofficial mascot. While member Joe Espinosa is driving along an isolated country road with Cyrus in tow, he catches a glimpse of movement in the woods bordering the road and notes Cyrus pawing desperately at the car window. As soon as he pulls over to investigate, Cyrus bolts out the door and leads Joe to three children clustered together—bedraggled, silent, and scared out of their wits. As soon as he has brought the children to safety, Espinosa arranges an urgent meeting.
Charles, Abner, Jack, Dennis, Harry and the rest of the crew gather at BOLO headquarters to hear a shocking story that confirms their worst suspicions. Many more children are still in danger. But in order to protect and avenge the victims, the team must use more cunning than ever before. With so many vulnerable young lives at stake, one mistake would be too many . . .
https://www.amazon.com/Truth-Dare-Men-Sisterhood-Book-ebook/dp/B07637SSD4
Vanishing Act (Sisterhood Book 15), by Fern Michaels, $1.99
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760 ratings
5-star: 79%
4-star: 15%
3-star: 4%
For the women of the Sisterhood, planning a lavish reception for their longtime ally, attorney Lizzie Fox, at their lux mountain retreat is the ideal way to unwind after their latest successful mission. The only cloud over the happy occasion is that their mentor, Charles, is still mysteriously absent.
But amid the friendly bickering about floral arrangements, cake tiers, and wedding favors, the ladies of Pinewood receive a frantic phone call from Nikki’s fiancé, Jack Emery. Harry Wong — Yoko’s true love and a staunch supporter of the Sisterhood — has become the victim of a ruthless identity theft ring. Harry’s bank accounts have been closed out, his beloved dojo is being foreclosed, and he’s being evicted. Distraught, Yoko is about to rush down the mountain to Harry’s aid when the Sisters intercept her. A situation like Harry’s requires finesse, careful planning, and the Sisterhood’s distinctive brand of vigilante justice . . .
https://www.amazon.com/Vanishing-Act-Sisterhood-Book-15-ebook/dp/B002ZFGK6Q
The Nine Tailors (The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries Book 11), by Dorothy L. Sayers, $1.99
1,230 ratings
5-star: 62%
4-star: 22%
3-star: 10%
Lord Peter Wimsey and his manservant Bunter are halfway across the wild flatlands of East Anglia when they make a wrong turn, straight into a ditch. They scramble over the rough country to the nearest church, where they find hospitality, dinner, and an invitation to go bell-ringing. This ancient art is steeped in mathematical complexities, and tonight the rector and his friends plan to embark on a 9-hour marathon session to welcome the New Year. Lord Peter joins them, taking a step into a society whose cheerful exterior hides a dark, deadly past.
During their stay in this unfamiliar countryside, Lord Peter and Bunter encounter murder, a mutilated corpse, and a decades-old jewel theft for which locals continue to die. In this land where bells toll for the dead, the ancient chimes never seem to stop.
https://www.amazon.com/Nine-Tailors-Peter-Wimsey-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B008JVJDOQ
Falling for Your Fake Fiancé, by Emma St. Clair, $0.99
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540 ratings
5-star: 70%
4-star: 23%
3-star: 5%
What happens when the man I love to hate becomes the man I must pretend to love?
I can’t seem to escape Thayden Walker and his infuriating charm.
Even his mother and his Great Dane seem bent on playing matchmaker. But I’m totally immune.
Until I'm presented with an offer that puts my ability to withstand him to the test. If I marry Thayden, all my student debt goes poof, and he'll take over the family firm.
There’s so much more at stake than money or a job, especially when I start to see the man beneath the mask.
Playing house with Thayden is the most dangerous game of all.
And we’re both set up to lose more than we could ever win. Unless we’ve been on the same side all along …
https://www.amazon.com/Falling-Your-Fake-Fiancé-Romantic-ebook/dp/B08W3WS3YV
The Twelve Holidates, by Emma St. Clair, $0.99
483 ratings
5-star: 59%
4-star: 29%
3-star: 10%
If someone tells you that waiting for your boyfriend in a giant stocking is a good idea, they’re WRONG.
I learn this the hard way when I discover my boyfriend is cheating on me.
Once again, I find myself crying on the very broad and sturdy shoulders of my best friend, Weston.
And even though he rejected me when we were kids, my feelings for Weston start bubbling back to the surface.
Especially when he insists that we work our way through the list of twelve holidates I had planned for my ex.
Twelve dates with my super hot and totally perfect BFF? Um, okay. You don’t have to ask me twice!
Only… the dates continue to be disasters.
The biggest disaster of all is the way I’m about to get my heart crushed AGAIN by my best friend.
Because I can’t hide my feelings anymore, and I don’t think being just friends is enough.
Winning over Weston would take a Christmas miracle …
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08R57NQ3K
Free books recently released by Project Gutenberg ( gutenberg.org ):
Star Book No. 236: Aunt Lydia's Designs, by Anonymous
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/66334
A Monograph of the Trilobites of North America: with Coloured Models of the Species, by Jacob Green
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/66333
Good Newes from New England, by Edward Winslow
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/66332
A Treatise on Bread, and Bread-making, by Sylvester Graham
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/66331
The Negro and American Liberty, by John Moore
Dr. Drew interviewed Scott Adams recently, and Scott Adams mentioned the absurdity that Republicans went to overthrow the government on Jan 6, but they neglected to bring their guns. On the first or second anniversary of the event, that alleged oversight made the narrative appear absurd to me, so I made a "video" that was supposed to be audio from January 6, captured on a video camera from which the lens cap had not been removed. I'm posting it again just because.
While I was waiting on hold to talk with a human at the IRS, I decided to put some food out for the dogs. I set the full bag of dog food on a chair, and walked away to get the bowls. When I turned around I saw the bag slowly tipping over, spilling much of its contents onto the floor. Fortunately I had help cleaning it up.
The main task for today is to begin revising McGuffey's Fourth Eclectic Reader. It may take a couple of weeks, possibly more. I still have to work at Publix, and next week I start a new job in the memory care unit of a rehab/nursing home facility, and I'll also be working at Publix at least one night.
After that I'll take a look at the double-slit experiment, and see if there is an interpretation that is consistent with my theory of wave physics.
Also, I came across the attached meme, which I had created two or three years (or so) ago. I thought I'd include it because I still like it.
I recently proposed a theory of matter and energy called Wave Physics. In this theory, the only things in the universe are energy and the universal membrane, which is the medium through which all energy is transfered and stored.
Tonight I realized that according to this theory, everyone and everything in the universe are connected to each other at all times. Things that would be impossible according to the standard model of particle physics, are very possible in the universe of wave physics. Psychic transmissions and the power of prayer are physically possible and make sense if the universe works in any way like the theory I proposed.
If you've ever heard the phone ring and felt sure who it was before answering it, and were proven correct, this makes sense in wave physics, but not with particle physics. If you've ever looked intently at someone, and had that person quickly turn and look directly at you (I have), that phenomenon makes sense if all of us are parts of the same vast, ...
I was only scheduled to work three days this week, so I decided to work on a theory I'd been playing around with for fun over the last few years. I'd never been a big fan of the standard model of particle physics, so a few years ago, just for fun, I thought about exploring some alternate ideas, with zero training and zero experiments.
This week I wrapped up a few loose ends, and posted it to a community I created called Wave Physics. Originally I had called it Alternative Physics, but I changed my mind, so the link still has alternativephysics in it, but the community name is Wave Physics. I'd love for people to pay $5.00 a month to tell me how wrong I am.
https://alternativephysics.locals.com/
I also posted it on my personal website:
