The Writer's Life 11/4 - Free Speech

Leonid Bershidsky brings good news in an op-ed piece in today’s NY Post. Books in print seem to be making a comeback. While digital sales suffered a 10% drop in the first five months of 2015, Barnes and Noble has returned to profitability after four straight years in the doldrums, and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos will open a brick and mortar book shop in Seattle. There were two posts about the Amazon event on my Facebook page yesterday, one positive, one negative accusing Bezos of having driven many book shops out of business through cut-throat tactics and now capitalizing. That’s what businessmen do, and I don’t have a problem with it. No one twisted arms to make Amazon the dynamic force it has become. Consumers chose its model. It has allowed writers at the bottom of the literary ladder to print and market books, a great showcase for free speech and democracy. Elites may not like it -- but so what?

Pity poor Quentin Tarantino, who is feeling the heat for remarks he made about policemen at a recent rally in NYC. What did he expect -- universal praise for his controversial views? No one gets that. As for the call to boycott his films, I’m not on board, but if his new one doesn’t garner good reviews I will skip it as I do the work of Alec Baldwin and Barbra Streisand. Those two would have to be in a flick that attracts raves to lure me into viewing. Many years ago I stopped buying a Paul Newman spaghetti sauce, as the proceeds from the successful business went to liberal causes, among them anti-defense measures. I enjoy Tarantino’s movies. Reservoir Dogs (1992) is one of my favorites. He seems to love film violence, from which he has profited greatly. In the past, many argued that such depictions caused violence in society. I was always skeptical of that claim, as other countries, Japan, China, South Korea, to name three, produce films even more violent than ours, and their crime rates are significantly lower than ours. What if a movement arose and gained momentum to stop such depictions in American cinema? It’s a safe bet that Tarantino would speak out against it, rightly, but would he have any credibility? Free speech is a privilege all Americans are afforded. Many gave their lives defending that right. Is Tarantino a proper spokesman against any form of violence?

Here’s troubling news for anyone who uses airlines. TSA screeners failed to detect 95% of prohibited items, including weapons and plastic explosives, planted by undercover investigators. WTF?

Last night I dreamed Humphrey Bogart Jr. had fathered a child at 65. I don't know if there actually is a Bogie Jr., but it's not hard to figure out the meaning of the dream using Freud's theory that they are wish fulfillment. I'm surprised that there apparently is a subliminal desire in me to have a child. I thought I'd given up on it. A man my age should not become a father unless he has a young wife willing to assume most of the parenting, or if he is rich enough to afford daily sitters or nannies.

My thanks to Natalya and Benedict, who donated two books in Russian, and to the gentleman who bought one.

Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3

Vic's Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
Vic's Short Story Collection: http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tiny.cc/0iHLb Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j

Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp

Vic's Horror Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f

Vic's Blog: http://vicfortezza.blogspot.com/

Vic's Web Site: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/