For those who question the value of their vote

Some people wonder about how important a single vote can be. Over in Somerset County, the bond issue to fund a new jail passed by maybe 20-30 votes (depends on whether they do a recount or not). I have been in the Somerset County jail in the course of my professional day-job business*. It is a pit. It currently houses twice the rated inmate population. The state condemned the whole thing years ago, only allowing the place to stay open on a variance of maybe twenty different points. The oldest parts of the structure date back to the 1800s. It has an open sewer in the basement. I could continue the list . . .

And the new jail will pay back its cost in maybe ten years by cutting the amount The Man now pays to board over-capacity inmates in other slammers.

*The jail shows up, randomized, in WINTER OAK.

Dante missed a few

I am sure that there are several deeper circles of Hell reserved for people who apply textured paint to old plaster ceilings.

Maybe they should have to pay a hazardous materials deposit to cover removal costs, like with lead batteries or computer monitors?

Learned more today about Albertus Magnus, AKA Al Katz, rogue wizard. Nasty bit of work, that one. And he seems to have resurfaced after twenty years on the deceased list....

And this is just Chapter 2. I wonder where the rest of the story leads.

More on that DRAGON'S EYE review in BOOKLIST

I rather wish Ms. Paula would quit tacking "YA" recommendations on my stuff. Sure, I can use the sales, but I just keep remembering that Ol' Socrates got whacked for corrupting the youth of Athens.