Books parents Five SFF Strategies for Plotting Around Pesky Parents Are you the responsible, caring parent of a juvenile adventurer? You may want to upgrade your insurance… By James Davis Nicoll | Published on October 2, 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share I recently1 reread all of Robert A. Heinlein’s classic juveniles, plus Starship Troopers and Podkayne of Mars. A recurring issue with which Heinlein and every other author narrating teen adventures must deal is… parents. In theory, parents mentor and protect their offspring. They should actively keep their teens out of danger. How to get those parents out of the way so the teens can have thrilling adventures? There are at least five tried-and-true solutions for this issue, none unique to Heinlein… although he does provide handy examples. Absent Parents Parents cannot interfere if they are elsewhere or even better, dead2. In Starman Jones, for example, Max Jones’ birth parents are too dead to prevent him from seeking adventure out in the stars. Tanith Lee was also inordinately fond of the orphan solution3. Take Lee’s 1989 A Heroine of the World. Aradia’s parents are present barely long enough to perish in war. Arcadia’s aunt prudently dies by suicide before the invading Kronians arrive. Arcadia is left to navigate the realities of a defeated nation on her own. None of the available options are pleasant, nor has Arcadia much freedom to select among them. Having no choice, she navigates her way from predatory guardian to predatory guardian. Hers is not a world rich in happy endings. Nevertheless, she holds onto hope, for what that is worth. Indifferent Parents Perhaps the protagonists’ parents have enough children that misplacing one is no great tragedy. Perhaps they feel that kids learn best by doing. Perhaps the parents are simply moral vacuums. Space Cadet Matt Dodson’s parents don’t appear to be particularly invested in Matt’s career, but they also do not oppose it. The Jakalowar species, featured in Doris Piserchia’s 1974 Star Rider, embraced depraved indifference as a parenting strategy. No sooner is a Jakalowar baby born than it is deposited on some handy habitable world to fend for itself. While this is not an entirely praiseworthy approach, it does mean that protagonist Jade and her teleporting space-dog Hinx are free to explore the galaxy without interference. Ineffectual Parents Perhaps the parents are alive and care about their children, but for reasons beyond their control can do little to help them. Red Planet’s Jim Marlowe, for example, does not have to worry overmuch about his parents stepping in, because for crucial portions of the novel Jim and his parents are separated by thousands of kilometers. By the time they unite, the plot is well underway. Ophie’s mother cares about Ophie in Justina Ireland’s 2022 Ophie’s Ghosts. However, economic reality means that Ophie’s mother has to spend long hours working for a pittance at Daffodil Manor. Helping Ophie with her ghost-related issues is not an option because providing food and shelter takes priority. Alas, arranging for Ophie be hired as a maid at haunted Daffodil Manor only makes matters worse. Supportive Parents There are worse fates for children than to go on adventures. They might squander their lives doing nothing interesting before being run over by a truck4. A parent might well decide it’s best to support their progeny’s thrilling adventures. The Rolling Stones’ Roger Stone, for example, facilitates his twin sons Castor and Pollux’s proposed wanderjahr by orchestrating an all-family expedition across the Solar System5. Provocative Parents Some parents may not leave choosing adventure to their child. They may provide a firm hand between the shoulder blades as they propel their kids toward glorious purpose. Arguably, this is Kip’s father’s intention in 1958’s Have Space Suit — Will Travel. By making it clear to Kip that there’s no free ride to be had, Kip’s father forces Kip to fend for himself, whether by getting a job at the local soda fountain, entering jingle contests, or saving the Earth from predatory aliens. Billy and Milly’s mother Ipo, introduced in Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda’s She Eats the Night, has tired of Billy and Milly’s slacker ways. Determined to bring her disappointing children up to her demanding standards, Ipo drafts Billy and Milly to help refurbish the abandoned house next door. An onerous task indeed, but rendered more difficult by the house’s horrifying supernatural forces… which is precisely why Ipo selected it as a pass-fail test of character. Are there other strategies for ensuring parents do not impede plot? Are there better examples than the ones mentioned above? Comments are below.[end-mark] A decade ago. Pardon me while I scream in existential pain. ︎Better from a storytelling perspective. Obviously, being dead is sub-par from the parents’ perspective. And quite possibly from their kids’ as well. ︎In 2016 I read forty-eight Lee novels. Forty-five had dead or missing mothers and thirty-eight dead or missing fathers. The books that featuring living parents made a strong case that being an orphan is not necessarily the worst option. ︎Truck-kun appears to be the primary cause of death in Japan, if their fiction is any indication. ︎Travel undertaken perhaps in part to delay Castor and Pollux’s inevitable arrest and lengthy sentencing for whichever harebrained and extremely criminal scheme finally proves their undoing. Given that the twins’ previous peccadillos include “experimenting with atomics inside the city limits and without license,” it is possible that Roger is also trying to protect society from his idiot sons. ︎The post Five SFF Strategies for Plotting Around Pesky Parents appeared first on Reactor.

The new data on all the criminal noncitizens coming into the U.S. is shocking. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement checks the background of illegal aliens they have in custody. But, the ICE administration’s letter to Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, shows that as of July 21, ICE let 435,719 convicted criminals and 226,847 people with pending criminal charges back in their home countries into the U.S. Of those cleared by ICE, 13,099 have convictions for homicide, and 1,845 were facing criminal charges. Some 9,461 have convictions for sex offenses (not including assault or commercialized sex), and 2,659 face pending charges. The convictions include other crimes, such as assault (62,231), robbery (10,031), sexual assault (15,811), weapons offenses (13,423), and dangerous drugs (56,533). About 7.4 million noncitizens are in the “national docket data,” so 662,776 is 9% of the total, and if one extrapolates the numbers to the homicide rate in this country, it strongly indicates that the government is letting migrants into this country who commit murder at a rate 50% higher than the rest of the U.S. population. And these numbers clearly underestimate the crime rate of these noncitizens. The noncitizens in the “national docket data” turned themselves in to border agents for processing or were caught. Those who don’t turn themselves in are obviously far more likely to have something to hide from those doing the processing, so-called “gotaways,” who are observed illegally entering the U.S., but not caught or turned back. These figures coincide with other data from the Arizona prison system and show illegal aliens commit crime at much higher rates than Americans or legal immigrants. Under the Remain-in-Mexico policy, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) did background checks on immigrants’ cases, including contacting the country that the immigrant is from before they are approved to come to the U.S. ICE agents cannot access the same databases to check on the immigrants, and they didn’t contact the immigrant’s home country. Plus, the massive inflow of immigrants has overwhelmed the system. The deputy director for ICE blames the “enormous workload”  agents face, so they haven’t been able to do even the limited background checks they are doing. There are so many coming in that the government can’t house these immigrants until their backgrounds are properly checked. ICE processed these criminals as they entered the country, but it didn’t identify them as criminals, so it released them into the country. Now, they are just walking around freely in the United States, and no one knows where they are. It took more than six months for the Biden administration to finally respond to a congressional request for these numbers. The deputy director for ICE “apologized” for the delay. As bad as these numbers are, the reality may be even worse. The Biden-Harris administration is cooking the books to make the border crisis not look as bad as it is. For example, in mid-September, retired San Diego Border Patrol Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke testified how the Biden-Harris administration ordered him not to publicize the arrests of illegal border crossers identified as having ties to terrorism. Democrats quickly pointed out that some of these criminals came in before the Biden administration. But the administration’s letter to Gonzales, the Texas congressman, didn’t provide a breakdown of how many came through under Biden-Harris. The administration policy, with its limited background checks and overwhelmed agents, has a much higher error rate compared with Trump’s Remain-in-Mexico approach. Background checks are ineffective if officials don’t even contact the immigrant’s home country. Even if illegal immigrants weren’t committing crimes at higher rates than the general population, the American people have a right to expect those entering this country to be screened in order to prevent more murderers, rapists, drug dealers, and thieves from entering the country. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have the authority to call for expedited extradition for criminal illegal aliens in the U.S., but they have only moved to make extradition more difficult. Originally Published by RealClearPolitics The post The Shocking New Statistics on Migrant Crime appeared first on The Daily Signal.

One does not know just how much of an advantage it can be to have a wood burning stove in your home. I fell in love with wood-stoves the very first season I used one. I spent two years living completely off of the grid in a big round house tucked away in a canyon in Northern Arkansas. So, I truly learned how much having one really has to offer. Before I tell you my story, let’s get straight down to business. There are different regulations and guidelines that have to be followed when installing a wood stove or a fireplace. If you are a renter there is a slight possibility the owner may allow you to have one installed while others may not. Before rushing out to get your new stove be sure to check the codes and regulations in your specific area. The Benefits of A Wood Burning Stove Cut Down/Eliminate Heating Bills: If you live in an area where you can harvest and process your own wood, then your heating bill cost is only going to consist of the fuel for the chainsaw (if you use one) and the bar chain oil. Even if you have to pay to have someone haul wood you still end up paying much less than you would using propane or electricity to heat. Guaranteed Heat: As long as you have good seasoned/dry wood and a good secure stove when the winter storm hits, you'll be covered. Even if the town loses power, you still have a way to heat your house. This also provides a guarantee in other aspects but that’s on down the list. Cooking: Whether you have a simple wood burning stove for heat or a cook-stove, you will have a way to prepare meals if the power goes out and you normally cook using electric. It is also nice backup to have if you run out of propane. No products found. Drying Wet Clothes & Gear: I fashioned a shelf above my wood stove so that when I came in from the rain or snow I could toss my gloves and scarf on so they dry out nicely. It is also convenient to have a coat rack close by for the same reason. This rack also works well for drying out veggies and mushrooms as an added bonus. Safer For The Environment: There has always been a debate about whether wood for fuel and heating is better for the environment than coal or oil. The truth is, it is safer on several different levels. The first being that if you buy wood locally there is less oil being used in so many ways. Coal and oil both burn very dirty causing soot build-up in the home and dark smoke to be released into the atmosphere. Coal burns hotter which is one of the main reasons people use it. Unfortunately, this also has its negative side-effects, such as, higher risk of house fires. Melting Snow & Boiling Water: Let’s face it, life happens and when it does, it’s nice to have back-up. I think we are all somewhat familiar with the water lines freezing in the winter. As long as there is snow on the ground you have a way to get water and as long as you have water you have a way to make it hot. I have had a hot water tank break on me while I was in the shower. I suspected the element was going but was surprised regardless. Having a wood stove at that time would have made things so much easier for me. The benefits of having a wood burning stove are fantastic, there are so many reasons to consider looking into adding one to your home. Once you learn how to use one really well, it becomes the natural way to do things. No products found. Imagine how many more things you could do with the money you save on heating expenses, not to mention what a lifesaver it can be when the weather is bad outside. As I end this article I am headed to stoke the fire–so until next time readers!

A dog’s quick action helped his owner stop a fire from spreading in their Fairlington townhouse on Thursday, September 19. Archie, the four-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, became his owner’s, Shravani Bobde, hero when he started incessantly licking her arm in the wee hours of the morning. Thanks to Archie’s “signal”, Bobde woke up. She tells ARLnow that when she did, she started smelling smoke. So, she got up and began searching her house for the source of the smell. “I started investigating, trying to figure out where this smoke is coming from. Eventually, I figured out that it was in the attic,” Bobde said. Bobde proceeded to switch off the circuit breaker and opened her windows to let the smoke out, which prevented her smoke detector from sounding. ARLnow reports that an electrician later revealed to Bobde that a slow-burning electrical fire had developed overnight inside Bobde’s HVAC unit. Sean.zen / Shutterstock.com After Archie and Bobde’s quick actions, the fire was contained in the HVAC unit, which Bobde revealed is now replaced. She attributed the prevention of a fire from spreading in the house and to adjacent townhouses to Archie’s quick actions. She said, “I’m just reflecting that if [Archie] hadn’t woken me up and I had not turned the breaker off, the fire would have escalated. Like, it would have spread slowly.” Furthermore, Bobde said she is thankful for Archie’s “fierce guard dog” spirit, which seem unusual for his breed. She also said that she loves Archie and that “he’s a unique creature”. She also revealed that after the incident, Bobde, Archie, and her other dogs all went back to bed and slept through the whole thing. “I would love for Archie to be recognized for the hero he was last night, [saving] me, his brother, Percy, and our neighbors,” Bobde said.

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