What can ordinary Americans do to resist what’s happening in D.C.? Here are some suggestions

Image by Ted Eytan.

The United States appears to be teetering on the brink of a coup, with Elon Musk, an unelected advisor to Trump, now having access to the U.S. Treasury’s payment system. Federal officials, watchdogs and gatekeepers are being replaced en masse with Trump loyalists, and Trump himself appears to be trying to supersede the Constitution and the checks and balances that have preserved American democracy for hundreds of years.

What I’ve been hearing, over and over, is what can I do to fight this? I’ve put together a list. Feel free to repost.

(And forgive me if it’s poorly organized or written. I’ve come down with the dreaded winter head cold and my brain is like that slush we were driving through a week ago.)

1. The easiest thing you can do is vote – in every election, not just the majors. In the 2024 presidential election 62 percent of registered voters actually voted. Four years earlier, when American citizens fired Trump from the presidency, 66 percent of voters turned out. Imagine what last November’s outcome might have been had more voters bothered to cast their ballots.

2. Educate yourself about the candidates. It only takes a few minutes to learn how they stand on the issues. Also, make sure you understand the issues themselves. For instance, prior to the 2024 election many Americans were under the impression tariffs were paid for by the nation against which the tariff was imposed. Tariffs are in fact paid for by the businessperson importing the goods, then passed along to the consumer. The tariffs imposed on Canada and Mexico by Trump will be paid for by you.

3. Evangelize for your beliefs. If your community has a newspaper, write a letter to the editor or a guest column, if they allow that. Call online or radio talk shows. Use your social media platform to express your viewpoint. The algorithms are not invincible. New eyes may very well see your posts. Before doing any of these things, make sure you know what you’re talking about. Research research research! And please, be respectful.

4. Write to your U.S. representative and your state’s senators to express your displeasure with what is happening within the federal government. Their contact information is easily obtainable online.

5. The American Civil Liberties Union is resisting efforts to subvert the Constitution and federal law. Consider making a donation, if you can afford it.

6. Support the loyal opposition. Make a donation, again if you can afford it, to your political party, be it the Democrats, Libertarians, Independents or another party. Offer to do volunteer work. They need telephone canvassers, people to help with mail-outs, and door-to-door canvassers.

7. Participate in protests if you’re so inclined. A group called Indivisible Action (https://indivisible.org/ ) is trying to organize protests and word has it there’s an effort to coordinate actions in all 50 state capitals on Wednesday. I haven’t been able to verify beyond vague social media memes so I can’t say for a fact there will be one. Don’t drive to Tallahassee because of what you read here.

8. Years ago U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-NY, recommended the following actions. Many are still relevant:

A. Write letters to media editors every time you see an article or broadcast that utilizes a normalizing tone or doesn’t make note of the extreme nature of Trump, his behavior and rhetoric, or his Administration’s actions.

B. Use hashtags such as #NotNormal or #DontNormalize on your social media platforms.

C. Contact your elected officials via petitions, letters, calls and social media to urge them to resist any action that would normalize the Administration and demand that they loudly condemn any Trump actions that are unbefitting our democracy.

D. Reach out to your friends and family and encourage them to do the same.

E. Support rhetorically and financially those organizations that are stepping up to fight normalization.

9. This is from Robert Reich at The Guardian:

“Participate or organize boycotts of companies that are enabling the Trump regime, starting with Elon Musk’s X and Tesla, and any companies that advertise on X or on Fox News. Don’t underestimate the effectiveness of consumer boycotts. Corporations invest heavily in their brand names and the goodwill associated with them. Loud, boisterous, attention-getting boycotts can harm brand names and reduce the prices of corporations’ shares of stock.

“To the extent you are able, fund groups that are litigating against Trump. Much of the action over the next months and years will be in the federal courts. The groups initiating legislation that I know and trust include the American Civil Liberties Union, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, the Center for Biological Diversity, the Environmental Defense Fund and Common Cause.

“Spread the truth: Get news through reliable sources, and spread it. If you hear anyone spreading lies and Trump propaganda, including local media, contradict them with facts and their sources. Here are some of the sources I currently rely on for the truth: the Guardian, Democracy Now, Business Insider, the New Yorker, the American Prospect, Americans for Tax Fairness, the Economic Policy Institute, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, ProPublica, Labor Notes, the Lever, Popular Information, Heather Cox Richardson and, of course, my Substack.

“Urge friends, relatives and acquaintances to avoid Trump propaganda outlets such as Fox News, Newsmax, X and, increasingly, Facebook and Instagram. They are increasingly filled with hateful bigotry and toxic and dangerous lies. For some people, these propaganda sources can also be addictive; help the people you know wean themselves off them.

“Push for progressive measures in your community and state. Local and state governments have significant power. Join groups that are moving your city or state forward, in contrast to regressive moves at the federal level. Lobby, instigate, organize and fundraise for progressive legislators. Support progressive leaders.

“Keep the faith. Do not give up on America. Remember, Trump won the popular vote by only one and a half points. By any historical measure, this was a squeaker. In the House, the Republicans’ five-seat lead is the smallest since the Great Depression. In the Senate, Republicans lost half of 2024’s competitive Senate races, including in four states Trump won. America has deep problems, to be sure. Which is why we can’t give up on it – or give up the fights for social justice, equal political rights, equal opportunity and the rule of law. The forces of Trumpian repression and neofascism would like nothing better than for us to give up. Then they’d win it all. But we cannot allow them to.”

10. Subscribe to Heather Cox Richardson’s excellent newsletter exposing the criminal activities of Trump and the Republicans. She’s also on Facebook, X, and TikTok. Follow this link to her Substack:  https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/

11. This was mentioned earlier but it bears repeating: When you see misinformation, dispute it. Don’t just scroll by. Find the facts and link them to the post so that people will at least have an option to educate themselves about the truth.

12. Fact check everything you’ve been told. I use these sites to combat disinformation:

A. Snopes: https://www.snopes.com/

B. FactCheck.org: https://www.factcheck.org/

C. Politifact: https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/

D. Full Fact: https://fullfact.org/

For a morale booster, read this article: https://otherwords.org/five-popular-checks-on-trumps-agenda/

About the author:

Del Stone Jr. is a professional fiction writer. He is known primarily for his work in the contemporary dark fiction field, but has also published science fiction and contemporary fantasy. Stone’s stories, poetry and scripts have appeared in publications such as Amazing Stories, Eldritch Tales, and Bantam-Spectra’s Full Spectrum. His short fiction has been published in The Year’s Best Horror Stories XXII; Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine; the Pocket Books anthology More Phobias; the Barnes & Noble anthologies 100 Wicked Little Witch Stories, Horrors! 365 Scary Stories, and 100 Astounding Little Alien Stories; the HWA anthology Psychos; and other short fiction venues, like Blood Muse, Live Without a Net, Zombiesque and Sex Macabre. Stone’s comic book debut was in the Clive Barker series of books, Hellraiser, published by Marvel/Epic and reprinted in The Best of Hellraiser anthology. He has also published stories in Penthouse Comix, and worked with artist Dave Dorman on many projects, including the illustrated novella “Roadkill,” a short story for the Andrew Vachss anthology Underground from Dark Horse, an ashcan titled “December” for Hero Illustrated, and several of Dorman’s Wasted Lands novellas and comics, such as Rail from Image and “The Uninvited.” Stone’s novel, Dead Heat, won the 1996 International Horror Guild’s award for best first novel and was a runner-up for the Bram Stoker Award. Stone has also been a finalist for the IHG award for short fiction, the British Fantasy Award for best novella, and a semifinalist for the Nebula and Writers of the Future awards. His stories have appeared in anthologies that have won the Bram Stoker Award and the World Fantasy Award. Two of his works were optioned for film, the novella “Black Tide” and short story “Crisis Line.”

Stone recently retired after a 41-year career in journalism. He won numerous awards for his work, and in 1986 was named Florida’s best columnist in his circulation division by the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors. In 2001 he received an honorable mention from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association for his essay “When Freedom of Speech Ends” and in 2003 he was voted Best of the Best in the category of columnists by Emerald Coast Magazine. He participated in book signings and awareness campaigns, and was a guest on local television and radio programs.

As an addendum, Stone is single, kills tomatoes and morning glories with ruthless efficiency, once tied the stem of a cocktail cherry in a knot with his tongue, and carries a permanent scar on his chest after having been shot with a paintball gun. He’s in his 60s as of this writing but doesn’t look a day over 94.

Contact Del at [email protected]. He is also on Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, tumblr, TikTok, and Instagram. Visit his website at delstonejr.com .

Image by Del Stone Jr.

We had a memorial service for Marvin DeBolt on Saturday.

Maybe you remember him. He was the publisher of the Playground Daily News, then the Northwest Florida Daily News, from 1980 to 2004.

Mr. D was known for many things – for instance, he loved golf. They named a golf tournament after him. He was responsible for the Empty Stocking Fund, which continues to this day and has raised millions of dollars for The Salvation Army. He loved his big boat, which he sailed from his home in Cinco Bayou.

And of course, he loved being publisher of the Daily News. In the 24 years he worked there, he doubled the newspaper’s circulation and oversaw a redesign and name change. Not many people know this but he was also responsible for the creation of The Walton Sun, which for a time was the most profitable newspaper in the Freedom Communications portfolio.

He was a large presence in the building, and I think I was a little bit afraid of him. He sat in that office up front like Oz, part of us yet somehow separate. Sometimes the switchboard operator, Marianne, would ring my phone and say, “Can you come up to Mr. D’s office?” With a sinking feeling I’d tell the people sitting near me, “Well, it’s been nice working with you.” He never fired me, though a couple of times he probably should have.

Sometimes people ask me why I worked at that place for so long. I had my reasons, and one of them was the culture. I’ve held lots of jobs but none of them compared to working at the Daily News. It wasn’t just a place where we clocked in at 9 and clocked out at 5. Working there was like working with a family – sometimes a dysfunctional family, a family that didn’t always get along with each other, but a family just the same.

We had a picnic every summer, and sometimes Mr. D gave out prizes, like TVs and microwave ovens. We had an annual Christmas party, and an advertiser appreciation party that even newsroom types were encouraged to attend. One year the staff bought Mr. D a movie theater-style popcorn machine. He’d pop up a batch and everybody in the building would head for the break room, much to the unhappiness of the janitor, who had to clean up that mess. Also, we got Christmas bonuses. I had thought that was a company policy, but no. That was a Marvin DeBolt policy.

We cared about each other.

One day Mr. D walked into the newsroom and asked us, “What’s the Number 1 job of a newspaper in a community?” We, being newsroom types, responded with all the high-minded answers – expose graft and corruption, report the news objectively, speak for those without a voice, and so on.

Mr. D listened patiently, then thundered, “NO! The Number 1 job of a newspaper is to MAKE MONEY! You can’t do those things without first making the money to pay for them!” I don’t think we ever gave a thought about the newspaper being a business, or that our salaries came from all those ads taking up our valuable news hole. We were too busy being high-minded. But it was something I never forgot – the business side of art, the one just as necessary as the other.

Mr. D was a good guy and a decent human being. He represented something that’s missing from the media these days – character. Though we were owned by a large company, he made it feel like a family business, one in which we all had a stake. And he was head of the household.

So farewell, Mr. D. A lot of people are still thinking about you, and that’s about the best legacy a person can ask for.

About the author:

Del Stone Jr. is a professional fiction writer. He is known primarily for his work in the contemporary dark fiction field, but has also published science fiction and contemporary fantasy. Stone’s stories, poetry and scripts have appeared in publications such as Amazing Stories, Eldritch Tales, and Bantam-Spectra’s Full Spectrum. His short fiction has been published in The Year’s Best Horror Stories XXII; Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine; the Pocket Books anthology More Phobias; the Barnes & Noble anthologies 100 Wicked Little Witch Stories, Horrors! 365 Scary Stories, and 100 Astounding Little Alien Stories; the HWA anthology Psychos; and other short fiction venues, like Blood Muse, Live Without a Net, Zombiesque and Sex Macabre. Stone’s comic book debut was in the Clive Barker series of books, Hellraiser, published by Marvel/Epic and reprinted in The Best of Hellraiser anthology. He has also published stories in Penthouse Comix, and worked with artist Dave Dorman on many projects, including the illustrated novella “Roadkill,” a short story for the Andrew Vachss anthology Underground from Dark Horse, an ashcan titled “December” for Hero Illustrated, and several of Dorman’s Wasted Lands novellas and comics, such as Rail from Image and “The Uninvited.” Stone’s novel, Dead Heat, won the 1996 International Horror Guild’s award for best first novel and was a runner-up for the Bram Stoker Award. Stone has also been a finalist for the IHG award for short fiction, the British Fantasy Award for best novella, and a semifinalist for the Nebula and Writers of the Future awards. His stories have appeared in anthologies that have won the Bram Stoker Award and the World Fantasy Award. Two of his works were optioned for film, the novella “Black Tide” and short story “Crisis Line.”

Stone recently retired after a 41-year career in journalism. He won numerous awards for his work, and in 1986 was named Florida’s best columnist in his circulation division by the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors. In 2001 he received an honorable mention from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association for his essay “When Freedom of Speech Ends” and in 2003 he was voted Best of the Best in the category of columnists by Emerald Coast Magazine. He participated in book signings and awareness campaigns, and was a guest on local television and radio programs.

As an addendum, Stone is single, kills tomatoes and morning glories with ruthless efficiency, once tied the stem of a cocktail cherry in a knot with his tongue, and carries a permanent scar on his chest after having been shot with a paintball gun. He’s in his 60s as of this writing but doesn’t look a day over 94.

Contact Del at [email protected]. He is also on Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, tumblr, TikTok, and Instagram. Visit his website at delstonejr.com .

I have a friend who lives in New Zealand.

Not long ago I asked him what he thought about America. He sent a lengthy reply. He prefaced it with a description of how people in New Zealand live.

As I said, this is long, but I think it’s worth every minute of your time because it will show you once and for all how the people of enlightened democracies live, and how WE could be living were it not for our selfishness and stupidity.

—

My impression of the American government and its system. This is from someone looking from the outside in and may not be correct but before I start with that this is what it is like in New Zealand. Here in New Zealand, we base our lives on caring and helping others that may need a helping hand. Our health system is geared up where most of the cost is covered by the government. There are waiting times for surgery, but you can go private and it will be done straight away. There is social housing for those who need it both at the government level and at the local council level. It is not all rosie, as you do find people on the streets and there are beggars. You just need to be careful as it is a living for some and at the end of the day they go home to their own houses. Our lives are not ruled and controlled by the need to work as we put a lot into a well-balanced work and social life.

We have 4 weeks paid holiday where you are encouraged to take two weeks off in one go to spend with the family. The other two weeks are used how and when you like. There is two weeks sick leave, and you are encouraged to take time off if you have a cold as going to work will spread it and more people will be off. You can have 3 days off without a doctor’s certificate but after that you need to get one to cover more time off. You can take up to one week’s bereavement leave for each death in the family. Companies are very supportive and will often send flowers as a show of respect. Sick leave is accumulated and so when (my wife) went through her breast cancer a couple of years back, I was off work for six weeks supporting her during that time as I had accumulated so much leave over the years.

Pensions are paid by the government every two weeks to everyone over 65yrs no matter how much money they have and it is not means tested. When I work, the job is considered my first income and is subjected to a tax scale while my pension is considered secondary income and taxed at a higher rate. During the three winter months I receive extra payment to cover heating costs. We get a “Gold Card” that allows me to travel on the public transport system at reduced cost and in some cases no cost. The card allows me to get cheaper petrol at one set of stations and is a guaranteed 15 cents off per litre. The card can also be used on a Tuesday to gain 5% off your grocery bill at one company stores.

There is maternity leave for the woman as well as the father that is government paid for up to six months. There is no cost associated with having a child and there is subsidized childcare for the young and free schooling. The first year at university is free then you apply for an interest free loan from the government. Once you finish university, the loan must be paid back over a period of time at an amount you can afford, however if you leave the country then you start to pay interest on the loan. There is free dental care and doctor’s visits for children up to the age of 18 and reduced doctor fees for the over 65’s.

People work a 40hr week normally consisting of 5x8hr days. If you are required to work outside of these hours, then your pay rate becomes 1.5 normal rate for the first 3hrs and then 2.0 normal rate after that. You can also add in meal allowances and other extras. I once had a job where I was paid dirt money, height money and wet money for working outside in the rain. We have a minimum pay rate of about $24/hr so there is no need to pay tips. You can if you want but it is not necessary. We do our best to look after people in need.

Our government is elected every 4yrs. One leading party is into social justice and green issues. The other side supports farming, business and infrastructure. Under that government I have always done well and was always a high-income earner never needing government support in any way. When it is time to vote the parties tell you what they want to do and you vote on those principles. There is no bribery of officials to try and get things done and no underhanded things happening. Everything is above board.

Getting back to your question. (In America) I see two parties with people wanting to feather their own nests even taking money to help get things passed into legislation. The GOP seem to be the worse and are only there for get the most for themselves and their friends. I see the government running out of money to pay their employees at times because it is being held to ransom by the other party.

The court system seems to be a mess where judges are appointed for life by a president who will protect him with outlandish rulings in his favour, I refer to Judge Cannon. How can a convicted felon be able to gain office is beyond belief.

You have an incoming President threatening to take over Greenland and the Panama Cannel. He has indicated that he will add 25% tariffs to Canada and Mexico. He does not seem to realize that it is the American people that will be paying the 25%, not the exporting country, all they will do is find another market for their goods when Americans stop buying them because of the high price.

Nepotism seems to be rife with the incoming President giving key positions to family. It reminds me of a third world democracy and is very dangerous to producing a dictator.

I have a Kiwi friend living in America for the last 25yrs, he does not like Trump but voted for him anyway. He could not give me an answer as to why he did it. The lies told during the campaign such as immigrants eating the cats and dogs of their neighbors is outrageous and yet people believed it.

You have a great country that would be one of the richest in the world but there does not seem to be any social and moral obligation to the poor and needy. Our police are not armed here in New Zealand where yours are, I get why they need to be, but when a child can take a gun to school and kill teachers and fellow students then there is something wrong with society.

Our ambassadors to other countries are career people and retired politicians. They are selected by the government to represent the people of New Zealand; they are not given the position due to how much money was donated to elect a president or because he is a friend.

About the author:

Del Stone Jr. is a professional fiction writer. He is known primarily for his work in the contemporary dark fiction field, but has also published science fiction and contemporary fantasy. Stone’s stories, poetry and scripts have appeared in publications such as Amazing Stories, Eldritch Tales, and Bantam-Spectra’s Full Spectrum. His short fiction has been published in The Year’s Best Horror Stories XXII; Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine; the Pocket Books anthology More Phobias; the Barnes & Noble anthologies 100 Wicked Little Witch Stories, Horrors! 365 Scary Stories, and 100 Astounding Little Alien Stories; the HWA anthology Psychos; and other short fiction venues, like Blood Muse, Live Without a Net, Zombiesque and Sex Macabre. Stone’s comic book debut was in the Clive Barker series of books, Hellraiser, published by Marvel/Epic and reprinted in The Best of Hellraiser anthology. He has also published stories in Penthouse Comix, and worked with artist Dave Dorman on many projects, including the illustrated novella “Roadkill,” a short story for the Andrew Vachss anthology Underground from Dark Horse, an ashcan titled “December” for Hero Illustrated, and several of Dorman’s Wasted Lands novellas and comics, such as Rail from Image and “The Uninvited.” Stone’s novel, Dead Heat, won the 1996 International Horror Guild’s award for best first novel and was a runner-up for the Bram Stoker Award. Stone has also been a finalist for the IHG award for short fiction, the British Fantasy Award for best novella, and a semifinalist for the Nebula and Writers of the Future awards. His stories have appeared in anthologies that have won the Bram Stoker Award and the World Fantasy Award. Two of his works were optioned for film, the novella “Black Tide” and short story “Crisis Line.”

Stone recently retired after a 41-year career in journalism. He won numerous awards for his work, and in 1986 was named Florida’s best columnist in his circulation division by the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors. In 2001 he received an honorable mention from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association for his essay “When Freedom of Speech Ends” and in 2003 he was voted Best of the Best in the category of columnists by Emerald Coast Magazine. He participated in book signings and awareness campaigns, and was a guest on local television and radio programs.

As an addendum, Stone is single, kills tomatoes and morning glories with ruthless efficiency, once tied the stem of a cocktail cherry in a knot with his tongue, and carries a permanent scar on his chest after having been shot with a paintball gun. He’s in his 60s as of this writing but doesn’t look a day over 94.

Contact Del at [email protected]. He is also on Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, tumblr, TikTok, and Instagram. Visit his website at delstonejr.com .

Snow fell at a furious rate the afternoon of Jan. 21, 2025, during an unprecedented winter storm that blanketed the Southeast with snow and freezing temperatures. Image by Del Stone Jr.

Northwest Florida got a taste of climate change on Jan. 21, 2025, when an unprecedented snowstorm blanketed the area with up to 8 inches of snow.

The jet stream, departing from its usual west-to-east track, brought arctic air deep into the southeastern United States. That, coupled with a low pressure area forming in the western Gulf of Mexico – that’s right, Gulf of MEXICO – led to what will undoubtedly become known as the Snowstorm of the Century for Northwest Florida.

Only once before had snow fallen in significant quantities in southern Okaloosa County – Feb. 9, 1973, when anywhere from 2 to 4 inches fell. The Jan. 21 event buried that record with an astounding 6 to 8 inches.

In south Okaloosa the snow began around 2:30 in the afternoon. It did not end until close to 10 o’clock that night. High winds and freezing temperatures completed the picture. In some areas of the Southeast, BLIZZARD WARNINGS were issued.

Some people said this storm proves climate change is a hoax. Aren’t temperatures supposed to be growing ever warmer?

Temperatures ARE growing ever warmer, an average of about 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit since the 1950s. Virtually ever year over the past 15 years has set a new high average temperature record.

But climate change is about more than just higher average temperatures. One of its tenets is escalating weather extremes, both heat- and cold-related. The Jan. 21 snowstorm certainly qualifies as a cold-related weather extreme.

And what does our new president do? Pulls the United States out of the Paris climate accords and recommits to doing the very thing that got us here in the first place – burning fossil fuels.

You and I will not suffer the consequences of this folly any more than we already are, but your children may see worse, and your grandchildren almost certainly will. Next time, choose your leaders wisely.

And batten the hatches. Hurricane season is approaching.

All images by Del Stone Jr.

About the author:

Del Stone Jr. is a professional fiction writer. He is known primarily for his work in the contemporary dark fiction field, but has also published science fiction and contemporary fantasy. Stone’s stories, poetry and scripts have appeared in publications such as Amazing Stories, Eldritch Tales, and Bantam-Spectra’s Full Spectrum. His short fiction has been published in The Year’s Best Horror Stories XXII; Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine; the Pocket Books anthology More Phobias; the Barnes & Noble anthologies 100 Wicked Little Witch Stories, Horrors! 365 Scary Stories, and 100 Astounding Little Alien Stories; the HWA anthology Psychos; and other short fiction venues, like Blood Muse, Live Without a Net, Zombiesque and Sex Macabre. Stone’s comic book debut was in the Clive Barker series of books, Hellraiser, published by Marvel/Epic and reprinted in The Best of Hellraiser anthology. He has also published stories in Penthouse Comix, and worked with artist Dave Dorman on many projects, including the illustrated novella “Roadkill,” a short story for the Andrew Vachss anthology Underground from Dark Horse, an ashcan titled “December” for Hero Illustrated, and several of Dorman’s Wasted Lands novellas and comics, such as Rail from Image and “The Uninvited.” Stone’s novel, Dead Heat, won the 1996 International Horror Guild’s award for best first novel and was a runner-up for the Bram Stoker Award. Stone has also been a finalist for the IHG award for short fiction, the British Fantasy Award for best novella, and a semifinalist for the Nebula and Writers of the Future awards. His stories have appeared in anthologies that have won the Bram Stoker Award and the World Fantasy Award. Two of his works were optioned for film, the novella “Black Tide” and short story “Crisis Line.”

Stone recently retired after a 41-year career in journalism. He won numerous awards for his work, and in 1986 was named Florida’s best columnist in his circulation division by the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors. In 2001 he received an honorable mention from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association for his essay “When Freedom of Speech Ends” and in 2003 he was voted Best of the Best in the category of columnists by Emerald Coast Magazine. He participated in book signings and awareness campaigns, and was a guest on local television and radio programs.

As an addendum, Stone is single, kills tomatoes and morning glories with ruthless efficiency, once tied the stem of a cocktail cherry in a knot with his tongue, and carries a permanent scar on his chest after having been shot with a paintball gun. He’s in his 60s as of this writing but doesn’t look a day over 94.

Contact Del at [email protected]. He is also on Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, tumblr, TikTok, and Instagram. Visit his website at delstonejr.com .

Mom and Pat share a laugh on Christmas morning, 1976, at our house on Pryor Road in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. Image by Del Stone Sr.

I raided both my and my folks’ photos for images of holidays past for this Christmas Eve retrospective.

Image by Netflix

“Carry-On” Starring Taron Egerton, Jason Bateman, Sofia Carson. Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. Rated PG-13. 1 hour, 59 minutes long.

Del’s take

“Carry-On,” the new thriller from Netflix, is “Die Hard” without the charismatic lead and relatable love interest. But its antagonist, while no Hans Gruber, does provide a satisfying level of menace and the Al Powell role is greatly and satisfyingly expanded.

“Carry-on” takes place at an airport, which I suppose makes it “Die Hard 2.” Taron Egerton plays the role of Ethan Kopek, the self-doubting and somewhat listless boyfriend of Nora Parisi (Sofia Carson), both of whom work at LAX. Kopek is languishing at his TSA job of running a metal detector over perpetually angry Karens flying from Los Angeles to wherever Karens go to roost. What he really wants to do is be a cop. But he applied and was rejected, so now he’s marking time and not really going anywhere in life.

After a pep talk from Nora, Kopek presses his boss, Phil Sarkowski (the always excellent Dean Norris of “Breaking Bad” fame) for a turn at the scanning machine, a step up from his lowly metal detecting duties. After some pushback Sarkowski obliges, and it’s here where events take a turn for the malevolent. Kopek is handed an ear piece over which he receives instructions to let a certain bag pass through the detector or people will die, including Nora.

Thus begins the meat of “Carry-On,” with Kopek racing against time, his fellow TSA agents, the Los Angeles PD and the mysterious voice over the ear piece (the unnamed Jason Bateman in a rare, dark role) to thwart a catastrophe.

“Carry-On” suffers from a couple of problems, most notably pacing, with fully the first half of the movie devoted to character development and backstory. At times the pacing was so glacial I was tempted to switch to “Squid Games 2.” But over a period of two days I managed to muck my way through all the nonsense about meeting Dad’s expectations and not letting one failure get you down, and finally the action commenced.

Once there the movie moved along briskly, admittedly with a few hitches in logic. I felt I was being asked to suspend my disbelief way too often, more frequently than in “Die Hard.”

The other problem was casting. Taron Egerton is a good enough actor and I loved him in the “Kingsman” movies, but here he seems weak and indecisive, not at all like Bruce Willis’ flawed but heroic John McClain. Sofia Carson was way too exotic for her role as Kopek’s pregnant girlfriend.

What Egerton and Carson lack as leads, however, Jason Bateman and Danielle Deadwyler more than make up for in their roles as antagonist and the LA PD detective who is inadvertently drawn into the terroristic confrontation. Bateman can’t match Alan Rickman’s energy as Hans Gruber in “Die Hard” but he doesn’t try. In “Carry-On” he’s a subdued avatar for evil, and maybe a symbol for the American imperative of capitalism at any cost. Deadwyler’s portrayal of Det. Elena Cole pretty much stole the show for me. I’d like to see her in a movie or TV show of her own. What else can I say? She was sensational!

If I were to grade “Carry-On” I’d give it a solid B. It’s a good enough action movie that’s slow to get going, and maybe I didn’t care as much as I should have about the protagonist and his love interest. But the action is terrific and the other characters are sufficiently engaging to carry me over the hump.

Del Stone Jr. is a former journalist and a writer.

This is just a random photo of me I took today while out in the freezing cold getting my 3 miles of walking in.

During the run-up to the Nov. 5 election I heard of Trump supporters who said they wouldn’t mind seeing Obamacare repealed but they didn’t want the Affordable Care Act touched. The ACA was their health insurance provider and they liked it just fine.

Ever since then I’ve been trying to think of a tactful way of giving them bad the news, because that’s what I am now. Tactful. Nice. I’m trying to reinvent myself. In the past I would have lashed out, calling them stupid, or MAGAts, or orcs. But now I’m trying to be a kinder, gentler Del … (even though I’m surrounded with seething stupidity – OK, not gonna go there).

I think I’ve come up with something and I wanted to run it past you guys to see how it sounds, OK? So here goes. This is what I came up with:

Hi there.

You know who Snoop Dogg is, don’t you? Everyone knows who Snoop Dogg is – hell, even I know who Snoop Dogg is, and I’m so out of touch with pop culture I thought rage farming was some kind of organic chicken.

Anyway, you do know that Snoop Dogg is not his actual name. It’s not as if his mother, Mrs. Dogg, went to the hospital, gave birth to a bouncing baby boy and named him Snoop.

No. His real name is Calvin Broadus Jr. “Snoop Dogg” is his nom de plume, his stage name, his street name if you will. But at the end of the day Calvin Broadus Jr. and Snoop Dog are the same person.

Obamacare has the same relationship with the Affordable Care Act. Obamacare is the “street name,” if you will, for the Affordable Care Act. But at the end of the day, Obamacare and the Affordable Care Act are the same thing.

Some of you are beginning to realize you have made a terrible mistake, that by voting for candidates who said they would repeal Obamacare, you voted to have your own health insurance gutted.

I know this is happening because some of you are going to Google and typing in, “Can I change my vote?”

Well, no, you can’t change your vote. Voting is not like going to Walmart and buying a pair of nose-hair trimmers and realizing they’re the wrong size so you take them back and try to get a refund. Voting is non-refundable.

But don’t freak out. All is not lost. There is one thing you can do.

If these politicians – who YOU helped elect – end up gutting your health insurance, you have one option. And I say this entirely without rancor. I’m not being sarcastic. I’m not trying to be a wise guy.

If these politicians – who YOU helped elect – end up gutting your health insurance, do this:

Don’t get sick.

It’s as simple as that.

Just don’t get sick.

For the next four years, don’t get sick.

Think of it this way: Remember when you were a kid, and you were stuck in the car with Mom and Dad on some long road trip, and Dad was driving and you had to pee real bad but Dad didn’t want to stop so you had to hold it in until Dad got tired and pulled over? Remember that?

Well, that’s what you have to do now. Hold it in.

For the next four years, if you get sick, just hold it in until we can get somebody back in the White House who might reinstate your health insurance.

I know. That’s not the news you were hoping to hear. I’m sorry.

But that’s all I got. And now it’s time to go.

So good luck, and goodbye.

About the author:

Del Stone Jr. is a professional fiction writer. He is known primarily for his work in the contemporary dark fiction field, but has also published science fiction and contemporary fantasy. Stone’s stories, poetry and scripts have appeared in publications such as Amazing Stories, Eldritch Tales, and Bantam-Spectra’s Full Spectrum. His short fiction has been published in The Year’s Best Horror Stories XXII; Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine; the Pocket Books anthology More Phobias; the Barnes & Noble anthologies 100 Wicked Little Witch Stories, Horrors! 365 Scary Stories, and 100 Astounding Little Alien Stories; the HWA anthology Psychos; and other short fiction venues, like Blood Muse, Live Without a Net, Zombiesque and Sex Macabre. Stone’s comic book debut was in the Clive Barker series of books, Hellraiser, published by Marvel/Epic and reprinted in The Best of Hellraiser anthology. He has also published stories in Penthouse Comix, and worked with artist Dave Dorman on many projects, including the illustrated novella “Roadkill,” a short story for the Andrew Vachss anthology Underground from Dark Horse, an ashcan titled “December” for Hero Illustrated, and several of Dorman’s Wasted Lands novellas and comics, such as Rail from Image and “The Uninvited.” Stone’s novel, Dead Heat, won the 1996 International Horror Guild’s award for best first novel and was a runner-up for the Bram Stoker Award. Stone has also been a finalist for the IHG award for short fiction, the British Fantasy Award for best novella, and a semifinalist for the Nebula and Writers of the Future awards. His stories have appeared in anthologies that have won the Bram Stoker Award and the World Fantasy Award. Two of his works were optioned for film, the novella “Black Tide” and short story “Crisis Line.”

Stone recently retired after a 41-year career in journalism. He won numerous awards for his work, and in 1986 was named Florida’s best columnist in his circulation division by the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors. In 2001 he received an honorable mention from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association for his essay “When Freedom of Speech Ends” and in 2003 he was voted Best of the Best in the category of columnists by Emerald Coast Magazine. He participated in book signings and awareness campaigns, and was a guest on local television and radio programs.

As an addendum, Stone is single, kills tomatoes and morning glories with ruthless efficiency, once tied the stem of a cocktail cherry in a knot with his tongue, and carries a permanent scar on his chest after having been shot with a paintball gun. He’s in his 60s as of this writing but doesn’t look a day over 94.

Contact Del at [email protected]. He is also on Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, tumblr, TikTok, and Instagram. Visit his website at delstonejr.com .

As you can see, the very important part of the label, the one that reads "dog treats," is covered by the price tag. Thanks, guys! Image by Del Stone Jr.

They say you should never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach, but that’s what I did the other day – I was STARVING to death.

I saw this bag of beef jerky and I thought, “Oh, that looks so good,” so I went ahead and got it.

Last night I was craving a snack so I ripped open the bag, took one out and started eating it.

It had kind of a funky taste so I took a look at the package, and that’s when I realized the price tag was covering the part of the label that read:

DOG TREATS.

I was eating a DOG TREAT.

A little Thanksgiving surprise for me from Walmart.

Thanks, guys!

About the author:

Del Stone Jr. is a professional fiction writer. He is known primarily for his work in the contemporary dark fiction field, but has also published science fiction and contemporary fantasy. Stone’s stories, poetry and scripts have appeared in publications such as Amazing Stories, Eldritch Tales, and Bantam-Spectra’s Full Spectrum. His short fiction has been published in The Year’s Best Horror Stories XXII; Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine; the Pocket Books anthology More Phobias; the Barnes & Noble anthologies 100 Wicked Little Witch Stories, Horrors! 365 Scary Stories, and 100 Astounding Little Alien Stories; the HWA anthology Psychos; and other short fiction venues, like Blood Muse, Live Without a Net, Zombiesque and Sex Macabre. Stone’s comic book debut was in the Clive Barker series of books, Hellraiser, published by Marvel/Epic and reprinted in The Best of Hellraiser anthology. He has also published stories in Penthouse Comix, and worked with artist Dave Dorman on many projects, including the illustrated novella “Roadkill,” a short story for the Andrew Vachss anthology Underground from Dark Horse, an ashcan titled “December” for Hero Illustrated, and several of Dorman’s Wasted Lands novellas and comics, such as Rail from Image and “The Uninvited.” Stone’s novel, Dead Heat, won the 1996 International Horror Guild’s award for best first novel and was a runner-up for the Bram Stoker Award. Stone has also been a finalist for the IHG award for short fiction, the British Fantasy Award for best novella, and a semifinalist for the Nebula and Writers of the Future awards. His stories have appeared in anthologies that have won the Bram Stoker Award and the World Fantasy Award. Two of his works were optioned for film, the novella “Black Tide” and short story “Crisis Line.”

Stone recently retired after a 41-year career in journalism. He won numerous awards for his work, and in 1986 was named Florida’s best columnist in his circulation division by the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors. In 2001 he received an honorable mention from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association for his essay “When Freedom of Speech Ends” and in 2003 he was voted Best of the Best in the category of columnists by Emerald Coast Magazine. He participated in book signings and awareness campaigns, and was a guest on local television and radio programs.

As an addendum, Stone is single, kills tomatoes and morning glories with ruthless efficiency, once tied the stem of a cocktail cherry in a knot with his tongue, and carries a permanent scar on his chest after having been shot with a paintball gun. He’s in his 60s as of this writing but doesn’t look a day over 94.

Contact Del at [email protected]. He is also on Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, tumblr, TikTok, and Instagram. Visit his website at delstonejr.com .

I don't know who took this picture. They should never be allowed to use a camera again.

Today is my birthday. Here is a list of my demands.

I want a Gulfstream private jet. That way Taylor Swift and I can drop down to Key West for lunch, or make a day of shopping at those cute little boutiques in Panama.

If you’re not going to buy me the Gulfstream, how about a Bugatti Chiron sports car? Imagine, a car that sits so low to the ground you can slide under the 18-wheelers as you cruise down the interstate at over 300 mph. Perfect for navigating the parking lot at Walmart.

If the Bugatti doesn’t work for you, I can make this simple: Give me 346 million dollars. Why 346 million? That’s enough money that I can buy all the trinkets I want, but not so much that it makes me look greedy.

You’re not going to do any of those things, are you. (Cheapskate.) Well at least do this:

Like this post, and leave a comment. Wish me a happy birthday. Tell me I look good for my age. Follow, or subscribe, or whatever – just attach yourself to me in some way … not like a parasite, but you know what I mean. In a way that seems to mean something but really doesn’t.

I need the affirmation. I’m 69 now, the last year that I can conceivably claim to be “middle aged” before I become the next poster child for AARP.

I guess I should wrap this up with something funny, or wry, but to be honest, I can’t think of anything. I’m having a senior moment.

That’s it. I’m done.

Bye.

P.S. – That picture of me was taken 24 years ago. I look much worse now. But I really like that Ecko shirt. I wish I still had it. I wish it would still fit.

About the author:

Del Stone Jr. is a professional fiction writer. He is known primarily for his work in the contemporary dark fiction field, but has also published science fiction and contemporary fantasy. Stone’s stories, poetry and scripts have appeared in publications such as Amazing Stories, Eldritch Tales, and Bantam-Spectra’s Full Spectrum. His short fiction has been published in The Year’s Best Horror Stories XXII; Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine; the Pocket Books anthology More Phobias; the Barnes & Noble anthologies 100 Wicked Little Witch Stories, Horrors! 365 Scary Stories, and 100 Astounding Little Alien Stories; the HWA anthology Psychos; and other short fiction venues, like Blood Muse, Live Without a Net, Zombiesque and Sex Macabre. Stone’s comic book debut was in the Clive Barker series of books, Hellraiser, published by Marvel/Epic and reprinted in The Best of Hellraiser anthology. He has also published stories in Penthouse Comix, and worked with artist Dave Dorman on many projects, including the illustrated novella “Roadkill,” a short story for the Andrew Vachss anthology Underground from Dark Horse, an ashcan titled “December” for Hero Illustrated, and several of Dorman’s Wasted Lands novellas and comics, such as Rail from Image and “The Uninvited.” Stone’s novel, Dead Heat, won the 1996 International Horror Guild’s award for best first novel and was a runner-up for the Bram Stoker Award. Stone has also been a finalist for the IHG award for short fiction, the British Fantasy Award for best novella, and a semifinalist for the Nebula and Writers of the Future awards. His stories have appeared in anthologies that have won the Bram Stoker Award and the World Fantasy Award. Two of his works were optioned for film, the novella “Black Tide” and short story “Crisis Line.”

Stone recently retired after a 41-year career in journalism. He won numerous awards for his work, and in 1986 was named Florida’s best columnist in his circulation division by the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors. In 2001 he received an honorable mention from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association for his essay “When Freedom of Speech Ends” and in 2003 he was voted Best of the Best in the category of columnists by Emerald Coast Magazine. He participated in book signings and awareness campaigns, and was a guest on local television and radio programs.

As an addendum, Stone is single, kills tomatoes and morning glories with ruthless efficiency, once tied the stem of a cocktail cherry in a knot with his tongue, and carries a permanent scar on his chest after having been shot with a paintball gun. He’s in his 60s as of this writing but doesn’t look a day over 94.

Contact Del at [email protected]. He is also on Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, tumblr, TikTok, and Instagram. Visit his website at delstonejr.com .

Former president Donald Trump was recently interviewed by The Bulletin, a monthly publication of the American Association of Retired Persons.

In that interview he was asked questions about the economy – how he would bring down the high cost of food, fuel and rent; how he would save Social Security; and how he would push back the date at which Medicare becomes insolvent.

He answered that he’d do all those things by strengthening the economy. He argued the high cost of everything is due in large part to the cost of energy, and if he could make oil more available, prices would come down. He used the words, “Drill, baby, drill” – meaning he would ramp up the exploration and drilling for oil. More oil would mean lower energy prices, which lower the price of everything else.

It’s the old maxim that a rising tide floats all boats. Most of the time that’s true, but this time there’s a problem.

The tide is already high.

Go to your favorite search engine. Mine is Google, but there are others. Ask it, “Which country is the world’s leading oil producer?”

The answer will be the United States. The United States produces more oil than Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Russia, Iran, and all the traditional oil producers.

While you’re there, ask your favorite search engine, “Which country leads the world in oil exploration and drilling?’

Once again the answer will be the United States.

The United States is already doing what Donald Trump says he will do to fix the economy. That means, the cornerstone of Donald Trump’s economic plan is null and void.

He is literally a man without a plan.

If it isn’t too late, reconsider your vote for Donald Trump. We can’t afford to elect a man without a plan.

About the author:

Del Stone Jr. is a professional fiction writer. He is known primarily for his work in the contemporary dark fiction field, but has also published science fiction and contemporary fantasy. Stone’s stories, poetry and scripts have appeared in publications such as Amazing Stories, Eldritch Tales, and Bantam-Spectra’s Full Spectrum. His short fiction has been published in The Year’s Best Horror Stories XXII; Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine; the Pocket Books anthology More Phobias; the Barnes & Noble anthologies 100 Wicked Little Witch Stories, Horrors! 365 Scary Stories, and 100 Astounding Little Alien Stories; the HWA anthology Psychos; and other short fiction venues, like Blood Muse, Live Without a Net, Zombiesque and Sex Macabre. Stone’s comic book debut was in the Clive Barker series of books, Hellraiser, published by Marvel/Epic and reprinted in The Best of Hellraiser anthology. He has also published stories in Penthouse Comix, and worked with artist Dave Dorman on many projects, including the illustrated novella “Roadkill,” a short story for the Andrew Vachss anthology Underground from Dark Horse, an ashcan titled “December” for Hero Illustrated, and several of Dorman’s Wasted Lands novellas and comics, such as Rail from Image and “The Uninvited.” Stone’s novel, Dead Heat, won the 1996 International Horror Guild’s award for best first novel and was a runner-up for the Bram Stoker Award. Stone has also been a finalist for the IHG award for short fiction, the British Fantasy Award for best novella, and a semifinalist for the Nebula and Writers of the Future awards. His stories have appeared in anthologies that have won the Bram Stoker Award and the World Fantasy Award. Two of his works were optioned for film, the novella “Black Tide” and short story “Crisis Line.”

Stone recently retired after a 41-year career in journalism. He won numerous awards for his work, and in 1986 was named Florida’s best columnist in his circulation division by the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors. In 2001 he received an honorable mention from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association for his essay “When Freedom of Speech Ends” and in 2003 he was voted Best of the Best in the category of columnists by Emerald Coast Magazine. He participated in book signings and awareness campaigns, and was a guest on local television and radio programs.

As an addendum, Stone is single, kills tomatoes and morning glories with ruthless efficiency, once tied the stem of a cocktail cherry in a knot with his tongue, and carries a permanent scar on his chest after having been shot with a paintball gun. He’s in his 60s as of this writing but doesn’t look a day over 94.

Contact Del at [email protected]. He is also on Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, tumblr, TikTok, and Instagram. Visit his website at delstonejr.com .