“Killer Siblings” — The SUH Case Is Back This Weekend

Every few years, a true crime case captures the interest and imagination of the people who follow true crime. Chicago’s Suh family seems to be one of those cases. For the second or third time in a decade, a true crime TV series, this time Oxygen TV’s series “Killer Siblings” is revisiting the gruesome case … Read more

Love In A “Politically Unstable Climate”

This is a revision of a blog I initially wrote 5 years ago, but it might have been written 5 days ago. Scary. Happy Valentine’s Day. Few of us live in total isolation. Most of us love somebody, whether it’s a mother, father, children, relatives, even a pet. And when you write female characters as … Read more

Fire Road

You can’t be an American without having strong feelings about the Vietnam War. One of the most extraordinary images from it, and one of the world’s most shocking depictions of the impact of violent conflict, is an image that, once seen, is never forgotten. It’s the famous heart-breaking photo of the eight year old “Napalm … Read more

Vietnam: Saigon to Mekong Villages

I think I mentioned that everyone in Vietnam gets around on motor scooters, and in the cities, they look and sound like a hive of bees. You see both men and women, and many carry their children as well. Some women cover their work clothes with an old skirt and wear gloves and long sleeves … Read more

Vietnam: The Cu Chi Tunnels

One of the highlights of the trip for me was a visit to the Cu Chi tunnels.  During the Vietnam War, The Viet Cong (VC) dug tens of thousands of miles of tunnels, including an extensive network running underneath the Cu Chi district northwest of Saigon. They connect to the Ho Chi Minh trail, and we … Read more

Vietnam: Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City

Compared to Hanoi, Saigon aka Ho Chi Minh City (I was surprised how many people still call it Saigon) is Vegas, baby! The lights, the crowds, the motor scooters, the young people all trying to go for the gold ring, was energizing and, sometimes, quite amazing. For example, the 5 star hotel we stayed at, … Read more

Vietnam: HaLong Bay

HaLong Bay, about a three hour drive from Hanoi, feeds into the Gulf of Tonkin. Yes, THAT Gulf of Tonkin. But today, there is no memory of a war or skirmishes with armed ships in the area. Today HaLong Bay is under massive development as a tourist resort. Most of the development is funded by … Read more