Don't Copy Military IDs

Don't allow copying of your military ID card. It's actually illegal under Title 18, U.S. Code Part I, Chapter 33, Section 701, and is punishable by fine and imprisonment. This applies to all DOD IDs, like dependent IDs.

The following is extracted from DoD Instruction 1000.13 Enclosure 3:

2. GUIDELINES AND RESTRICTIONS. The guidelines and restrictions of this section apply to all forms of DoD ID cards.

a. Any person willfully altering, damaging, lending, counterfeiting, or using these cards in any unauthorized manner is subject to fine or imprisonment or both, as prescribed in sections 499, 506, 509, 701, and 1001 of title 18, United States Code (U.S.C.) (Reference (us)). Section 701 of Reference (us) prohibits photographing or otherwise reproducing or possessing DoD ID cards in an unauthorized manner, under penalty of fine or imprisonment or both. Unauthorized or fraudulent use of ID cards would exist if bearers used the card to obtain benefits and privileges to which they are not entitled. Examples of authorized photocopying include photocopying of DoD ID cards to facilitate medical care processing, check cashing, voting, tax matters, compliance with appendix 501 of title 50, U.S.C. (also known as “The Service member’s Civil Relief Act”) (Reference (vt)), or administering other military-related benefits to eligible beneficiaries. When possible, the ID card will be electronically authenticated in lieu of photographing the card.

c. All ID cards are property of the U.S. Government and shall be returned upon separation, resignation, firing, termination of contract or affiliation with the DoD, or upon any other event in which the individual no longer requires the use of such ID card.

I could find nothing about copying IDs in Title 50, U.S.C. Appendix 501 – just finding it was close to impossible, I got lost on the 'net.

To summarize, don't allow copying of your military issued ID except for:

• Medical facilities that you provide your medical care
• Your health insurance company
• Voting
• The IRS or your State voting authorities need a copy
• Check cashing
• Other military-related benefits

It's still better to use your driver license or other ID when possible.

One Naughty Girl (A Landry James Short)

One Naughty Girl
by Alexx Andria
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It is short.

Good plot to go with all the sex. I would like to read more of these but I see the second one is $2.99 and is a short one also.

$2.99 for nineteen pages? That's a little steep, I think.

Maybe $0.99... maybe.

FYI, this short story has DRM.

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The Admiral’s Cage: A Darkspace Saga Story

The Admiral’s Cage: A Darkspace Saga Story
by B.C. Kellogg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The concept here doesn't seem to be unique. The implementation is different, therefore making an original story that is different than any of the other, similar, stories I've read.

Although, I will admit, I'm not absolutely sure just what the concept is yet. I have an idea, but I could be wrong (I know, I know, but it could happen you know). I'm sure all will be revealed in time (If I'm wrong on this then blame it on the author).

This is a good space opera type of story with a twist.

I think you will enjoy it.

And it is free of DRM.

Read Lords of the Dark before this one. It makes more sense that way than the way I did it.

Lords of the Dark: A Darkspace Saga Novella

Lords of the Dark: A Darkspace Saga Novella
by B.C. Kellogg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Enjoyable

Interesting. The Lords of the Dark is different than most space opera types of books. I will not say how because I believe​ it would have to include spoilers. I enjoyed it very much.

No DRM with this book.

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Ruins of Empire: Blood on the Stars III

Ruins of Empire:Blood on the Stars III 
by Jay Allan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Captain Tyler Barron and crew are sent for a refit to a facility at the edge of the Quarantined Zone (unofficially known as the Badlands). Knowing he will take a request from two very highly placed men as an order, they ask Captain Barron to volunteer to take the Dauntless into the Badlands to check on an ancient artifact that may be a huge weapon of the pre-Cataclysm civilization. Their mission is to see if the artifact does exist and, if so, to prevent the Union from aquiring it while waiting for reinforcements to arrive.

They will have to fight against impossible odds, but this time it's for the very freedom of the human race. If the Union gets the ancient technology they will be able to subdue and enslave all nations.

And, again, the battleship CFS Dauntless is barely operational.

I give this one 5 stars. It has some of the same kind of errors as the first two, but there is a lot less of them. The errors are minor.

This book is DRM-free.


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Call to Arms: Blood on the Stars II

Call to Arms: Blood on the Stars II
by Jay Allan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The famous Captain Tyler Barron and crew must once again cut short their refit to travel back to the far side of the Confederation because the Union has finally invaded. Again, the battleship CFS Dauntless is barely operational.

So back into battles they go. But this time they are not alone. They partner up with another Confederation battleship this time. With the unconventional, rule-breaking methods of Barron they fight against impossible odds

I give this one 5 stars. It has some of the same kind of errors as the first one, but the chapters all start with the correct information. So the errors are minor. 

No DRM here.

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Duel in the Dark: Blood on the Stars I

Duel in the Dark: Blood on the Stars I 
by Jay Allan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

300 years after the final collapse of the Human civilization, known as the Cataclysm, the Confederation is facing their fourth war with the Union.

Captain Tyler Barron is the grandson of the great war hero of the second war, Admiral Barron. He doesn't expect to be a great hero but he does intend to fight in the looming war with the Union and maintain the honor of the Barron name.

After ten months patrolling the border between the Confederation and the Union the Confederation Ship Dauntless is sent, closer repair facilities being overloaded, to the far side of Confederation for a long overdue refit. This is a chance for the exhausted crew to get some badly needed rest and recreation.

CFS Dauntless is the only warship near the Rim, so they must cut short their refit and R & R to answer a distress call from a small but strategic base located in a system on the Rim.

With major repairs less than half completed, the facility and Dauntless engineers quickly patch up and reassemble equipment so the ship can get underway in two weeks instead of several months.

Expecting to deal with smugglers or pirates, Captain Barron and the crew of the battleship find themselves in a fight for their lives against a larger, brand new battleship.

Can they prevail? Can Tyler show that he is a Barron in more than just name? Or will they go down in defeat and death, leaving the Confederation in two front war with two enemies instead of one?

The is a tense, action-packed, space opera type of story.

I loved it. The writing is excellent. The people are real. The action is great.

Five star writing. I had to bump it down to four stars because starting with chapter 32 the start of every chapter had the ship listed as CFS Dauntless, even when all other info showed it was really AS Invictus. This threw me off at the start of chapter 32 because I didn't pay attention to the other info, just the ship name, so when I started reading my mind was on the wrong ship. There were also a few instances of wrong pronoun use, he when it should have been she and vice versa. Also some character names were wrong. All these are minor mistakes but when added together they cost a star on the rating. 

I changed it back to five stars because it is DRM-free.

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Latest News From The Trump Universe

Early tomorrow morning Swedish authorities arrested the Illegal Alien that was responsible for the Bowling Green Massacre That Never Happened. After holding him for twenty four hours the fake news media of the State of Meridian put it up to a vote of what to do with this Criminal Illegal Alien.

Two days from now the people of the Pacific Island Republic of Surfnow voted to extradite him to the United States of not great again yet America to be tried by a kangaroo court, found guilty on a whim, then executed by an official lynch mob of Trump worshippers.

Next week he was transported to the United States (still not great again yet), where he has already been declared guilty by Executive Order, which is the Law because it was signed by the Dictator, King Trump.

That same evening, at sunset, this Criminal Illegal Alien that masterminded the Bowling Green Massacre That Never Happened was hung by the ankles from a tall mesquite tree by the official lynch mob that was ordained by the demigod Donald on the front lawn of the Whitehouse.

After being forcefully questioned using extremely painful techniques by the FBI, investigated with the aid of hobnailed boots and other physically damaging methods by the CIA, tickled unmercifully by the SMV, mind-probed by the UOFC Society and forced to listen to six hours of Trump excuses as stated by KaC this Criminal Mastermind Illegal Alien finally confessed his crime and the method used to cause the Bowling Green Massacre That Never Happened.

The Criminally Insane Mastermind Illegal Alien caused the Bowling Green Massacre That Never Happened using mind control techniques he was taught in elementary school at the tender young age of one hundred thirty three years. This happened nine years from today.

There is Massive Evidence that these alternative facts are the absolute, undeniable truth.

Trump Quotes and My Opinions of Them

Quote: “completely eradicate Islamic terrorism”

Comment: Really? Yes, I do think it is possible. Do I have a plan? No, but I don't think Trump can come up with a viable plan to make it happen, either. A viable plan would entail convincing many other countries to commit, and actually supply, a lot of money and resources, as well as soldiers. Can Trump do that? Highly doubtful. My opinion? I don't think he will even be able to convince the U.S. Congress to commit the money, soldiers and other resources required, much less other countries.

I also question why he singled out Islamic terrorism instead of all terrorism.

Quote: “When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice.”

Comment: No room for prejudice? This from the man that promises to eradicate Islamic terrorism with the implication that he will not bother with other terrorism? And what about all those Mexican rapists? And I don't even remember all the things he said about women! Contradicting himself? Yes.

Quote: “The wealth of our middle class has been ripped from their homes and then redistributed all across the world.”

Comment: If this were true there wouldn't be so many people in third world countries that are starving and don't even have clean water. How much of that wealth would they say they have received?

The wealth of the middle class? The middle class have never been wealthy, that's why they are middle class, they are between the wealthy and the poor – in the middle. Something our current President doesn't seem to understand. Maybe because he's always been wealthy, even though he has filed bankruptcy at least three times and is in debt to the tune of billions (fifteen billion, I think).

So where has the middle class's money gone? To the rich! Making them richer and us poorer. High prices, low pay, high taxes, while the rich individuals and corporations get their taxes lowered and have all those loopholes to use to evade taxes, sometimes eliminate them. Let's not forget the exorbitant pay and bonuses of a lot of high level executives.

Quote: “build new roads, bridges and airports.”

Comment: A lofty promise. A good thing, if he can make it happen. But what about the current infrastructure? Is he going to fix the roads, bridges and airports that need it? Is he going to come up with an affordable maintenance plan to prevent future damage?

Change The U.S.A.'s Electoral Process

America's methods of selecting elected officials is outdated and unfair. It needs to be changed to reflect modern realities and to make it more fair.

When the U.S.A. was brought into existence the fastest means of communication was couriers on horseback and ships propelled by wind using sails.

As a result of the slow communication and lack of technology the electoral college was conceived. Also because some of the men that contributed to the U.S. Constitution thought the common man was too stupid or uneducated enough to select someone as important as the U.S. President.

That was then, this is now. Isn't that the way the saying goes?

Even though we now have the technology needed to eliminate the electoral college enough of our rulers still hold to the elitist idea that we are either too stupid or uneducated to elect important public servants like the President. The result is that we still have the electoral college.

Our recent Presidential election demonstrates this. Hillary Clinton had more popular votes, people's votes, than Donald Trump, yet he won the election because he had more electoral votes.¹

This is proof that we do not elect the President, our State governments, via the electoral votes, do.

The demand to rid ourselves of the electoral college and use the votes of the people to elect government officials has been repeated many times for many years. This demand seems to have no effect on our leaders.

It seems they would rather fight about partisan ideologies instead of working together to solve important issues. Many of them even deny facts to keep the fight going instead of trying to solve the problems the facts demonstrate are real.

Party delegates to select the Presidential nominees is just as unfair, outdated and elitist as the electoral college and should be eliminated. Let the people of that political party choose the nominee without the middle man.

People are demanding these changes more than ever. Wake up D.C., it will happen. Why wait until it slaps you in the face with the inevitability to make the changes? Try looking ahead for once and make the changes now instead of reacting (badly) to the necessities after the fact.

Make the amendments to the Constitution that are needed to make it happen while you still have time to think about it and do it right, or as right as you can, instead of rushing it later and screwing it up like usual.

Our Constitution says we are a republic and does not have the word democratic in it at all. But our government officials keep saying we are a democracy. It has been repeated often enough that it is now expected, and believed, to be so. Make it so, take my suggestions and do it.

¹Politifact-Winner of the Pulitzer Prize -- No, Donald Trump is not beating Hillary Clinton in the popular vote

Review: Worlds Of The Sex Gates

Worlds Of The Sex Gates by Jeanine Berry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sex change abounds. Total sex change. Hormones, reproductive parts, everything. Interesting take on the roles gender can have in society when gender is not permanent.

In this third installment even more is learned about the mysterious creators of the sex gates. And more about the humans that use them.

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Review: Masters of the Sex Gates

Masters of the Sex Gates by Jeanine Berry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sex change abounds. Total sex change. Hormones, reproductive parts, everything. Interesting take on the roles gender can have in society when gender is not permanent.

In this, the second book of the trilogy, they learn more about the mysterious race that created the sex gates.

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Review: Masters of the Sex Gates

Masters of the Sex Gates by Jeanine Berry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sex change abounds. Total sex change. Hormones, reproductive parts, everything. Interesting take on the roles gender can have in society when gender is not permanent.

In this, the second book of the trilogy, they learn more about the mysterious race that created the sex gates.

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Review: The Forge of God

The Forge of God by Greg Bear
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An ancient volcano cone is discovered in southwest USA by three geologists. It wasn't there yesterday. A dying alien is found next to it, telling of the destruction to come, the destruction of the Earth no less.

The questions are many. Is the alien lying? If so, why? Is the Earth really going to be destroyed? If the Earth is going to be destroyed, when? How? Can we stop it? If we think we can't stop it, should we try anyway? How did the ancient volcano get here?

Lots of questions. You'll have to read the book to get the answers because they are all spoilers.

Read this book. Then read the sequel "Anvil of Stars".

I consider the reading of this book to be mandatory. You must read it. You must read it. Stop reading this and read the book. ;)

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Review: Anvil of Stars

Anvil of Stars by Greg Bear
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Great book, as are all Greg Bear books I have read so far. I must now reread "Forge of God" because it has been many years since I read it and I can't recall the details to connect with "Anvil of Stars".

I reread Forge of God. So, naturally, I had to reread Anvil of Stars to keep the continuity straight (also, it has been years since I read it). I am currently rereading Anvil of Stars. Forge of God and Anvil of Stars are both just as good as they were the first time I read them.

A few details to flesh out the original review:

Spoiler Alert: the Forge of God part of this review has a few spoilers if you haven't read Forge of God, read Forge of God first then come back.

In Forge of God the Earth is destroyed by alien killer machines. Other ships show up and, warring with the killer machines, they manage to destroy them, save a couple thousand humans and start the terraforming of Mars and Venus so humans will have planets to live on.

Anvil of Stars continues with teenagers and young adults, that were children when Earth was destroyed, onboard a Ship of the Law. A Ship of the Law is a ship created by the machines of the Benefactors and crewed by children that volunteered to carry out Justice against the original creators of the killer machines.

A pair of fantastic books by a very imaginative writer. I highly recommend them both.

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Review: Galactic Legend of Life and Death

Galactic Legend of Life and Death by Boian Alexandrov
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A strange story overall.

I liked it, but it was somewhat difficult to follow.

The primary concept of this book is not unique but is unique in the way the author treats it.

It is a mix of spirituality, fantasy, science fiction and probably a couple of other genres.

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Review: The Descendants

The Descendants by Nathan Wall
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Descendants Evolution of Angels Volume 2)
by Nathan Wall
I read the third one first and it was so good I bought this one and volume one.
This trilogy is intriguing. It is a unique blend of mythology, religion, and technology.

Angels that seem to depend on technology instead of being supernatural. Humans that may be supernatural under the right conditions. This is an interesting reversal of religion and mythology.

This book has lots of action, mystery, technology that's advanced enough to seem like magic, murder, mayhem, angelic revolution, betrayal, loyalty, etc.

This book is very hard to put down before finishing it.

I think everyone should read this.

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Review: The Phoenix Conspiracy

The Phoenix Conspiracy by Richard L. Sanders
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Calvin Cross is sent to find a rogue battleship and arrest or kill Asari Raidan, former Captain of the ISS Phoenix and fugitive from “justice”.

He finds himself saddled with Commander Summers Presley, former XO of the Phoenix, as his XO. There is more than a little friction between them.

A Lieutenant Commander in Intel Wing, Cross is not stranger to investigations. His research into Raidans' actions and motives gains him knowledge that makes him doubt Raidans' guilt and puts him and his crew in danger. And that's just the beginning.

Will the Empire survive? Who are the good guys? Bad guys? I don't know yet, I've only read four of the six book series but I am definitely going to read the rest.

Outstanding writing. Plenty of action, emotional interaction, conspiracies, organized criminal families, other shady and dangerous people, aliens, etc.

Mr. Sanders writes about people, and other characters, that seem to be real.

Highly recommended.

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Review: The Quantum Brain Maximum Speed

The Quantum Brain Maximum Speed by John Freitas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I like the plot.

I got this book through Goodreads giveaways.

The characters were three dimensional which made them seem real, except that some of them had contradictory personalities. The main guy seemed very naive and slow but he is the man that created the quantum brains.

His teenage neice was apparently smarter than he was.

The writing was stiff, there were too many times that titles, first names and last names were all used together when a pronoun (he, she, it) or a first name or last name would have sufficed, and would have been more realistic.

Take the stiffness out of the characters conversations and the writing, also. Make the progression of the story flow better and make people and androids that are supposed to be smart, smart.

More maturity in the writing is needed.

I have not read the first three books. This one is written well enough to provide enough background information to make it pretty easy to understand. It stands on its own very well.

I liked the plot.

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Review: The Ascension Series, Books 1-3: Sacrificed in Shadow, Oaths of Blood, and Ruled by Steel

The Ascension Series, Books 1-3: Sacrificed in Shadow, Oaths of Blood, and Ruled by Steel by S.M. Reine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Ascension Series, Books 1-3: Sacrificed in Shadow, Oaths of Blood, and Ruled by Steel
by
S.M. Reine
5 stars

Elise Kavanagh, preternatural investigator and exorcist, legendary demon hunter known as the Godslayer, and the most powerful demon to ever walk the Earth is back for some more kick-ass adventures.

She and her friends, the last werewolf pack on Earth, have the unenvious job of proving a murder was not committed by a werewolf while trying to find the real perpetrator and prove his guilt.

Then Elise, who, in addition to her other supernatural qualifications, is also the only exorcist left in America, must deal with a werewolf that has gone insane because of possession by a demon.

Also, having failed to prevent the Breaking, she and rogue angel Nash Adamson might have to make a deal with the Devil to stop Hell from overrunning Earth.

So Elise has her hands full, just as in the Descent Series. Some day she may get to rest.

Ms. Reine continues to write outstanding stories with unique viewpoints. These books are full of non-stop action just as the Descent Series was, even more so.

Enjoy these, they are outstanding.

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