I find it more interesting that Based Mike thinks Cartel hitmen and ICE agents should follow the same standards.

Imagine my surprise (and unimaginable delight) when I found my name among the Honorable Mentions for the Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine's flash fiction contest. What a way to start a week. #writingcommunity #amwriting #ahmm

I took the opportunity to run my first road 5K. #running #traveltheworld #palmdesert5k

Who knew it would be twenty years after leaving Los Angeles that I would finally get to see the #sanandreasfault #traveltheworld #travelphotography

I've spent all my free time over the last two days trying to create two paragraphs describing WHY my protagonist would do what I need him to do so the rest of the book can happen. I'm not napping. I'm thinking. Promise. #amwriting #writingcommunity

Reason No. 281 for not wanting to be in Toronto in January. #snowstorm #winter #windchillsucks

They would say they ARE performing their Constitutional duties. Trump is president. They believe in his agenda. They are supporting that. It is their Constitutional prerogative to do, after all.

That's why it doesn't work as an issue. It's not clear cut to everyone. Affordability is.

Because impeachment is nothing but performance at the moment. There is no way Trump gets convicted on impeachment. Instead, bring bills to the floor aimed at helping Americans and beat Republicans over the head when they vote against them. That will do better at the ballot box.

I'm with you on the character limit...no nuance is possible.

The problem is that people don't vote for liberal democracy. They vote for issues that impact their pocketbook. Impeaching Trump does nothing for them. Dems need to show they care more about people than performance.

If you think impeachment is serious, I want you to concoct a realistic scenario where, based on current events, 20 Republican Senators vote to convict Trump on articles of impeachment passed by the Republican-led House.

No ability to convict is what makes it unserious.

Impeachment isn't serious anymore. Recent history is a solid demonstration of that. Dems need to win in 2026, call Cabinet Secretaries before their committees, and make them answer the hard questions. That's how to hobble an already lame duck.

For 2026. And the administration is too incompetent to consolidate power. As bad as things have gone over the past year, a competent authoritarian would have been much, much further along. As it is, the combination of Epstein and groypers is going to devour the MAGA base.

Maintaining a public conversation is not the same as drafting articles of impeachment. If that's your focus, people will stop listening. Whether Trump is impeached or not, food costs are rising, and medical insurance is rising. Address those, and you have a winning message.

I'd love to hear your plan for getting an impeachment conviction through a 50/50 Senate. At the moment (and for the foreseeable future), it's not happening.

Focus your message on issues that impact people's lives, affordability being the most obvious. That's the path to success.

Cracking 75K in my work-in-progress is a Christmas miracle. 😂 #writingcommunity #amwriting

A last article (for now) talking about AI and writing. Specifically about why AI-generated books aren't likely to be as bad for business as authors suspect. bit.ly/496zEFc #writingcommunity #ai

The area in front of Toronto's City Hall is very busy the Saturday evening before Christmas. #traveltheworld #torontocityhall #chrustmad

The difference between the East and West side of #aruba is massive. All because of the trade wind in the southern Caribbean. #traveltheworld #travelphotography

There's something awesome about watching animals just go about their day. #traveltheworld #aruba #ttavelphotography

I'm pretty certain 'iguana' is an imperial unit of measure. 😂 #aruba #traveltheworld #travelphotography

Sunsets on #aruba are considered to be among the most spectacular in the world. Your call. #traveltheworld #sunset #travelphotography

Suck it, fantasy fans. I got an email from George R.R. Martin the other day, and you didn't. Not only does he want to chat with me, he even signed the email 'Steve Martini', so I'd know he wants to keep this quiet.

I live such a blessed life.

😂

#writingcommunity #scams #spam #georgerrmartin

If you're trail running in Arikok on Aruba, be aware that tree branches will jump into your path. Branches with sharp, spiky parts #trailrunning #arikok #aruba #travektheworld

When I don't post pictures, it's usually because I'm in Toronto and there isn't much worth sharing. But right now... #aruba #traveltheworld

I'll put it this way. People are getting frustrated with the hallucinations and engagement bait of AI. They will start to look for actual people behind the content, That's why creatives need to put themselves out there. To show they're real. That's our advantage

Even before AI, thousands of titles a day were added to Amazon. Mostly slop, IMHO. People willing to read warmed-over slop weren't likely customers of anything I produce to begin with.

I think the angle human authors should take is to engage with their readers. Current AI can't match that.

Understanding why LLMs are not 'smart' is critical to recognizing their limitations. And why they are NOT a threat to authors, regardless of the hype. My latest Substack post, AI - Breaking it Down, goes into the reasons you have no reason to be afraid. 😆 bit.ly/4izz9b2 #writingcommunity #writing

When the cost to send is zero, getting anything is profitable. I just feel for the authors who pay money in good faith.

The ongoing onslaught of spam.

First, the name in the email differs from the signature.

Second, the person could find the book on Amazon, but damn, that Goodreads interface (owned by Amazon, BTW) is just too much to figure out. 🙄

Still, good for a laugh.

#writingcommunity #stopthespam