A Howard Watson Intrigue

The Year 20/20 Clarity.  The sharpness of vision. The quality or condition of being clear or easy to understand. The 50th Anniversary of Earth Day is April 22, 2020, and us Earthlings are not in any way closer, it seems, to recognizing climate change is happening right in front of our eyes. Icebergs that have never melted before are melting now. Polar bears are showing up in urban areas, and on city streets, because their tundra is melting, and in searching for and finding food, they must leave what's left of their natural habitat to traverse city streets sneaking into backyards and trashing garbage cans.  We, humans, are a pathetic race. Climate change is real.  We have now witnessed snow in Houston, Birmingham, Alabama, and Miami. Chicago enjoyed a record high seventy-nine degrees in late March, a month that the average temperature reaches fifty degrees. Floods have consumed Nashville, the states of Mississippi, and Kentucky. Tornadoes are appearing earlier each year...

 Why I write what I write  Based on many years of receiving "no's" in the mail from literary agents, I am still a messenger. I have not quit. I used to call myself a "closet activist," but no more. I have emerged from this moniker to write about an FBI Agent (fiction) who deals with global problems that hit America's shores: Illegal drugs, illicit diamonds, illegal logging, tobacco smuggling, and shameful human trafficking.   The issues above have brought those who are poor, oppressed, homeless, depressed, jobless, hungry, and saddled with low self-esteem into a sort of bondage that has allowed those "industries" above to flourish. Seems America - the country that has offered to take care of its "tired, poor, huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse, the homeless and tempest-tossed" - stopped lifting its lamp a while ago beside the golden door.  I like to believe that I tell a compelling story about the changes I'...

Is there any correlation between climate change and the new diseases touching down on earth? The simple answer is "Yes," says Erin Lipp, professor of environmental health at the University of Georgia. "For example, heat waves will result in more heat-related illnesses and deaths. This is a direct effect of climate change. Climate change has a more indirect effect on infectious diseases, with climate and shifts in weather patterns influencing the pathogens (bacteria, viruses, etc.) and their hosts (insects or other animals), and consequently how humans are exposed." According to some spiritualists, events occur in the universe that humans can't possibly claim as instigated or created. But what is created by us is the degree to which these occurrences impact our life: Bird Flu  ( The outbreak was linked to handling infected poultry. H5N1 occurs naturally in wild waterfowl, but it can spread quickly to domestic poultry); Cholera i s considered a Pan...

The Antarctica reached a record-high temperature of 64.9 degrees Fahrenheit or 18.2 degrees Celsius on February 8, 2020. “This is the foreshadowing of what is to come,” a researcher said. “It’s exactly in line of what we’ve been seeing for decades.” The high temperature is in keeping with the earth’s overall warming trend, which is in large part caused by emissions of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases from the burning of fossil fuels). E ven the warmest of Antarctic summers rarely sees temperatures rise above 10 degrees Fahrenheit . Antarctica is Earth's 5th largest continent, and although to some people, its' existence seems to have no direct bearing on them, Antarctica's very existence matters hugely to the Earth. Antarctica has a specific environment that is home to unique plants and animals and it is a continent where very little has been disturbed, even though it is the coldest, windiest, and driest continent on aver...

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania The one-room church in the woods was adorned better than planned. The shimmering twinkling lights hanging from the ceiling hung almost low enough for people to touch. The place of worship never looked so beautiful; its unbelievably improved appearance catching everybody off guard. The atmosphere felt electric. Allen Knox snuck a peek down the aisle at his beautiful bride-to-be as her father guided her carefully up the aisle. Knox glanced over at Howard Watson, his best man, and smiled uncontrollably. Janet Forrestal felt the smile and not to appear looking like a Cheshire cat, stroked her white satin wedding gown with the pale yellow flowers. When she reached the altar Knox took her hand. The smiles were infectious.   A few moments later red spots appeared on Janet's dress which made her suddenly realize her groom had red stains on his chest. Janet screamed. Howard grabbed Knox and shouted "No, Knox, no! Someone call 9-1-1....

Trees. Oxygen. What do these two have in common? During the chemical process of photosynthesis, trees take in carbon dioxide and produce the oxygen we breathe. Trees also improve air quality and the climate, conserve water, preserve soil, and support wildlife. Using trees in cities to deflect the sunlight reduces the heat effect caused by pavement and commercial buildings. Trees are an essential part of our life – you find them in abundance along streets, in parks, playgrounds, and backyards. They provide not only food, medicine, and tools but shade from the sun and shelter from the elements. Trees absorb and store rainwater which reduces runoff and sediment deposit after storms. This helps the groundwater supply recharge, prevents the transport of chemicals into streams, and prevents flooding. Fallen leaves make excellent compost that enriches the soil. As of this writing, the Amazon Rain Forest (yes, RAIN forest) is still on fire and has been for months. With its mi...