I introduced Fred Longcoor to the world in my first novel, Saylor’s Triangle. Comments from Fred’s unpublished Book on Life were used as relative points at the completion of each of the twenty-nine chapters in Saylor’s Triangle. His wit, wisdom, and common sense grasp of the ironies and foibles of the life around us perfectly complimented the twists and turns of my first book, and were continued in my second book, The Permanent Plan.  He also was kind enough to explain the oilfield terms in Moon Over The Midnight Sun.

With overwhelming feedback from readers who want to hear more from Fred, I decided to create a forum for him and me to comment about today’s world.  Alaska is truly at the “Top of the World,” and he and I will comment from that lofty position.

Our comments will be primarily social or based upon news events of the day.  Political comments will be general and infrequent.  For both of us, the most bitter arguments we have ever had with people we are close to came out of political discussions.

Fred Longcoor and Craig Bieber- From the Top of the World

I have a new website manager, Matt Courtice, from Alaska, and in accordance with that change, we feel like it is time to refresh this part of the site.  There was some really good stuff in the old Fred Longcoor section, but it was all timely, and is outdated now.

Craig-  September 30, 2016.  It is very disappointing to me that we cannot draw people to this website and blog.  I am pretty good at writing novels, but I’m bad at the marketing side of it.  As a self-published author, I don’t have the marketing organization of a large publishing company behind me.  I’m looking for ways to publicize this site.

Fred-  September 20, 2016.  I’m sort of the anonymous one in this party of 2, so I don’t really have to be politically correct.   I still don’t want to offend anyone…because this site is about selling books, but some things just need to be said.  I don’t particularly care for either of the presidential candidates, but I care less for the one who I believe is a criminal.  I think the other one is just  rough around the edges…but in spite of the swipes being taken at him, he is way more qualified to be president than the guy who ran and won 8 years ago.  And look what that has gotten us!

Craig- September 15, 2016.  Political season drives me crazy, and particularly a presidential year.  If you are like me, and are not very crazy about what the last 8 years have been about, you are looking for a change.;

Craig- August 9, 2016.  I just passed an age milestone, and never thought I would be this old.  Don’t get me wrong, I am thankful for the fact I am basically healthy, and living a good life.  A few years ago I decided I didn’t want to celebrate birthdays anymore.  I have now decided I am going to celebrate all of them.  Why not celebrate life?  My dad lived until he was 97, and all but the last 2 years were good years.

Fred:  July 27, 2016.  When ISIS killed a Catholic priest in God’s house this week by stabbing him in the chest and cutting his throat, it marked the beginning of the end for them.  They just pissed off 989 Million peace loving people and filled them with a terrible resolve.  Sound familiar?

Craig: July 26, 2016.  It’s very hard for me to hold myself back in this political season, as I have promised I would.  We have a population of bizarre voters…with bizarre choices.  I fear the outcome.

Craig: May 2, 2016.  This is a frightening/amazing time in our country.  Whether anyone wants to admit it or not, we have a race war in America.  It is a year of presidential politics, and our choices on both sides of the aisle are more bizarre than in any past presidential year I can remember.  Did you ever think you could pay $95 a year and get anything you wanted from a company like Amazon in a couple days…and not pay for the freight?  Brick and mortar stores are in trouble!

Fred:  May 2, 2016.  Have you ever marveled at how rich Mark Zuckerberg is?  Have you ever clicked on any video…I mean any video, on Facebook, without having so many advertisements come at you from all sides you can’t watch the video you selected?

Craig: I need to clear the air on this one…I am not related to Justin Bieber, it goes back farther than I care to check on.  I am grateful to him for the fact  now nobody calls me Beaver or Bibber, and everyone knows how to spell my name.  And, all of my friends called me Bieb almost 40 years before he was a gleam in anyone’s eye.  He is talented and personable, I think he just needs some adult guidance.

Fred:  I’m not related to Justin Bieber either, and I want to clear the air about where I am coming from before I state something not everyone will agree with.  America is a place where all things are possible. All things of significance are draped in responsibility, tempered by circumstance, and measured by performance.  It truly is the land of the free and the home of the brave…even though there is some blurring of those ideals in today’s world.

Craig: Okay, here goes.  I love baseball…but is there really any athlete in the world who deserves $20 Million a year to play baseball?  It’s the reason a family of 4 can’t afford to go to more than one game a year, and some can’t afford to go to one game a year.

There’s a smell in the air, and it isn’t sweet. There’s a cloud in the sky, and it isn’t bringing rain. There’s a stir in my soul, and it isn’t soulful…and there’s a fear in my gut that I have created a regret.” – Fred Longcoor (from Saylor’s Triangle).

Craig:  This is an unprecedented time in the world.  The world…and not just America, is embroiled in a battle with an enemy that is impossible for civilized people to understand.  They have no respect for human life, and their goals are vague…unless the impossibility of world dominance is it.  There is no Hitler-like leader, just splinter groups with titular leaders who are loosely tied to each other.  There has never been a time when it is more important for American leadership to lead the world in the fight against this threat.