Idaho has many opportunities for commercial drivers. A driver who operates big rigs, school buses and other large commercial vehicles must win an Idaho CDL license. Individuals keen in this line of work need to take a CDL test to net a license. The test includes written knowledge and hands-on skills and driving portions. Applicants should visit the local Idaho DMV to start the process. The DMV issues the CDL license as soon as an applicant passes both portions of the Idaho CDL exam.

Step 1:

Access the online copy of the “Idaho Commercial Driver’s License Manual.” You can access this Idaho CDL manual at Itd.idaho.gov/dmv/driverservices/documents/cdl_manual.pdf. You can also go to the local Idaho DMV to get a paper copy of the handbook.

Step 2:

Spy the manual to prepare for your knowledge test. You will have to survey the general parts plus any endorsement tests related to the vehicle you intend to operate after getting your Idaho CDL license. For example, many Idaho truck drivers haul hazardous materials. You must take the HAZMAT test if you intend to take one of these driving jobs. If you are new to the industry and not distinct what you will do, then study the entire CDL manual. By getting all endorsements, you will be ready to take the skills test for any and all endorsements when you find a job.

You should also supplement your study of the official Idaho CDL manual with other study resources for commercial drivers. A few online websites have CDL study guides or practice questions. Go to Google or another search engine and search for “CDL study guide” and “CDL practice test” to find free study resources.

Step 3:

Go to your local Idaho DMV to assume the CDL knowledge test. Upon passing the test, you may then obtain CDL training. You will receive a permit that allows you to dispute on dependable commercial vehicles (either with another licensed driver or a training course).

Step 4:

Find Idaho CDL training resources. If you need training for truck driving, the Professional Truck Driver Institute has a list of certified CDL training programs at Ptdi.org/schools/schoolslist.aspx#idaho. If you would rather drive a school bus or passenger bus, then you should contact the local school district in Idaho or private passenger companies. For example, Greyhound has a section on its website to apply for free bus-driver training.

Step 5:

Complete your training so you can take the CDL skills test. As soon as you feel confident that you can pass the skills test (including the driving portion), then schedule a test with the local Idaho DMV. Generally, you will have to find a arrangement to supply your own vehicle. For example, your training school or a local rental agency may provide one for you. In some cases, companies act as official testers and will provide a vehicle for the skills test.

Step 6:

Complete your CDL test and glean your Idaho CDL license. You will also have to pass a medical exam. Ask the local DMV about the process of getting your medical exam. If you are a HAZMAT truck driver, you will also need to undergo a background check. Ask the local Idaho DMV about this process, as well.

Sources:

Idaho CDL Manual

Commercial Driver’s License Training Schools in Idaho

What do cabbage patch dolls, your own self and your favorite bottle of beer have in common? Hmm…if you said “They all have a born-on date!” then your absorb self would also be correct! If you were born on July 2nd of any year then follow along as we look at who shares your birthday as well as historical events and other facts specific to your own personal born on date!

General information about July 2nd birthdays:

If you were born on July 2nd of any standard year then you were born on the 183rd day of the calendar year. Today is the midpoint of the common year. If you happen to have been born during a leap year then you were born on the 184th day of that calendar year. If you are a U.S. citizen and your July 2nd birthday occurred in 1993 or any year earlier, then you are legally able to obtain a valid area drivers license once you have met all educational requirements to do so. Any person born on July 2nd of 1991 or any year earlier is legally able to purchase cigarettes or smoke in public and any person born on July 2nd of 1988 or any year earlier is legally able to purchase or consume alcoholic beverages while living or traveling in the U.S. If your birthday falls on July 2nd of 1959 or any year earlier, then it means you have been conquering and exploring this world for a half a century or longer and are now allowed to start asking in the U.S. about senior discounts at a multitude of commercial businesses, events and services! Different companies set the eligibility age higher if their policy calls for it but age 50 is the lowest beginning age of eligibility in the U.S. A great site to check out senior discount deals at is listed below.

http://www.seniordiscounts.com/

Astrological data for July 2nd birthdays:

In accordance with Western Astrology, those born on July 2nd are born under Cancer, the sign of the Crab which is of Water Element, of Fixed Quality and ruled planetarily by the silvery white Moon. The constellation of Cancer holds some well known stars or star clusters such as the Kwan Kei cluster (Bright Fire), Praesepe or Beehive Cluster(the manger) and Asellus Borealis(the northern donkey). Cancerian folk are often described as very intuitive, home loving and deeply sentimental though they do need the attention and social interaction through community situations or individuals that they feel comfortable with and that they feel understands them or they will quickly “clam up” and retreat into their Crab shell never to be enticed out again for awe of repeated hurt-whether real or imagined in nature. Most Cancerian souls love to take care and provide a safe home or environment for others and they are fabulous hosts with warm homes you are invited into or lost souls wandering and depressing to be around if those needs are somehow not available. They love to do anything inside or out that has to do with the home, and often there is a prominent water feature on or near their property. Cancerians are usually very cheery, loyal and resourceful but often times inside very insecure which can cause struggle in relationships because there natural protective Cancer tendencies allow it remain inside until it manifests as a point of no return break instead of open communication that could have easily fixed it prior. Cancer folk tend to be very creative in any field they choose and also are easily influenced by the mother/mother figure in their life(male or female) or by the lack of at a very deep level as well as tend to be very adept at mothering others-for better or for worse benefit wise of both parties. They keep everything and refuse to throw out even their old tennis shoes that they outgrew in high school unless of course for the benefit of another then without question. Cooking, music and water recreation are oft times hobbies and pursuits of those born under the mark of Cancer. If you wish to gain a greater understanding of Western Astrology (or Chinese Astrology dependent upon your birth year) visit this informative link courtesy of Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrological_sign

Score your Cancer glyph at the bottom of the page when you are done to check out your Cancer specific traits. Notorious fellow Cancerians include Robin Williams, John Quincy Adams, Ernest Hemingway, Princess Diana, Lindsay Lohan, Henry VIII, Meryl Streep, George Michael, Louis Armstrong, Prince William, Dalai Lama, David Spade, Cyndi Lauper, Helen Keller, Kris Kristofferson, Tobey Maguire, Rembrandt, James Cagney, Sly Stallone, Liv Tyler, Jerry Hall, Tom Cruise, George W. Bush, Jimmy Smits, Edward VIII-Duke of Windsor, Ringo Starr, Henry David Thoreau, Jack Dempsey, Sir Edmund Hillary, 50 Cent, Ingmar Bergman Anjelica Huston, Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Carlos Santana, David Hasselhoff, Nelson Mandela, Giorgio Armani, Ross Perot, Georges Pompidou, and Linda Rondstat. Countries “born” under the sign of Cancer are the United States of America, Yugoslavia, Canada, Holland, Scotland and Fresh Zealand. States “born” under the sign of Cancer are New York, New Hampshire, Missouri, Wyoming and Idaho.

If you are interested in current daily/weekly forecasts for the Cancer sign stop by the link below for each day of your astrological year!

http://www.bridgettwalther.com/daily.asp? sign=Gemini

Birthstone/Birth Flower specifics for July 2nd birthdays:

The birthstone most commonly associated with your July 2nd birthday is the radiant Ruby, root of which is found in Latinized “ruber” meaning “red”. Pearl and Moonstone are also less common stones for July births. It symbolizes courage, devotion, integrity, happiness and strength. The clarity of the ruby’s red color is reputed to energetically induce prosperity and enhance energy as well as energetically effect and possibly lessen blood diseases and infections as well as increasing metabolism and mind alertness. Rubies are found heavily in Asia Minor and Northern Africa but also found in the South Eastern United States. The deep red ruby color accounts for the most popular of the precious gems desired but the lighter a ruby’s “redness” is(some rare times even a translucent violet)-the higher the clarity of that particular stone, similar to sapphires and emeralds. The red of the ruby often was used in Christianity to denote fire and the powerful intercession of the Holy Spirit and Pentecost. The ruby’s hardness is second only to that of the diamond.

For those of you born on July 2nd your birth flower is The Water Lily. Alternate and less common is The Blue Larkspur. Water lilies is rooted deep in soil beneath a body of water but its full blooms float and initiate on the surface. There are two main groups of water lilies-tropical and hardy. A very temperamental flower, the lily is always “picky” about its surrounding climate with some varieties preferring the wintry northern latitudes of Alaska and Canada, exquisite only during the day while the more well known ones indigenous to warm tropical climates-this variety blooming both day and night and fully fragrant. The Water Lily seed has an amazing fertility range with seeds remaining plantable and surviving for up to 2000 years. The Larkspur is a clustering blue garden flower, gathered in a long full dolphin shaped shaft upon its lengthy stem. Called Lark’s Heel by Shakespeare the clusters method butterflies and bumble bees when in bloom like magnets. It is a beautiful flower for arrangements and grows throughout Northern America but is also toxic to farm animals when ingested in very large amounts as with free grazing so no tossing it on anyone’s salad even though it would take a truckload to originate a human even sick-just look and enjoy its beauty! Unique fact though it is toxic on a level-it also is/was outmoded in many cultures to counteract the poison of a scorpion sting allowing the victim to flee the local muscular paralysis that accompanied the sting. The Larkspur symbolically means from Roman times an open heart and ardent attachment.

http://www.birthstones.org.uk/index.htm

Important historical events which have occurred on July 2nd:

626 – In apprehension of assassination, Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rival brothers Li Yuanji and Li Jiancheng in the Incident at Xuanwu Gate. On September 4, Shimin’s father abdicates in his favour and Shimin becomes Emperor Taizong of Tang, Emperor of China.
706 – In China, Emperor Zhongzong of Tang has the remains of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, his wife and recently-deceased ruling empress Wu Zetian, her son Li Xian, her grandson Li Chongrun, and granddaughter Li Xianhui all interred in a new tomb complex outside Chang’an known as the Qianling Mausoleum, located on Mount Liang.
1679 – Europeans first visit Minnesota and see headwaters of Mississippi in an expedition led by Daniel Greysolon de Du Luth.
1687 – King James II disbands English parliament
1698 – Thomas Savery patents the first steam engine
1776 – NJ gave all adults who could show a net worth of 50 pounds right to vote
1776 – Continental Congress resolves “these United Colonies are & of right ought to be Free & Independent States”
1777 – Vermont becomes 1st American colony to abolish slavery
1787 – De Sade shouts from Bastille that prisoners are being slaughtered
1823 – Bahia Independence Day: the end of Portuguese rule in Brazil, with the final defeat of the Portuguese crown loyalists in the province of Bahia.
1843 – An alligator falls from sky during a Charleston SC thunderstorm
1847 – Envelope bearing 1st US 10 cent stamps, still exists today
1849 – Garibaldi in Rome begins hunger strike
1863 – Battle of Gettysburg (2nd day)
1865 – William Booth founds Salvation Army (Army of the Salvation)
1885 – Canada’s North-west Insurrection ends with surrender of Big Bear
1900 – First zeppelin flight takes plot on Lake Constance come Friedrichshafen, Germany.
1901 – Butch Cassidy & Sundance Kid rob insist of $40,000 at Wagner Montana
1917 – Riots in East St Louis Mo
1928 – British parliament accept female sufferage
1937 – Amelia Earhart & Fred Noonan disappear over Pacific Ocean
1940 – Hitler orders invasion of England (Operation Sealion)
1941 – DiMaggio breaks Willie Keeler’s 44 game hitting streak (45th of 56)
1947 – Military coup discovered in France
1950 – Kinkaku-ji in Kyoto, Japan burns down.
1951 – Leidse astronomers discover radio signal out of Milky Way system
1952 – Princess Beatrice opens miniature city of Madurodam
1955 – “Lawrence Welk Show” premieres on ABC
1955 – Desmond Tutu marries Leah Nomalizo Shinxani
1956 – Elvis Presley records “Hound Dog” & “Don’t Be Cruel”
1956 – US performs nuclear test at Enwetak (atmospheric tests)
1957 – 1st submarine designed to fire guided missiles launched, Grayback
1957 – Pope Pius XII publishes encyclical Le pelerinage De Lourdes
1958 – US performs atmospheric nuclear test at Bikini Island
1961 – Maris hits 29th & 30th en route to 61 homers
1962 – Cubans minister of Foreign affairs RaulCastro arrives in Moscow
1964 – Grand jury indicts Beckwith in murder of Medger Evers
1964 – Pres Johnson signs Civil Rights Act & Voting Rights Act into law
1966 – France performs nuclear test at Muruora Island
1967 – Catherine Lacoste becomes youngest (22), 1st foreigner (France) & 1st amateur to US Women’s open golf tournament
1969 – Ireland bowl out WI for 25 at Londonderry, net by 9 wkts
1969 – Leslie West & Felix Pappalardi form rock group Mountain
1970 – 1st Boeing 747 to land in Amsterdam & Brussels
1971 – USSR performs underground nuclear test
1972 – “Fiddler on the Roof” closes at Imperial Theater NYC after 3242 perfs
1972 – India & Pakistan sign peace accord
1973 – James R Schlesinger, ends term as 9th director of CIA
1976 – Formal reunification of North & South Vietnam
1976 – Supreme Court rules death penalty not inherently cruel or unusual
1979 – Susan B Anthony dollar is issued, 1st US coin to honor a woman
1980 – Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir & Mickey Hart are arrested for incitement
1982 – Larry Walters using lawn chair & 42 helium balloons, rose to 16,000′
1982 – Soyuz T-6 returns to Earth
1985 – Andrei Gromyko appointed president of USSR
1985 – European Space Agency launches Giotto (Halley’s Comet Flyby)
1986 – General strike against Pinochet regime in Chile
1990 – Imelda Marcos & Adnan Khashoggi found not guilty of racketeering
1990 – Panic in tunnel of Mecca: 1,426 pilgrims trampled to death
1991 – Riot at Guns N’ Roses concert in St Louis
1992 – Braniff Airlines goes out of business
1993 – Pope John Paul II hospitalized for Cat Scan test
2002 – Steve Fossett becomes the first person to fly solo around the world nonstop in a balloon.
2003 – Silvio Berlusconi, Prime Minister of Italy, insults German MP Martin Schulz by calling him a “kapo” during a session of the European Parliament.
2004 – ASEAN Regional Forum accepts Pakistan as its 24th member.¨
2008 – Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other FARC hostages are rescued by the Colombian armed forces.

Famous passings on July 2nd:

783 – Bert(h)a/Berthrada, mother of Charles the Broad, dies
1566 – Nostradamus, [Michel de Nostre-Dam], French astrologist, dies at 62
1582 – Akechi Mitsuhide, Japanese samurai (b. 1528)
1591 – Vincenzo Galilei, Italian composer (b. 1520)
1619 – Olivier de Serres, French farming pioneer (silkworms), dies
1621 – Thomas Harriot, English astronomer
1644 – William Gascoigne, introduced telescopic sights, is killed at 24
1684 – John Rogers, president of Harvard University (b. 1630)
1778 – Jean-Jacques Rousseau, composer, dies at 66
1861 – Peter A de Genestet, vicar/poet, dies at 31
1915 – Gen Porfirio [Jose de la Cruz] Diaz, president Mexico, dies
1917 – Herbert Beerbohm Tree, English actor/director (Hamlet), dies
1918 – Mohammed V Resjad, sultan of Turkey (1909-18), dies
1932 – Manoel II, last king of Portugal (1908-10), dies at 43
1937 – Amelia Earhart Putnam, Dutch pilot/1st female to fly Atl, dies at 40
1937 – Fred L Noonan, US navigator, disappeared over Pacific Ocean
1952 – Henriette H Bosmans, Dutch cello player/pianist/composer, dies at 56
1955 – Edward Lawson, Scottish recipient of the Victoria Foul (b. 1873)
1961 – Ernest Hemingway, writer, commits suicide at 61
1964 – Glenn “Fireball” Roberts, biggest NASCAR money winner, dies in crash
1970 – Jessie Street, Australian civil rights activist, dies
1971 – Edward Ballantine, composer, dies at 84
1972 – Joseph F Smith Jr, leader US mormon chuch, dies at 95
1973 – Betty Grable, US actress (How to Marry a Millionaire), dies at 56
1973 – George Macready, US, actor (Martin Peyton-Peyton Place), dies at 73
1973 – Swede Savage, dies of injuries at Indianapolis 500
1973 – Chick Hafey, baseball player (b. 1903)
1973 – George McBride, baseball player (b. 1880)
1977 – Vladimir V Nabokov, Russian/US writer (Lolita), dies at 78
1978 – Aris Alexandrou, Greek novelist, poet and translator (b. 1922)
1981 – Robert Emmett Keane, actor (Rookie Cop, Red Dragon), dies
1987 – Michael Bennet, choreographer (Chorus Line), dies of AIDS at 44
1989 – Franklin Schaffner, American film director (b. 1920)
1991 – Lee Remick, actress (Days of Wine & Roses), dies of cancer at 55
1992 – Borisav Pekic, Serbian writer/politician, dies
1993 – Don Drysdale, pitcher (Dodgers), dies of a heart attack at 56
1993 – Fred Gwynne, actor (Herman-Munsters), dies of pancreatic cancer at 66
1993 – Sir Edward Dunlop, Australian war hero (b. 1907)
1994 – Andres Escobar, Colombia world cup soccer star, shot for losing to US
1997 – Jimmy Stewart, actor (It’s a Wonderful Life), dies at 89
1999 – Mario Puzo, American author (b. 1920)
2000 – Joey Dunlop, Irish motorcycle racer (b. 1952)
2002 – Ray Brown, American jazz bassist (b. 1926)
2004 – Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen, Portuguese writer (b. 1919)
2004 – John Cullen Murphy, American comic strip artist (b. 1919)
2005 – Ernest Lehman, American screenwriter (b. 1915)
2007 – Beverly Sills, American operatic soprano (b. 1929)
2008 – Natasha Shneider, Russian-born musician (b. 1956)
2008 – Elizabeth Spriggs, English-Born Actress (b. 1929)

Famous Births on July 2nd:

419 – Valentinian III, Roman emperor (425-55)
1262 – Arthur II, Duke of Brittany (d. 1312)
1363 – Mary, Queen of Sicily (d. 1401)
1489 – Thomas Cranmer, England, archbishop/reformer/martyr
1492 – Elizabeth Tudor, English princess (d. 1495)
1581 – Johann Staden, composer
1698 – Francesco III d’Este, Duke of Modena (d. 1780)
1714 – Christoph W Ritter von Gluck, Austria composer (Il there pastore)
1724 – Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock, German poet
1820 – George Law Curry, Newspaper publisher and Governor of Oregon (d. 1878)
1821 – Charles Tupper, (C) 6th Canadian PM (1896)
1862 – William Henry Bragg, English physicist, Nobel laureate (d. 1942)
1865 – Lili Braun, Prussia, feminist/socialist writer (Im Schatten Titanen)
1877 – Hermann Hesse, Switzerland, novelist/poet (Steppenwolf, Nobel 1946)
1888 – Selman Waksman, Russ/US microbiologist (Nobel 1951)
1905 – Jean-Rene Lacoste, France, US Open (1926)/alligator shirt designer
1906 – Alan Webb, actor (King Lear, Taming of Shrew, Challenge of Lassie)
1906 – Hans Bethe, physicist (Nobel 1967), peace worker
1908 – Thurgood Marshall, Md, 1st black Supreme Court justice (1967-91)
1911 – Diego Fabbri, Italian, playwright/leader (Vatican movie bureau)
1914 – Mário Schenberg, Brazilian physicist (d. 1990)
1915 – 8th duke of Wellington, English mammoth landowner/multi-millionaire
1915 – Bert Decorte, Flemish poet
1919 – Jean Craighead George, American writer
1920 – Eliseo Diego, latin American poet
1922 – Dan Rowan, Beggs Okla, comedian (Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-in)
1923 – Wisława Szymborska, Polish writer, Nobel laureate
1926 – Lee Allen, Pittsburg, Ks, tenor sax (Walkin’ With Mr Lee)
1927 – Brock Peters, NYC, actor/singer (Carmen Jones, To Destroy a Mockingbird)
1927 – Jerome Meyer, horse trainer
1927 – Ruth Berghaus, choreographer/director
1931 – Robert Ito, Vancouver BC, actor (Sam-Quincy ME)
1932 – Dave Thomas, founder (Wendy’s Restaurants)
1932 – Ken McMillan, Bkln NY, actor (Malone, Concrete Beat)
1935 – Ed Bullins, Phila, playwright
1935 – Gilbert Kalish, Brooklyn NY, pianist/professor (SUNY Stony Brook)
1937 – Polly Holliday, Jasper Ala, actress (Flo-Alice, Flo-Flo)
1937 – Richard Petty, auto urge driver (Daytona 500-1979,81)
1939 – John H Sununu, US Secretary of State (R, 1989-91)
1939 – M[ichael] A[nthony] Foster, US, sci-fi author (Gameplayers of Zan)
1939 – Michael N Castle, (Rep-R-Delaware)
1939 – Paul Williams, rocker (Temptations-My Girl)
1942 – Georgi Ivanov, Bulgaria, cosmonaut (Soyuz 33)
1942 – Vicente Fox, Passe Mexican president
1943 – Walter Godefroot, Belgian cyclist
1946 – Richard Axel, American scientist, Nobel laureate
1946 – Ron Silver, American actor
1947 – Larry David, Brooklyn NY, comedian (Fridays)/writer (Seinfeld)
1947 – Luci Baines Johnson Nugent Turpin, daughter of Pres LBJ
1948 – Saul Rubinek, Canadian film actor
1948 – Gene McFadden, American songwriter (d. 2006)
1949 – Roy Bittan, rocker (E Street Band)
1950 – Johnny Colla, Calif, rock sax (Huey Lewis & The News-Need a Current Drug)
1951 – Joey Puerta, rocker (Ambrosia)
1952 – Linda M Godwin, Cape Girardeau Mo, PhD/astronaut (STS 37, 59, 76)
1952 – Wayne Haner, rock bassist (Axe)
1956 – Jerry Hall, Mesquite Tx, model/Mrs Mick Jagger (Batman, Freejack)
1956 – Leslie Reid, Vancouver BC, equestrian dressage (Olympics-96)
1957 – Mike Infuriate, rocker (Blow Monkeys-Wicked Ways)
1959 – Hoogie Drexler, jockey
1959 – Wendy B Lawrence, Jacksonville Fla, astronaut (STS 67, 86, sk:91)
1960 – Terry Rossio, American screenwriter
1961 – Michael Lindsay, Voice actor
1962 – Brandel Eugene Chamblee, St Louis MO, PGA golfer (1994 Honda-3rd)
1963 – Mark Kermode, British film critic
1964 – Dave Parsons, rocker (Transvision Vamp, Sham 69-That’s Life)
1968 – Mark Tewsksbury, Canada swimmer (world record backstroke)
1970 – Steve Morrow, Irish footballer
1971 – Jared Palmer, NYC, tennis star
1973 – Peter Kay, British comedian
1974 – Moon So-ri, South Korean actress
1975 – Daniel Kowalski, Singapore, Aust swimmer (Olympics-bronze/silver-96)
1975 – Eric Daze, Montreal Quebec, NHL left wing (Chicago Blackhawks)
1975 – Erik Ohlsson, Swedish guitarist (Millencolin)
1979 – Sam Hornish, Jr., American race car driver
1980 – Nicole Manske, American beauty queen and motorsports television commentator
1981 – Alex Koroknay-Palicz, American youth rights activist
1981 – Aaron Voros, Canadian hockey player
1985 – Ashley Tisdale, American actress and singer
1986 – Lindsay Lohan, actress (Alli Fowler-Another World)
1987 – Ruslana Korshunova, Kazakhstani model (d. 2008)

Holidays/Observances for July 2nd:

Catholics around the globe celebrate annually in July during the month long observance honoring Most Precious Blood of Jesus. July 2nd is also the Roman Catholic feast day of St. Otto, 11th century bishop and martyr of Bamberg. It is Independence Day in Bahia and Flag Day for those citizens of Curacao.

Hope this look at what makes your birthday of July 2nd special and historically unique has been informative-perhaps even that cabbage patch doll stored in a box in your attic from two decades(or three) ago would delight in checking their “born on” date out too! Feel free to click on any of the resource links for additional specifics and extra info about any of the categories we looked into above that are relative to your July 2nd celebration of birth. Oh…and by the way-have a happy birthday!

Sources:

http://www.wikipedia.org/

http://www.catholic.org/saints/f_day/jun.php

http://www.history.com/

http://www.timeanddate.com/

http://www.historyorb.com/today/

A genealogy, also called a “Family Tree“, is a record of a person’s ancestry or lineage. Simply put, it’s who and where you came from down through the generations.

A distant relative on the paternal side of my family was enthusiastic enough in their family history to create a genealogy that dates clear back to the days of Napoleon Bonaparte. No, I’m not related to the French Emperor. But I do know that one of my ancestors fought against him during one of Bonaparte’s many battles. Unfortunately, my relative lost his life when he was hit by a cannon ball.

If you’re interested in your own family’s history, and there’s currently no record of it, you can do some research and make your own genealogy. Even if both sides of your family already has written genealogies, you can always pick up where they leave off and continue to delve deeper into your family’s past. It takes a lot of time of time and effort, but the results can make it well worth it.

The first step is to decide where you want to launch, and where you want to end up at. Logically, starting at your beget generation is the easiest way to go. Then, you’ll need to go backwards into time and discover your family’s history.

There are several mountainous software titles on the market today that can aid you in your quest. Some examples include Broderbund Family Tree Maker, RootsMagic, and Famtree.

Usually, genealogists (and the software programs) start a family tree by filling out a standard Pedigree acquire. Not to be confused with your purebred dog who has papers, this type of form has lines for listing you and your spouses, children and their spouses, grandchildren, et cetera; your sibling’s spouses, children, grandchildren, et cetera, your parents and their immediate family, your grandparents, and so on. You get the picture.

A Pedigree chart lists full names, (Given names, middle names and surnames), dates of birth, death, marriages, and divorces. There is also a listing of the set that each event took place.

The next step is to begin your research. Your Pedigree may not be a hundred per cent complete, so that would be a good place to start before you dig deeper into your past.

Let’s say, for example, that you don’t know who your great-great grandparents were on your father’s side of the family. You’ll soon find that the best resource is a human being. Try to find any relatives in your father’s family that can assist you by supplying information about these distant relatives. If any of your relatives have old pictures, newspaper clippings, land records, scrapbooks, old phone books, or official records of any kind, those can often be a big support. Also, old wills can provide valuable information you can use for your family genealogy.

Now that you’ve exhausted that source, it’s time to research the public records from long ago. You’ll undoubtedly be amazed at what you will discover here. These records can be found at libraries, court houses, on grave markers, and, of course, on the Internet. You’ll want to find birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, military records, and the like. Anything that can link you to someone else in a distant generation will be helpful.

There are also several online web sites that you can search. Some are free sites, while others charge you a fee to search their dwelling. A few examples include Ancestry.com, Rootsweb.com, worldgenweb.org, and the United States Census.

You can even go on the Internet, key the surnames you’re looking for into your favorite search engine, and often find some family sites. Then, you just have to fit the pieces together and figure out how you are related.

A couple can witness legal separation (separate maintenance) by a court or informal separation, which eliminates costly expenses, including attorney and court costs. During time of separation, a couple can either reconcile any differences or may proceed onto the next step seeking a legal divorce. Most states require a couple legally separated by residing in different station at all times, which does not include separate bedrooms in the same house. A couple living apart does not constitute a legal separation. Some countries or states require a prerequisite of a lawful separation for period of time, before filing for a legal divorce. Some couples can resolve their difference mutually during a separation by written agreement, which is drafted by a lawyer. However, desertion is different from a separation, which is recognized by courts, when one of the parties leaves without the intention of returning. Contrary, “Constructive desertion” occurs when one of the parties, forces the other person to leave. In such a area, a court does not penalize a defendant for leaving, for their own protection or that of a child.

A couple may seek a trial separation, which is easily reversible then a legal separation, and hopefully through counseling will resolve problems. Resolving problems during an informal separation, does not involve the costly expense for hiring attorneys. Hopefully, mutual equitable solutions can be ascertained, regarding working arrangements, possession of car, bank accounts, credit cards, child custody or any other personal items or matters. However, property division would require legal advise from an attorney. During this time, a couple can live together, but not necessarily sleep in the same room or bed. A formal separation despite being a costly expense, incurring time and pain, maybe be necessary, when a couple cannot resolve their differences. The process and procedures for obtaining a just separation is the same for “Dissolution of Marriage,” except the couple is still married. A court will govern what will happen during a proper separation, regarding issues of property division, child custody, alimony or spousal support, (If their incomes are substantially different). Typically, a court will have the power to resolve as part of a legal separation, any and all issues, that would be normally be resolved in a divorce. A marital settlement agreement is signed by both parties, and becomes a valid honest contract that is enforceable, if any terms are violated. A marital settlement is recognized in all states. A martial settlement agreement is not a divorce and cannot legally end a marriage. The terms of a separation agreement may be changed through a separate written agreement. Any part of a settlement agreement, regarding parenting and support of children, must be reviewed by a court, which ensures rights of the children adhere to their best interests.

A couple that is legally separated, may either live together or live in separate residences, for any number of reasons, including can’t tolerate living together, continue receiving medical insurance by the other’s spouse’s company, and some religious beliefs prohibit divorce, but allow a upright separation, couple can live apart. Sometimes spouses may wish to remain legally separated, long enough to qualify in order to receive Social Security or military pension benefits, prior to a divorce. Any time during the process for obtaining a legal separation, either party may request the court to convert the proceedings, into dissolution of marriage or divorce. Most jurisdictions require a waiting or “cooling off” period, before a court will drawl a divorce judgment. Beware, after a person obtains a final Decree of Moral Separation, they must go back to the court and file Petition For Dissolution of Marriage, if the legal separation wants to be changed to a final divorce.

When a couple seeks a separation, the person moving out, should consider the following: If the couple is living in a rental community, the person moving out, should remove their name off the lease and utility bills (gas, electric, phone, cable, trash, paper, etc.), because you maybe held liable for any unpaid past due payments. Forward your mail to a post office box, cessation friend, relative or modern permanent home address. Make copies of all tax records for the past six years. Beware any past taxes due are still your responsibility. Make a note of all address, phone numbers, account information, pension accounts, bank and credit accounts, insurance policies, and any other financial paperwork, that maybe divided during the separation or legal divorce. Place a freeze on all joint credit accounts, which prevents you from incurring debts, if your spouse fails to make any future payments. List all items in a safety deposit (preferable take pictures), which maybe divided later and take any personal items. Pack up all personal belongs, including: Clothing, medicine, family heirlooms, mementos, and any items you personal purchased yourself or received as a personal gift.

Certain states have their own laws regarding apt separation or do not recognize that status. According to Colorado law, parties who have been granted a decree of legal separation do not lose their inheritance rights. The state of Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and Texas do not pick up or can’t file for a legal separation. However, in the state of Florida, child support and alimony must be paid during a separation. In the state of New York, one year after filing of the Court’s judgment of separation, either spouse may sue for “no-fault” divorce, based upon one year of living apart.

Couples should review their insurance coverage, regarding when coverage may be terminated, in the event of a legal separation.

In this article we’ll continue with using state censuses for genealogy. I have lots of relatives in Iowa and Kansas and the state censuses for these two states have given me many insights into these relatives.

Georgia has state censuses available for the years 1798, 1800, 1810, 1827, 1834, 1838, 145, 1852, 1853, 1859, 1865, and 1879. These usually just list head of household and some minor statistics. Unfortunately, most of these are not complete and the researcher should look at tax lists and other sources if they can’t accept the county they are looking for. For censuses you can contact: Georgia Department of Archives and History, Office of Secretary of Site, 330 Capitol Ave., SE, Atlanta, GA 30334.

Hawaii didn’t become a space until 1959 so no state censuses were taken. You can find Royal census enumerations for the Kingdom of Hawaii for 1866, 1878, and 1890 at Hawaii Vital Records, P.O. Box 3378, 1250 Punch Bowl Ave., Room 103, Honolulu, HI 96801.

There has been no plot censuses found for the state of Idaho. Here again, tax lists and county histories will be of benefit to the researcher.

According to the Illinois State Archives, “the Illinois Constitution of 1818 required that a state census be taken in 1820 and every fifth year thereafter to decide apportionment of representation in the General Assembly.” Although situation censuses were taken in 1820, 1825, 1830, 1835, 1845, 1855, and 1865, only the 1820, 1855, and 1865 censuses survive today. These censuses only include head of household and tallies of other occupants of the house. A very good source of information about these censuses is http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/research_series/rseries5.html. Illinois is one of those states that have submitted several databases of critical information for the Internet. I have found them very accommodating when I have requested information from this source. There is a fee but it is a very miniature fee.

Indiana did take some state censuses but they only contained head of household information much like Illinois. Some sources say these do not exist anymore but since some lists say that state censuses exist for the years 1807, 1853, 1857, 1871, 1877, 1883, 1889, 1901, 1913, 1919, and 1931 you might be able to earn fragments of these years. For further information on these censuses contact: Indiana State Library, Genealogy Division, 315 West Ohio Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202 and http://www.in.gov/icpr/3017.htm.

Iowa is a very useful state for state censuses, especially the 1925 state census which includes the person’s parents’ names along with mother’s maiden name and site of marriage for parents. Check out http://iagenweb.org/census/ or http://iagenweb.org/census/priority.htm for lots of unknown information about Iowa state censuses. Iowa took state censuses for the years of 1836, 1838, 1840, 1841, 1844, 1846, 1847, 1849, 1850, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1856, 1859, 1875, 1881, 1885, 1888, 1889, 1891, 1892, 1893, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1905, 1915, and 1925. Not all counties are available for all years. As you can see, if you have relatives in Iowa in 1890, the state censuses can be a very valuable resource since the 1890 United States Federal census is not available. Iowa also has several vital records databases online so be sure to check them out. A trustworthy set to start looking for those state censuses, after checking out the two websites above, is the Iowa State Library, 1112 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA. They have an extensive online library also.

State censuses for Kansas got better as the years went along. The 1865 census lists all members of the household by name, age, sex, race, and set of birth. The 1885 census lists all members of the household by name, age, sex, hasten, place of birth, and where they came from before Kansas. The 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915 census lists all members of the household by name, age, sex, race, and place of birth along with where they came from before Kansas and their military information. The 1925 census lists all of the above along with naturalization information. These records can be obtained from The Kansas Historical Society, 6425 SW 6^th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66615. This is a very nice facility and the people are very apt. Any of the place census microfilms are also available for interlibrary loan.

Kentucky has no record of any state censuses. Again, check those tax lists and land records instead.

Louisiana took state censuses in 1853 and 1858. There are census tables available for the French Colony of Louisiana from 1799 to 1732. Records can be obtained from Louisiana Vital Records Registry, P.O. Box 60630, New Orleans, LA 70160. Remember, Louisiana has parishes instead of counties.

Use of state censuses can help when the Federal censuses are unavailable so be definite to check them out. Always do a search using a good search engine for “place censuses” using the name of the state you are researching. You will be amazed at what you can find to help in that next step in your genealogy. Obliging luck and pleased hunting.

In the United States of America there are many different organizations. Most are innocent and genuine to the communities they live in. Some have more malicious intentions. These groups screen behind goals such as pride. In reality they promote nothing but hatred. To combat these groups, Americans must better understand how they function. The 1990s marked a pivotal change in many of these groups and the birth of others. This paper will examine several hate groups. The Aryan Nations/Church of Jesus Christ Christian, National Alliance, World Church of The Creator, and the Hammerskin Nation will be studied through out the course of this paper. It will begin with each group’s history and their particular views. Next it will indicate how new tools of recruitment are making these groups more dangerous than ever. It will conclude with how these groups were combated during the 1990s. Through this, it will become quite clear what a hazardous threat these groups presented to racial unity in the 1990s. It should also be noted that majority of the research conducted for this project was done via the Internet.

The slow Richard Butler founded the Aryan Nations in the mid 1970s. As with many other hate group leaders, Butler assumed power of a group (Christian Defense League) after its leader passed on. He used the vacuum of power to bring followers to his own brand of the Christian Identity movement. During the 1980s members of the Aryan Nations worked with other racist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and National Alliance to overthrow the American government. These activities were soon assign to a conclude. In December of 1984, the leader of the splinter group was killed by the FBI in a shootout.

Internal problems plagued the Aryan Nations during the 1990s. Money issues and arguments with the groups founder Richard Butler led many high ranking officials to split off into their maintain groups. A fistfight broke out at the Aryan Nations’ annual congress held at the headquarters at Hayden Lake, Idaho in July of 1995. This resulted in another high ranking member resigning from the group. The death of Butler’s wife in December of 1995, and his hold declining health, led the group to begin the search for a recent leader. The state was not resolved until September of 2001, when the violent Ray Redfeairn was chosen to hold up the leadership reigns when Butler passed away.

Visiting the Aryan Nations’ website one can secure a listing of their beliefs. Many of their beliefs include verses from the bible to attempt show their stance as God’s wish.

WE BELIEVE that the true, literal children of the Bible are the twelve tribes of Israel, now scattered throughout the world and now known as the Anglo-Saxon, Germanic, Teutonic, Scandinavian, Celtic peoples of the earth. We know that the Bible is written to the family of Abraham, descending from Shem back to Adam. Yahweh blessed Abraham and promised that he would be the “father of nations.” This same promise continued through the seedline of Abraham’s son, Isaac, and again to Isaac’s son, Jacob, the patriarch of the twelve tribes, whose name Yahweh changed to Israel (Meaning: “he will rule as God”). Genesis 32:28; Exodus 12:31; 16:4; 19:20; Revelations 21:12

WE Contain that the Cananite Jew is the natural enemy of our Aryan (White) Urge. This is attested by scripture and all secular history. The Jew is like a destroying virus that attacks our racial body to destroy our Aryan culture and the purity of our Race. Those of our Bustle who resist these attacks are called “chosen and faithful.” John 8:44; 1 Thessalonians 2:15; Revelations 17:14″ .

These quotes illustrate the main beliefs and goals of the Aryan Nations. According to biblical literature, the twelve tribes of Israel became the Nordic peoples of Europe. The members of the Aryan Nations believe that they will be the only ones to enjoy the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth after Judgment Day. The group rationalizes its anti-Semitic speech by claiming the Jewish people are its natural enemy as they are Satan’s children. They believe the Jewish people are descendants of Cain, Eve’s child that was a result of her original sin who went on to kill his brother in a jealous rage. Therefore it is only natural, according to the Aryan Nations followers, that they fight the Jewish Speed who are “literal children of Satan”

After spending time with American Nazi Party leader George Lincoln Rockwell, William Pierce began his own party, again splintering from another group, in 1974. William Pierce and his National Alliance set up a base in West Virginia. From there Pierce spilled his hatred into many different mediums. Weekly radio addresses were delivered and a magazine entitled National Vanguard was published and distributed by Pierce. William Pierce has also written two books, the infamous Turner Diaries and Hunter. In 1998 Pierce gained control of Resistance Records that produced white power music and further expanded the reach of his message.

The National Alliance believes the Aryan hasten is naturally superior to all others. They believe multiculturalism does not allow for the Aryan rush to reach its full potential. Pierce stated that

Pierce and his group take the Nazi German idea of lebensraum (living space) and apply it to America. The “White Living Space” will encompass America, Europe, Australia, and South Africa

Jewish control of the media is a notion held by National Alliance members that has long been popular among hate groups. “The Jewish control of the American mass media is the single most important fact of life, not just in America, but in the world today.”, said Pierce in one book. In an interview William Pierce stated, “We’ve been conditioned, we’ve been brainwashed, we’ve been propagandized by the mass media primarily, but also by the schools, by the churches, by the government to be…antiracist, to be ashamed of wanting to associate with, wanting to work with, live with, breed with our own kind.” This shows how the National Alliance attempts to turn their hateful believes back on those they hate. Also it attempts to explain why the rest of us don’t agree with their point of conception. We have been clouded by the “Jewish controlled” media. It is quite easy to see beyond these tactics.

The World Church of The Creator (now know as the Creativity Movement) was founded by Ben Klassen in 1973. The group was obsolete and on the verge of collapse when Matt Hale assumed control of the WCOTC in 1996. The group became one of the most well known and violent disapprove groups during the 1990s. Hale used his clean-cut image and cunning intelligence to attract new followers. He is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Compose no mistake, Matt Hale is extremely dangerous.

The WCOTC live by the motto “RaHoWa” which means Racial Holy War. They believe that a race war is only inevitable with the current path the world is taking. The group believes in racial separation. Matt Hale even advocates Malcolm X’s approach in an interview. Comparing what the WCOTC does to the work that Malcolm X did is perverse. The WCOTC wants to pervert the image of man who preached separatism of blacks and whites only until blacks could unify among themselves to give validity to their arguments. If they were given control, the WCOTC would place minorities far away from white Anglo Saxon Protestants and allow no with anyone they deem bellow them.

WCOTC believe every species look out for its own and that whites are no different. They liken themselves to a group such as the NAACP. This type of rationalizing runs deep in the Church of The Creator methods. Matt Hale says this when trying to exhibit white’s genetic superiority

If you look at any encyclopedia, 99.99 percent of the contributions listen within it are from white people. I don’t mediate this is because whites wrote the history books or the encyclopedias. I think it’s because white people have a genetic edge – intellectually anyways – over the other races.

Whites, they believe, have created all worthwhile culture and civilization.

…creatively the Jews once again are not a very creative people…For example, if you were to look back into the classical period of time in Palestine, the Jews created almost nothing. There’s a museum of ancient art, I believe it is at the University of Cairo, and when you walk by the exhibits, you find things from the Phoenicians, you find things from the Sumerians, etc. But when it comes to the Jews, you find nothing because Jews did not create anything at that time.

He also claims that the strides and achievements other races have made in the arts and sciences are because they work harder than white people. When confronted with his group being a white supremacy group Hale says, “White supremacy is not a label that I accept for the simple reason that it connotes an idea of holding others down or reigning over them, which we do not want.”

In the 1982 film Pink Floyd’s The Wall, a young man named Pink pursues a career in Rock music and becomes enthusiastic in drugs. Reality slips away from Pink. He soon finds he is leader of a fascist Nazi-type organization. He uses his music to preach his message of racial hatred. Pink sings in one song

Are there any queers in the theater tonight? Get ‘em up against the wall! That one in the spotlight, he don’t gawk just! Get him up against the wall! And that one looks Jewish… and that one’s a coon! Who let all this riff raff into the room? That one’s smoking a joint! And that one’s got spots! If I had my way, I’d have the lot of you shot!

The symbol of Pink’s group was two crossed hammers on a black, white, and red background. While the rock group Pink Floyd meant the movie to be fantasy, one group took their image and made it into reality; the violent Hammerskin Nation.

The Hammerskin Nation is a skinhead group known for its extreme violence. Unlike some of the other groups that have discussed they do not camouflage behind logic or religion. Their website makes several mentions of ZOG (Zionist Occupation Government) and its efforts to stop the group’s actions. They often claim when they government comes down on them for members violence; it is due to ZOG controlling them. Comments like

“Just over a year in existence and Hammerskins were already feeling the clutches of Zog`s wrath.”
“ZOG`s media machine was all over Hammerskins as well. Calls from TV shows such as, 60 Minutes, 20/20, amongst others were badgering for interviews. The exposure had become a double edged sword, aiding the growth and making them a target for law enforcement agencies at the same time.”

from their website show their distrust of the media and their paranoia concerning the Jewish influence on the world.

To recruit members during the 1990s hate groups used many varying methods. The groups primitive traditional methods and utilized new ones during the decade. As the internet grew, so did hate group’s presence on it. The internet provided a great wealth of information around the country and the world. Disapprove groups could send a wealth of information on their movements throughout this medium. One of the largest and most well known hate sites on the web is Don Black’s Stormfront. It was one of the first white supremacy sites at its creation in 1995. Since then Don Black has mature the site as a forum for his racist views. Black describes the site’s purpose is to “provide an alternative news media with news and information and online forums for those who are fraction of our movement or for those who are eager in learning more about white nationalism…” Over 3 million internet users have visited Stormfront since its creation. Granted some may have visited because of the publicity it received, but that is still an alarmingly large number. There is know procedure to deny how many people were sway by Black’s hate speech, or how many were impressionable youths. Black was also looking toward the future of the internet and what that meant to his website. During the 90s broadband connections were not widely used. The majority of internet users accessed the internet using a dialup connection. These were slow and could not handle large amounts of data, such as video files. With better technology on the horizon Black was planning on harnessing its power. “The most ambitious is, of course, more video programming, and that will at some point include live video, live talk shows, and taped documentaries…it is coming within a couple of years, and that would be the next giant leap for us.” Even Black’s son Derek helps out. Derek Black runs the Stormfront for kids website. While I was not able to access the website, only the forum, an article found on the Salt Lake City YWCA website had this to say, “The website has a lengthy “history” of the white run, a list of birthdays of illustrious and infamous white people, music, and even an essay by Derek on the Pokémon card series. However, behind these games and bells and animated animals clearly lies the father’s hatred of blacks and Jews.” Consequently, Derek Black receives a great deal of abominate mail. So much so he wrote a personal statement asking people to stop sending abominate mail. A report on Salon.com interviews a young girl, Alice, in 1999 after finding her on a Stormfront mailing list. “I found any number of sites that provided me with solid information about why blacks are inferior. These Web sites led me in directions I couldn’t have found otherwise.” Dangerous thoughts for a rebellious teenager. Alice, who says she regularly visits Stormfront, says “I now feel free to reflect and my ideology and thoughts are slowly changing. I’m getting more and more information. I live in an area where these ideas are unacceptable.” Alice has become so wrapped up in her own opinions that she has forgotten that there are other points of view to request as well. She has not yet experienced the world enough to truly understand the way of things and websites like Stormfront prey upon this.

Matt Hale and the World Church of The Creator have used the internet significantly for their own perverse needs. The homepage of the WCOTC during the 90s featured picturesque Scandinavian vistas and a slew of Aryan children illustrations that looked to be upright out of a 1930s Nazi German poster. Hale asks all people who belong to WCOTC or are “white racial comrades” to actively recruit new followers using the internet, in chat rooms and on internet forums. He also put a question to that WCOTC members post the groups URL (web address) in as many locations, as soon as possible. Hale also recognizes one of the best ways to recruit college students. “We attract college students mainly through the Internet. Many college students utilize the Internet, and they are attracted to us by that manner.” The WCOTC also targets young children in their recruiting efforts. Parents cannot watch their children every minute of every day. Unfortunately a child could happen upon WCOTC’s children’s section of its website. This set is described as helping “the younger members of the White Race understand our fight.” Crossword puzzles and other word games are used to lure younger children to the site. The games feature words related to the WCOTC’s perspective on white heritage. Teenagers are encouraged to be more active. With comments like, “The inferior mud races are our deadly enemies, and the most dangerous of all is the Jewish race. It is our immediate objective to relentlessly expand the White Race, and keep shrinking our enemies.” given to teenagers in reference to what they can do to further the cause, it’s hard to say that the station is harmless. With words like these it is hard not to imagine a teenager taking this “advice” to the extreme. They may be prone to shrink the WCOTC’s enemies by slay.

While the Internet has become one of the most powerful tools hate groups use for recruiting, it is not their only tool. Music is used to reach a younger audience, while individuals spread information on particular hate groups like twisted missionaries on America’s college campuses. Also the employ of “incandescent” arguments for racial supremacy rather than outward hate has become the new message for many groups. This is very hazardous as this type of message could, noteworthy more easily contrivance in many otherwise intelligent individuals that would not even begin to think of joining a known violent group such as the KKK or Hammerskins.

The Hammerskin Nation, as previously stated, has been well known as a violent organization. But they also effect racist white power music and hold large concerts. During the 1990s many in the Hammerskin nation began promoting white power bands. Bands such as Max Resist, Bully Boys, and Extreme Hatred have been featured at their shows. In nearly two years (August 1999-December2000)26 the Hammerskins had hosted six, well attended, shows in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Detroit, Cleveland, and Texas. These shows certainly swayed many youths to the horrid cause of white supremacy. It also spurs them on to bring violence upon those that the music teaches them are ‘lesser’ then them.

December 10th 2000, three 20 something racists committed acts of violence in Jacksonville, Florida. Jacob Laskey, Robert Parrott, and Edward Fix ganged up on and beat John Newsome, a 44-year-old African American. After seeing Mr. Newsome, the group yelled, “There’s one, let’s bag him!” Mr. Newsome was chased by the three and beat in a parking lot. Later questioned by the police the group admitted they were driving around the city looking for blacks. How much is this music on impressionable minds that it drives them to such violent acts? At the very least these concerts give racists a place to gather and meet other like-minded individuals, who may then go out and commit the same acts together as the three in Jacksonville, Florida have.

William Pierce and the National Alliance are also purveyors of white power music, through the ‘Resistance Records’ label. Pierce feels that music is an efficient way to attract young people to his movement. Music has always been a very powerful force and Pierce recognizes this. People turn on music because “they like the sound” Pierce inadvertently points out how dangerous white power music is. A child can pop in a Screwdriver CD, or download an mp3, simply because they like punk music. Soon their ears are getting filled with hateful messages, all to a catchy rhythm that gets stuck in their head. Brad Knickerbocker from the Christian Science Monitor had this to stay after he had researched white power music.

The sound is that that of most other [popular music]. But listen carefully, and the words can be disturbing, even shocking. Race war is advocated. Germany’s Third Reich is glorified. Blacks and Jews are degenerated, sometimes targeted for violence and destruction.

As it has branched out into other genres such as country and folk, ‘Resistance Records’ has pulled in large sums of money. The company now pulls in close to $1.5 million a year. People are buying these records. Pierce and his organization has parlayed this money into its website and an Internet radio station. As I have mentioned earlier, the Internet radio gives a mighty further reach to the group’s message. But Pierce is not completely in agreement with the genres of music that make of the majority of his recount labels catalog. Pierce believes that the music that the rock music that his label relies on so heavily upon is “shadowy music”. Begrudgingly, Pierce admits that there is no other way to reach the young people. “We’ve had a couple generations of Americans on rock music. If you want to reach young people now, you have to use dismal music.”

The approaches loathe groups bewitch in recruiting and the messages they spread in the later part of the 1990s showed a dramatic shift in tactics. Many groups sought to reach more educated members. The World Church of the Creator states that it does not accept members with criminal backgrounds for instance. They do however actively recruit on college campuses. Often, they will bring affirmative action into a discussion to appeal to white students. Matthew Hale, WCOTC leader, states that many students have said, “Hey, wait a minute! Why can’t I salvage a scholarship because I’m white…there are blacks that derive them because they’re black? ” His reply is “blacks don’t want equality…it’s really unprejudiced a smokescreen. What the blacks and other races really want is supremacy.” This is a good way to plant a seed in someone’s mind. Perhaps they hadn’t thought about how ‘unfair’ the system was for them. A thought like the one mentioned above could initiate them down a perilous path. They may begin to see the system working ‘against’ them. Quickly they will be swayed over to Hale’s group.

Members are encouraged to go up to people and ’spread the word’, so to speak, at some of the best higher learning establishments in America. Hale believes in order to salvage their cause must have the best and the brightest our schools have to offer. He also states that people in higher education are “more open-minded and able to grasp more thoroughly where we are coming from.” Hale goes on to assert that their cause is not one for slackers or “dummies”
This cause that we represent is by no means a cause for dummies or a cause for those who accept things blindly. We have a lot of evidence behind our views. We have a lot of history, a lot of facts, statistics and everything else to buttress our claims.

When such a hateful message is doctored with facts it makes the medicine easier to swallow. Some could say “Well we aren’t like the KKK at all. They are racist, violent bigots. We are not. Here is a pamphlet to interpret why.” Their hate is disguised. The WCOTC hides leisurely what they call science and historical truths. Their like a flash growing numbers prove that their approach is working and with dangerous efficiency.

These groups may seem like an overwhelming problem in America. They indeed are a great dilemma, but they are not invincible. During the 1990s and early in our current decade many of these groups were dealt lethal blows by the American justice system.

First we have the case of Matthew Hale of the WCOTC. In November of 2002, the US District court for the Northern District of Illinois issued an order that the WCOTC must halt using that name as well as the ‘Church of the Creator’. Earlier in January of 2002, the Te-Ta-Ma Truth Foundation filed suit against the WCOTC saying that they had trademarked ‘Church of the Creator’. The WCOTC lost on appeal in November. They were no longer allowed to use their web address and were forced to turn over any materials with the ‘Church of the Creator’ name on it. As one ADL director stated “World Church’s loss of its ‘brand name’ may hinder its ability to spread its virulent message of hate. The order is another positive step in countering prejudice and bigotry.” A few years later Hale was convicted of soliciting the murder of the family of the Judge that had forced the WCOTC to stop using its name. Hale was heard on tape asking a bodyguard to murder this judge. Little did Hale know that the bodyguard was actually an FBI informant. Matthew Hale recently received 40 years in prison for the solicitation of the murders of two judges. Since Hale’s arrest there have been no public marches, meetings, or literature distributions by the Creativity Movement. The once powerful force of hate has broken off into many smaller, thus less effective, groups. The group crumbled without Hale’s leadership.

The next case is that of the Aryan Nations, based in Idaho. In 1998, two passers-by of the Aryan Nations compound would unknowingly become the group’s slayers. Victoria and Jason Keenan were returning from a wedding in July of 1998 when they passed by the Aryan Nations compound near Coeur D’Alene, Idaho. The mother and son had stopped on the side of the road to search for a wallet that had fallen out of their car. As they sat their car backfired. Members of the Aryan Nations then straggle the two in a truck, shooting at them until the Keenan’s car went into a ditch. The family was then forced out of their car at gunpoint and beaten with rifle butts. When the trial ended in September of 2000, Butler and the Aryan Nations organization were found “negligent in the selection, training and supervision of the security guards who assaulted [the Keenan's]” Butler and the Aryan Nations were forced to pay $4.8 million, his chief of staff $600,000. The guards involved were fined $600,000 in combined damages. At the end of the day, Butler was forced to turn over his 20-acre compound to the Keenan’s. Without a home, members quickly bailed the sinking ship. The group soon succumb to infighting and Butler’s declining health. In 2004 Richard Butler died.

These two cases were tremendous victories for the unbiased and anti-racist. Groups such as the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League worked long and hard to bring these groups down. Justice prevailed.

During the 1990s hate groups showed a major shift. Groups began to focus more on recruitment than violence. These groups perverted the relatively new Internet for their own twisted means. The impressionable youths of America were target through the Internet and white power music. Attempts were made to reach a more intellectual audience. Ultimately, the law and their own arrogant minds defeated these groups. The future for hate groups certainly looks grim. For the rest of us, this is extraordinary news.

John Colter was a pioneersman, frontiersman, mountainman, explorer and the one who made the momentous discovery of the Yellowstone area. John Colter was also a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition. He is most remembered for his explorations after he was discharged from the army in 1806, even though he was part of the expedition that would change history. He would become known as the person who was of European descent to enter a region that would later become known as the Yellowstone National Park. The area that he would enter would be called Jackson Hole and the Teton Mountain Range. He was largely considered to be the first mountain man since he spent months alone in the wilds.

John Colter was born sometime around 1774 or 1775, in Augusta County, Virginia, the son of Joseph and Ellen Shields Colter. It would be around 1780, his family would move west to Kentucky, but little is known about his childhood, but it is thought that he may have served for Simon Kenton as a ranger as a young man. His skills for the outdoors so impressed Meriwether Clark that he was offered a job and given the rank of private. This date was October 15, 1803 and he would become a permanent member of this group as they made their contrivance across the country.

It was on February of 1804, while Lewis was away, Colter and three others in the group defied orders given by Sergeant Ordway and upon his return, Lewis punished them by confining them to the camp for about ten days.Colter was considered one of the best hunters of the group and was the one who was almost always sent out to scout the area for any game that was needed. He would be instrumental in helping find ways to fetch through the Rocky Mountains and also get help from the local Indian tribes, the Nez Perce, in order to get information on the rivers and the streams that were on their arrangement west.

It would be in November of 1805, that they would reach the Pacific Ocean and Colter was one of the men picked to accompany Clark to head towards the main fraction of the ocean from their camp.They would explore that plot and up the coast to what would become Washington state. In 1806, they would return to what would become North Dakota and this is where they would encounter two men with the names of Forest Hancock and Joseph Dickson, who were headed up the Missouri River to search for furs. Colter was granted an early honorable discharge in order to go with them in August of 1806 and help them return to the area that they had previously explored. The group managed to keep their partnership going for two months and then parted ways in 1807, at which time, Colter headed for civilization. He met up with Manuel Lisa who was leading a party that included several former members of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Colter made the decision to return to the wilds and was instrumental in helping form Fort Raymond, which was arrive the Yellowstone and Big Horn Rivers. He would be later sent by Lisa to search out the Crow tribes and to figure out if they could trade with them.

In October of 1807, he would leave the Fort and would explore the Yellowstone and the Grand Teton National Parks over the course of winter. He would be credited as the first white man to ever enter this status and the area where their geysers and other hot spots, would become known as “Colter’s Hell”. He would continue his explorations of the dwelling for a while before heading back. Parts of the area he explored and told about would later become the region of Wyoming. He would return 1810 after being away from civilization for almost six years.

In his remaining years, he would marry a woman named Sallie and he would settle down on a farm he had bought in Missouri. He would visit with William Clark sometime in 1810 and he would let him know about what he had discovered. He would fight in the War of 1812 under Nathan Boone and his rangers. It is unclear of what or exactly when John Colter died but many believe that he died on May 7, 1812 or on November of 1813. He is buried near New Haven on private land.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Colter

http://www.lewisandclarkinkentucky.org/people/colter_bio.shtml

http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/inside/jcolt.html

Prolog

The Astronomical Recession began when the recount of the 1990s ended. However, the recovery from this recession was different from all previous recessions because it was a jobless recovery. By the year 2010 robotics and other permanent improvements in efficiencies in the economy had resulted in a constant U.S. unemployment rate of thirty percent. In 2014, Congress’s decision to out-source all of the U.S. military operations to China and India for cost savings resulted in the closing down the Pentagon. Soon, out of work military brass, Pentagon consultants and military lobbyists joined the ranks of displaced technology, factory and service workers.

But, there was one exception to the growing poverty. The educational elite at the nation’s universities and colleges prospered. The alliance between the Congress and Academia resulted in the educational elite getting plump on government giveaways and subsidies as they turned out students with useless degrees who, after graduating, joined the growing masses of unemployed on the streets.

The disenfranchised banded together to effect the National Revolutionary Party. Former technology executives and ex-military brass formed the top echelon while displaced factory and service workers formed the rank and file of the Party. The NRP organized their members into state malitia groups. As discontent with the status quo increased, the NRP stationed their malitia around institutions of higher learning to keep Party members employed. Soon all of the colleges and universities in the U.S. were surrounded by malitia. Skirmishes between the NRP malitia androgue gangs of professors became more and more current. Fearing that the NRP would start a revolution that would replace the Washington Congressional Corporate Government, Congress began to aid Academia arming them with weapons, ammunition and corporate block grants. With both sides fully funded and heavily armed, it would only be a matter of time before war broke out.

The Academia War started in October 18, 2015 when the Massachusetts NRP malitia attacked and massacred a peaceful group of Harvard political science professors that had taken refuge under a white flag of truce. The news of the Battle of Harvard spread through the Academic grapevine. Within twenty-four hours, battles were being fought in and around the campuses of all the major colleges and universities in the country. NRP malitia forces out numbered Academia forces by a large margin. After a several weeks of fighting, Academia forces had been driven back into their campuses and were under siege

Finally after two years, the Washington-based government fell with Congress being replaced by the Revolutionary Council. The siege of all the universities and colleges ended with a peace treaty between Academia and the current NRP backed government. Academia agreed to be confined to reservations on the site of their former institutions. In exchange, the unusual revolutionary government promised to leave the universities and colleges intact providing the former enemy combatants with money, food and supplies. Containment walls were create around all of the former institutions of higher learning which were now guarded by armed malitia under control of the Department of Education. The tyranny of higher education had been abolished forever and the separation of education and state had been achieved.

Resigning higher education to the scrap heap of history created a very grave problem. Without colleges and universities, most younger Party members did not have the basic professional skills that society needed. The solution came from the cogitative scientists in the technology wing of the Party when they discovered Universal Neural Bus Technology and Neurologic Pattern Implants. Once the UNB interface was installed in the brain, it could be used to seamlessly import and export memories and professional skills, make or play neural recordings or connect the brain to the Grid community. The only outwardly visible sign of the implant was called the socket, a small square hole on the back of the head. The new revolutionary government chartered a new company, the Mindshare Corporation, to deploy the new technology and all intellectual property.

The Mindshare Corporation held the monopoly on the human intellect. The elite Intellectual Architects of the Mindshare Cogitative Research and Development Department created government celebrated neurological templates for all social rolls. The Revolutionary Council and the Mindshare Corporation decided that is was in the public’s best interest to have single vendor for human thought. Allowing multiple vendors, they reasoned, would create a technical support nightmare. Local Party Social Roles Commitees would assign the templates to Party members when they reached adolescence. From that point on it was the Party member’s responsibility to plug into the Grid regularly applying patches and upgrades available from Mindshare Corporation to make distinct they were in compliance with their Mindshare End User License Agreement. People were no longer hobbled by lack of natural talents or unequal access to skills. With Party approval anyone could plug into the Grid, pay their money and entering their Mindshare End User License Agreement Neural Access Code, become a lawyer, doctor, nurse, carpenter or whatever. There were, of course, civil libertarian types who objected to the implants and to making the human intellect proprietary. These people called objectors maintained that human thought should not be monopolized by a single company and people had a true to modify and customize their own thinking patterns.

Harassed by law enforcement, objectors were outcasts cursed to living the lives of a despised underclass in the wastelands left after the Academia Wars. Objectors who spent time roving around the country gaining credits by taking underground classes were called roadscholars. In the slums and tenements of the wastelands, violent gangs of objectors and roadscholars engaged in turf battles and street crimes to feed their addiction to street education. Illegal underground universities and colleges flourished connected through an underground social network called the Syndicate. Local law enforcement agencies formed specially trained teams called Education Eradication Teams to derive and close these vile dens of illegal education. Objectors and roadscholars often ended up being busted and incarcerated at colleges and universities controlled by the DOE. Their official records with law enforcement were called transcripts.

Dropouts were rebels who having their sockets removed joined the roadscholars on the streets. Usually, dropouts were left to a wintry hard death in the educational system. However, if they were the relatives of the rich or important Party members, a special agent could be employed to go undercover and get them back. These elite human trackers knowledgeable in street education and university culture were called recruiters .

Part 1

Martinez was sitting in the mobile command center parked half a block down Center Street south of Chapman Avenue in old Orange listening to the activity inside the building. The building under surveillance was the used Orange Public Library. This ancient red brick-covered building was left over from an era when information was still printed on paper and bound into books. Sometime, long before the Grid, people had some ludicrous idea that citizens should have free access to these artifacts. Apparently, they expended a lot of money to create buildings like this one where people could walk in, gather and check them out taking them home to read.

Of course, with the creation of the Grid and exclaim neural interfacing, warehousing information in public gathering places had become obsolete even subversive.

Almost as an act of civil disobedience, old libraries like this often were used as meeting places for classes in the underground colleges or universities. For the last four weeks, the intelligence unit of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department EE Team had learned through informants that the famous Chapman Underground University was holding illegal classes here every Monday and Wednesday from six to nine p.m..

Almost immediately, satellite reconnaissance images had been reviewed and indeed had shown very suspicious activity as people carrying notebooks walked into the library at six, walked out the abet and smoked dope sticks for about ten minutes at seven-thirty, walked back in and then left quietly at nine. A court order was issued, local surveillance was setup and an undercover informant was sent in to audit the class. The informant reported that an Ivy League hoodlum from back east was teaching the class.

Martinez’ core EE Team consisted of eight officers and several support teams. Martinez himself was the front man, Bob Sanchez the rear guard, Maria Gonzales and Mark McBride the right and left guards. There were also four sharp shooters: Roger Cantu, Sofia Torres, Leander Murrillo, Mary Smith. For the operation tonight, Leander and Sofia were placed on the top of the old bank building on the east side of the library while Roger and Mary watched from the roof restaurant on the west side. The fascinating shooters had an almost completely unobstructed view of the front and back entrances to the library.

It appeared they were using an x-ray scattering device to prevent remote visual scanning. But, the audio, which did not rely on x-rays was not being blocked. This was good enough for the courts though. As Martinez listened, he heard the professor speak.

“Class, did you all get to read Scrooge last night? Would someone like to tell the class what the account is about? ” the professor asked pedantically

A young male pronounce was heard. “I would, professor. It seems to me to be a yarn about an uptight old guy with a guilty conscience . . .”

Martinez checked the recording indicators to make sure that the evidence was being recorded properly.

Martinez spoke to the computer. “Computer, can you do a voice print identity check on this professor? ”

“Processing,” the computer replied. The computer was not in the vehicle. It was a composite mind of thousands of computers and databases around the globe all connected to the Grid simultaneously analyzing, understanding and processing his request. In an instant the professor’s whisper was analyzed, converted to a digital signature and matched against the Academic Offender Database at the DOE. Once the identity of the professor had been determined, the databases were searched for his transcript. Immediately, the computer answered. “Perpetrator identified.”

“Please present his transcript,” Martinez requested.

Immediately, a holographic image of the professor appeared. Beside the image was the text of his transcript: Nelson Pineo. Born 2002 Pocatello, Idaho. Dropped out in 2022. Sentenced to bachelors degree in political science Dartmouth Prison 2029. Release and re-offended 2030 sentenced to masters in literature at Yale Penitentiary where the subject of his masters thesis was Charles Dickens. Graduated early for good behavior. From then until now only a series of petty tutoring offences around the country were recorded. This is a bad guy, Martinez opinion.

“Look out folks. We’ve got a Dickens freak,” Martinez warned his team. For some reason, Dickens was a bad influence on roadscholars. Dickens freaks tended to be unpredictable, erratic and violent when cornered.

“Bob, I deem we have enough. Is the LERC van ready? ” Martinez asked, his words being broadcast to the other members of the EE team waiting in the back.

“Yes, we’re ready to come in when you need us,” was the retort.

Silently, like clockwork, they all stepped out of the mobile unit. They walked to the front of the building. Martinez looked at the drinking fountain next to the floor. In faded lettering just barely legible it read: “A Gift of the Friends of the Library.”

Martinez checked to stare if the door was locked. No. He opened it. The two side guards went in first, crossing over from right to left and left to good making sure it was clear. Then Martinez followed by Sanchez went in. The main share of the old library was empty. Objective rows and rows of shelves filled with ancient dust-covered books. Faintly, Martinez could hear the muffled voice of the professor coming from the room in the back. Martinez pointed silently to the attend wall.

They walked past the restroom lining up in front of the old wooden door leading into the back room. The professor narrate was louder now and he could hear the voices of some of the students asking questions. He checked the door. It was unlocked. They reformed their diamond formation in preparation for going in. The adrenalin was now pumping in Martinez. He reached over and knocked. There was silence then the professor answered in a expedient voice: “We’re having class but, if you must, come in.”

And, they did. The door flung open the two side guards entered followed by Sanchez and Martinez. In the center of the room about thirty desk chairs were lined up in rows in front of a white board. There were about fifteen people seated in the desks. The professor was standing in front of the white board, caught red handed with the marker in his hand writing on the board.

“All right everyone sit mild. This is a bust. You are all under arrest for possession of educational paraphernalia with the intent to educate. Professor, I don’t want any trouble. Drop the marker and step away from the white board slowly!” Martinez shouted. “The rest of you, drop your pencils and pens and put your hands late your heads. We don’t want any trouble but we’ll shoot any you if you don’t obey. All you roadscholars, get up slowly and proceed outside to the paddy wagon. You are going to be taken down to Santa Ana Community Jail for booking and held there until trial.”

The roadscolars all stood up with their hands gradual their head and started walking toward the front door as the professor stood watching red with rage. As they were filing out, one of the roadscholars tripped over her desk falling to the ground with a loud bang. This distraction allowed the professor to bolt for the back door on the east side of the room.

“Shit!” Martinez swore. “He’s getting away. The professor is going out the back. Roger, can you get a elegant shot at him? ”

Several shots were heard along with the ricochetting as bullets hit the pavement outside the building. Martinez rushed to the door but stopped short.

“I missed him,” was the reply. “He’s heading north on Shaffer.”

“Hold your fire. I’ll get him,” Martinez ordered.

Martinez carefully checked his side arm and the location outside the door. He ran out across the parking lot north down Shaffer Avenue. The professor was in his fifties but was still able to run very hasty. The professor had almost made it to Maple when Martinez caught up with him. Martinez, holding his gun steady with both hands, aimed it at the running figure.

“Stop or I’ll shoot, professor. It’s not worth dying over a dead author!” Martinez shouted.

As if deciding to make his final stand, the professor stopped, turned around walking menacingly back toward Martinez shaking his fist.

“How dare you, sockethead! How dare you interrupt my lecture on Dickens!” the professor shouted. “Get away, get away from …”

Suddenly, without making a conscious decision to do so, Martinez pulled the trigger and a bullet entered the professors balding forehead spraying bone and brain tissue out the back of his head. The professor fell over facing up. Martinez felt a sudden obsession capture over his reason. He felt an urge to shoot the prof over and over. He fired two more shots into his head and then two more into his body and then one into his crouch.

Martinez twisted over and went through the pockets of the professor’s suit coat. There were the usual paraphernalia chalk, white board makers, a small dictionary, a pipe and a plastic container of cherry tobacco but, very suspiciously, no dope. Then he found a little stack of old style business cards. Martinez stood up walked over to where the light was better and examined them. They were plain white business cards with a name and address on east Civic Center Drive.

A moment later, he heard the running footsteps of his team behind him. Sanchez was the first one to reach the scene.

“Not again,” Sanchez sighed looking at the bloody remains of the professor.”What’s that? ”

“Looks like this prof was into something deeper that just freelancing rouge classes at Chapman Underground. Look at the address,” Martinez said handing one of the cards to Sanchez.”A simple rouge professor wouldn’t be handing out cards with a permanent address. We need to investigate this. This looks like the tip of the iceberg. Part of a larger operation.”

The rest of the team had now assembled around the body of the professor. They had seen retired faculty before. But, Martinez could detect an unusual uneasiness in the rest of the team as they looked at him.

“The only great educator is a dead one. Call for the meat wagon,” Martinez said dryly as he holstered his gun. He walked back to the library parking lot where the other roadscholars were being processed.

Fragment 2

The card that Martinez found in the pocket of the professor at the Orange Public Library pointed to an illegal operation that Malcolm and Milton Garcia ran in the four story Valis apartment building at the corner of Civic Center and Minter in the Logan Park area of passe Santa Ana.

The Garcia brothers had taken illegal street education to a new level running a university almost like a legitimate corporate business. The university was structured by floor. The Department of Math and Physical Sciences was on the second floor, Humanities and Social Sciences on the third floor and Writing and Literature on the fourth floor with administration and security on the ground floor.

Professors in various specialties in these areas were tucked away in the different apartments on each floor like hookers in a cat house waiting for their tricks. The operation provided academics on demand for those roadscholars with a few extra bucks desperate for a fix at any time day or night. Honest citizens walking by the front of the building had reported professors loitering outside their apartments smoking dope sticks waiting to ply their illicit trade.

Academic abusers, philosophy addicts, literature junkies, psychology freaks would dash out of the dark up to the locked gate pressing the manager’s button on the intercom. A guard would greet them, search them and exclaim them to an apartment at the befriend. The door of the apartment was bullet proofed with a sliding window and bank teller drawer. Roadscholars would knock on the door, exchange their money for a piece of paper with an apartment number and the amount of time the session with the professor would last.

Every day, a courier for the Garcias would stop by the building carrying out a brown paper bag corpulent of money taking it to one of the legitimate crack houses run by the brothers to be laundered. Every second and fourth Friday, each professor would go down to the ground floor to pick up their salary in a sealed envelope. Informants had even reported that there was a wreck room, spa, sauna and workout room with Nautilus machines to help retain faculty.

Like all street universities, it was heavily guarded with the brothers keeping order with an iron hand. They did not allow any free lancing by their faculty. One informant reported that Malcolm Garcia had, upon learning that a professor had taken money without reporting it, thrown the professor out the window of his “office.”

The EE Team had setup surveillance inside an abandoned catholic church across the street from the building. The Garcia family was ancient Orange County money so the department had to be very careful setting up the bust. They were in the process of documenting operations and identifying faculty. Remote visual surveillance was being blocked as usual and due to the structure of the building audio surveillance was spotty at best. The operations had been going for two weeks. The EE Team had been sending undercover informants into the building to gather intelligence and evidence. They had just about identified all of the professors and back staff that the Garcia brothers had working there. There were just a few professors left to be fingered before shutting down the operation.

It was about six in the evening when Martinez arrived at the command center. The other members of the team had gone to dinner. Sanchez was the only other member there when he arrived. He sensed something was different in his attitude but he couldn’t tell what.

“All still? ” Martinez asked.

“A couple of roadscholars came through a few hours ago. Maria called in sick,” Sanchez reported.

“We still need to finger one of the profs over there. Do you want me to call for back up or do you want to do it? Sort of keep up the old skills as it were,” Sanchez asked leaning back in his chair.

“I’ll do it. It’s always good to keep the undercover skills sharp,” Martinez answered.

A look of relief fell over Sanchez’ face.

“Colossal. This prof is a philosophy freak. He’s holed up in apartment 304 from six to nine p.m. tonight. Just go over there looking for a Nietzsche fix and they’ll send you up to him,” Sanchez said.

Martinez walked out the back of the old church down Civic Center and across Minter to the building. Martinez was dressed in sweat pants and jacket wearing a knit cap on his head. He walked up the steps to the ancient rusting iron gate and pressed the manager’s button on the intercom. A few moments later, two large men walked up to the gate. One of them was carrying a broad heavy flashlight.

“What’s your claim? ” one asked.

“Northside,” Martinez replied.

They opened the gate and padded him down after he walked in. They motioned him toward the apartment at the back.

“Go to 100 first,” the other said.

This was an ideal building for an underground university, Martinez thought. Visibility was blocked on three sides except for the portion directly in front of the gate. It was roughly square with a central atrium and four levels of apartments surrounded on each floor by a walkway with five foot walls. As he walked toward the back, Martinez looked high up above his head at the surreal Escher like image of anxious professors smoking dope sticks peering expectantly downward over the edge of the walls at each successive level.

Directly in the back was an elevator and to the sides where stairs that led to the top three floors. He walked around the elevator to the heavy bullet proofed door. Scrawled in crude English letters above the door was one word: Administration. He knocked on the door.

The little window in the upper middle of the door slid open. Martinez could witness a silhouetted head against the light coming from behind.

“What busca for? ” a gruff recount asked in Spanglish. It was gutter talk, the one hundred-year amalgam of English and Spanish. The rich and affluent smooth spoke High English or High Spanish. However, down on the streets among the underclass Spanglish was a common dialect.

“Nietzsche. Necesito un fix de Nietzsche really badly!” Martinez said trying his best impression of a philosophy freak in withdrawal.

“Como much? ”

“Give me a dime,” Martinez said forcing his screech to quiver. A dime was street slang for ten minutes with a professor. A little metal drawer toward the bottom of the door slid out. He lifted the lid and dropped his money into the tray. The draw was withdrawn and then pushed back out. He opened the lid and took out the slip of paper. He proceeded up the stairs to the third floor.

Off to the side of the apartment 304 scribbled on the wall next to the door were the words: Putman Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday six to nine p.m.. Martinez knocked carefully.

“Arrive in,” he heard a voice say.

Martinez could feel the sleazy atmosphere flow out around the door as he opened it.

“Come on in, son,” the voice said in that come-hither tone that professors venerable to calm first timers.

The professor’s apartment was a small one bedroom affair: living room, a kitchen in the back and a bedroom off to the side through a exiguous hallway. The air was filled with thick cherry tobacco smoke. What a disgusting gape, Martinez thought, the professor had converted his living room into a disgusting den of iniquity flaunting his deviant lifestyle.

The professor was sitting in a high backed chair, behind a colossal oak desk banging his pipe in an ash tray. Behind him was a bookcase full of old books. On the top of the book case were potted plants. The desk was covered with papers and off to the side was an old style mechanical typewriter.

“Come in. Sit down. Can I have your work order, please? ” the professor asked.

Martinez handed the professor the note the Admin guy had given him. The professor was about sixty years, clean shaven with short silver grey hair. Even sitting Martinez could see that he was a tall man. The professor put on a pair of ragged reading glasses looking over the paper before he put it down on a spiked paper holder off to one side of his desk. He picked up an archaic style mechanical kitchen timer and bent the dial on the front and set it down on his desk.

“What can I do for you tonight? ” he asked.

“I’m a wannabe waiting to be jumped into the Northside Existentialists. But, I can’t get down on Nietzsche,” Martinez said.

“Well, then a dime of Nietzsche? Ten minutes worth of Nietzsche. What do you know about him? God is Dead. Hitler and all that? ” the professor asked filling his pipe

“He was German,” Martinez said, “I know that!” Martinez had been programmed in this type of banter for dealing with deviant types like this.

“Well, you are either completely ignorant or very perceptive, young man! Yes, he was a German. Born before the era of the modern corporate state. His father died when he was young and he was raised by his mother. He suffered from severe migraine headaches. He was a brilliant man appointed to the Chair of the Department of Philosophy at the Swiss University of Basle in 1869 without ever having even written a masters thesis. This was two hundred years before UNB technology and neural pattern implants, mind you,” the professor paused taking a puff of his pipe.

“Nietzsche felt we can make our oven reality through sheer imposition of will. He called it the ‘Will To Power’.”

Martinez suddenly felt odd. Something in the professor’s manner was making him strangely keen in what this criminal had to say. He felt enraged and an unnatural accelerate to ask more questions.

Martinez suppressed the urge. “Will to Power? ” Martinez asked further entrapping the professor.

“Yes,” the professor said. “He wrote about it in his book ‘The World as Will and Ideas’. Here is a copy.”

The professor reached behind him to the middle shelf and pulled a book out, dusted it off and handed it to Martinez.

“You can take it with you. I have several other copies,” the professor said handing the ancient book to Martinez. “The thing to understand about Friedreich Nietzsche is that he was a vexed man. He went insane probably due to syphilis. Two hundred years ago many diseases were not treatable and lead to spoiled deaths. Probably because of his enjoy decrepitude, he believed that physically and intellectually inferior people were a threat to the more physically and intellectually superior people and should be eliminated. His argument, in a slightly more modern manufacture during the Academia Wars fifty years ago, lead to the segregation of our society and harassment we objectors encounter today.”

The timer went off. The professor stood up.

“Your time is up. Here is a list of review questions,” he said opening his desk file drawer pulling out a sheet of paper and handing it to Martinez.

“Let he who lives to fight dragons beware lest he become a dragon himself,” the professor said cryptically, “Have a agreeable day, young man. Please discontinuance my office door behind you.”

Still holding the book and paper the professor gave him, Martinez walked out of the apartment closing the door behind him. He walked abet to the stairs to the first floor.

“Eye you later, brother,” he heard several voices say as he was let out through the iron gate.

Now he was back on the street. Silently he walked back to the church. He would now be debriefed, the recording of his sortie would be reviewed and the professor identified. He had a lot of planning to do before his team shutdowns this operation.

Part 3

Martinez was in a good mood the next morning when he parked his aircar on the roof of the county building. He took the elevator down to the thirtieth floor where the EE offices were located.

After he got out of the elevator, he walked down the hall past the EE propaganda posters on the walls. One poster pictured several eggs smashed against a chalk board on which was written the slogan “You Brain On Education.” Another poster showed a young man in a cap and gown in handcuffs with the caption “Get a Degree Go To Jail.”

When he walked into his office, he knew something was wrong, Sanchez refused to make eye contact.

“They want to see you in Compliance,” Sanchez said. “I’m sorry, Andy. I had no choice.”

“I guess not,” Martinez said. “So much for loyalty! Do you remember the sociology professor in Anaheim Hills? I took a plasma bullet for you! This is how you repay me? ”

Martinez took the elevator up to the forty-fourth floor where the Neurological Compliance Department was located. He walked in and sat down in the waiting room. After about ten minutes, one of the technicians opened the adjoining door and stepped into the room. He was a tall pale humorless looking man wearing the official Mindshare Corporation uniform.

“Detective Martinez, I’m Earnest Shrivel, the department Mindshare Certified Engineer. Would you please near into my office? ”

Martinez followed him into his office sitting in the chair positioned in front of a large boomerang shaped desk. Next to the desk were an examining table and some apparatus that Martinez recognized as neurological analysis equipment.

Shrivel leaned forward. “I want you to understand, that this is just standard procedure when an incident like this occurs. No ones accusing you of anything. But, when an apparent error in a NP occurs, it is the responsibility of the department to check for compliance with the Mindshare EULA,” Shrivel informed him.

“Honest because I put a couple of extra bullets into a roadscholar, you guys think that I have been wire heading, is that it? ” Martinez asked.

“Not at all. According to Mindshare QA, your Education Eradicator upgrade to your Police Officer 1.0 has no open issues or bugs. Your use of excessive force may indicate a previously unknown bug. We are interested in working with Mindshare QA in tracking down the problem. Have you applied any upgrades or patches to your personal neural programming recently? ”

“Yes, if you check with Mindshare Sales you will sight that I recently upgraded my Sexual Skills NP with their new upgrade,” Martinez said.

“Well, then, I’d like to perform a elephantine neural compliance scan to see if there are any discrepancies between what Mindshare records explain you have installed and what is actually there. There is the possibility that during a sexual encounter on the Grid, neural hackers may have tried to modify part of your programming.”

Martinez got up onto the examination table. Shrivel plugged his equipment into Martinez’ socket.

“I’m afraid, I’m going to have to remove you down to Single Thought Mode to perform the scan. I’ll reboot you when I am done.” Shrivel said as he pressed a button on the equipment.

Martinez immediately became unconscious. He felt his life passes before his eyes. Every experience and thought he had ever had seemed to happen all at once. Then it was over. He sat up on the examining table. He looked over at Shrivel who had a somber expression on his face.

“What did I yelp you? ” Martinez said as he pulled the plug out of the back of his head. “I’m one-hundred percent Mindshare compliant. Now can I go back to my job? ”

“The scan didn’t display any un-licensed neurological programming. However, it did explain an unusual side effect interaction between the Weapons and Ordinance NP and the new Sexual Skills NP. I’m afraid we are going to have to contact Mindshare QA and open a bug on you. Generally, the turnaround time for resolving this type of issue is about a month. I’m afraid I’m going to have to take you off duty until the issue is resolved.”

Martinez knew what this meant. These bugs were never resolved and no officer with an open bug had ever been returned to active duty. His career with the EE Team was over and, of course, Sanchez would be prompted to front man fair in time for the big bust in Logan Park. He cried as he walked down to his office for the last time.

Part 4

The sun had set over the pacific ocean when the suborbital landed at John Wayne International Spaceport. The Mindshare Chief Intellectual Architect was accompanied by two company bodyguards as she disembarked from the flight from Charlotte, North Carolina passing through priority security on her way down to the waiting limousine. Their luggage was already being establish into the trunk of the limousine when they arrived. The bodyguards talked briefly with the driver, then the entourage got into the back of the limousine. The driver started the limousine and pulled away from the curb taking the MacArthur Boulevard exit from the spaceport to the ramp onto the north bound 405 airlane. After a few moments, one of the bodyguards noticed that they were heading the wrong way.

“Driver, I thought the Irvine Marriott was the other way? ” he asked knocking on the partition.

“We are taking a slight detour,” the driver said and sealed the passenger’s compartment.

By the time the aircar had reached the junction of Interstate 5 and the 57 freeways, it was clear that the limousine was not on it’s way the Irvine Marriott. The bodyguards had contacted the police by phone and four Orange County Sheriffs’ Department airpatrol cars were tailing them. The lead airpatrol attempted to stop the limousine by firing a plasma blast into the antigrav shield on the bottom. As the limousine crossed the junction of the 57 and the 55 freeways it began to lose altitude as it veered off the airlane and headed toward the lights of the California State Penitentiary Fullerton. Inside the cabin, the automated voice of the College Park Security Control sentry could be heard, “This is College Park Security Control. You are entering restricted Department of Education airspace. Return to programmed flight path.”

As the limousine passed over College Park Security Control, it began to loose power. It scrapped the top Nutwood side of the containment wall passing over Langsdorf Hall then the Pollack Library and crashing into Memorial Grove in front of the gymnasium.

The aircar split into two as it crashed. The driver’s compartment burst into flames about one hundred yards from where the passenger’s compartment came to rest. Within seconds, the passenger’s compartment was surrounded by students carrying torches, clubs and weapons. They pulled the occupants out of the vehicle and carried them off into the darkness.

Section 5

Martinez was plugged into the Grid getting his weekly neural scan and product upgrades and patches from the Mindshare Company gridsite. After he finished, he pulled the plug out of his socket.

He opened the sliding door and walked out onto the patio of his apartment located on the two hundredth floor of the Vargas building at First and Flower. It was about five in the afternoon and the sun was beginning to set. He could see the mammoth Orange County wasteland punctuated by a few islands of light: Fashion Island in Newport Beach, downtown Anaheim, the skyscrapers of downtown Villa Park and Seal Beach. The void between them was pitch murky with occasional faint flickers from camp fires mostly along the Santa Ana River.

Leaning over the rail, he watched the multi-layered river of red and white lights of Interstate 5 flow past his apartment. It flowed northward from leisurely the Saddleback Mountains disappearing in the north somewhere in the distant glow of downtown Los Angeles.

He stepped back inside closing the sliding glass door walking into the dinning area. On the wall television local Orange County news was running.

Martinez silently walked over to the refrigerator and selected Orange Juice Pulpy from the dispenser. From the toaster oven, he selected Toast Buttered Very Brown. Taking his items succor to the table he sat back down to watch television. There was a break in the news program and a commercial was running.

In the commercial, a perky young housewife was working topless in the family kitchen. She looks toward the camera and speaks.

“My family means the whole world to me. I want to be the best possible housewife I can. That’s why I upgraded to Housewife 4.5. Housewife 4.5 features new improved cooking, cleaning and child rearing programs. Isn’t that right, kids? ” she asked looking off to the side.

“Sure is!” two happy little faces shouted in unison.

Martinez laughed to himself becuase he knew what every EE cop knew: the early beta release of Housewife 4.0 had a bad bug in it. It caused the individual it was installed on to mix rat poison into meat loaf. Sadly, a few heart-broken people got a gain of a pre-release beta service pack and installed the buggy version of the Housewife NP. The deaths that resulted were covered up by the Mindshare Corporation and attributed to food poisoning.

The picture changed to the Mindshare Logo and below it the company motto: Your Intellect Is Our Property. Then there was the familiar Mindshare jingle: “Mindshare. What do you want to think today? ”

The logo faded and the news was back.

“Now for more local news. The Revolutionary Council President’s Education Czar is visiting the south land today as part of a whirlwind tour of the country gathering information about the War on Education. Akira Shimbuku has the story,” the voice over said.

Martinez watched intently. Although he had been born years after the war, his father had served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff for the National Revolutionary Party with the General. He militant stance on illegal education inspired Martinez in his work. He had only met General McCarthy once at his father’s funeral. He was an impressive full-blooded Caucasian with long grey hair tied into a ponytail and nose and lip piercings. On his uniform Martinez recognized medals from the Battles of Berkeley, Harvard, Yale, William and Mary, San Diego and Dartmouth.

“I’m here today with General Charlton McCarthy veteran of the Academia War and the newly appointed Presidential Education Czar. General, thank you for taking time out to visit with us this morning. Can you narrate us what is bringing you to the southern California this week? ” the interviewer asked.

“As you know, the Revolutionary Council has impartial allocated another one hundred million dollars to help fight the War on Education. I am on a tour of the major cities to see how the spending of funds could be better allocated to aid in that war,” the General said.

You know, of course that there are critics of the Department of Education’s policy. Some of the more libertarian Council members are saying that the War on Education is a futile slay of money and that education should be made lawful. What do you say those these critics? ” the interviewer asked.

The general looked straight into the camera.

“To those liberal shit heads who judge we should legalize education, I say, do we want to go back to the pre-Revolution days when in differences in mental aptitude and demographics caused uneven social stratification, dislocation, cyclical recessions and jobless recoveries? I think not. Legalized education would destroy the peaceful balance of our society,” the General said.

He continued, “Discover at the crime rate. Look at the unsafe streets. Gangs of roadscholars mugging, car-jacking and robbing innocent law-abiding citizens to feed their unnatural educational appetites. Underground universities everywhere subverting our society, causing our young people to dropout and wander the wastelands as roadscholars.”

“To all our young people, I ask this question: Is the all violence and death of gangs and street life worth the thrill of learning new things? I judge not. We need to wipe out this scourge at all costs.”

“Well, General, what about those critics that say having a single government run corporate monopoly controlling the human intellect stifles creative thinking and leads to abnormal and anomalous behavior patterns? Some have even go so far as to suggest that all NPs should be open sourced,” the interviewer asked.

“The Revolutionary Council believes that having a single vendor for human thought is in our society’s best interest. No one wants to go back to the chaos we had at the turn of the century and the Great Recession. Whenever the Mindshare IAs invent a new way of thinking, it can be tested to get sure it is safe and government compliant before it is released to the public. With multiple vendors of NPs there would be no way to prevent unfavorable interactions and side effects from different vendors NPs installed in the same human brain. Even worse, allowing people to tinker with their own thoughts would create a technical serve nightmare!”

“Thank you, General. I wish you luck on your tour. Tomorrow, I’ll be doing a special describe on the lives of the rich Lunar ice barons . . . ”

The music and credits of the news program rolled by as Martinez chewed on toast and took a sip of the orange juice.

Then the voice over said, “Join us at eight for the Saturday Night at the Movies. Tonight we present ‘Jesus on Ice’ Mel Brook’s 2008 comedy classic about a team of archeologists that finds Jesus Christ frozen on Mount Ararat, revive him and contract him to an unscrupulous Broadway prompter who casts him as the lead in an ice skating musical about the life of twentieth century atheist existentialist Jean-Paul Sarte . . . ”

Martinez turned the television off with the remote.

Someone buzzed him from the ground floor entrance of his apartment. He walked over the panel on the wall, on the screen he could see Detective Rodriguez, the rear guard replacement for Sanchez when he was promoted to front man when Martinez went out on disability. He was with another officer that he did not know.

“What do you want? ” Martinez asked.

“We need to talk to you a moment. Will you let us in? ” Rodriguez replied.

“Have you forgotten? I don’t work for the department anymore. Go away,” Martinez shouted.

“This is really important, Andy. Let us up,” Rodriguez said.

He pressed the button to allow them into the building. About a minute later, Rodriguez and the other officer knocked on his front door. He let them in. The young officer with him had a study of anxiety on his face when he saw Martinez.

“Detective Martinez, it’s an honor to meet you. You are a legend around the department,” the young officer said.

“Andy, this is Officer Murrillo. He’s just been promoted up from Murder Homicide to Education Eradication,” Rodriguez said. “Beltran wants to see you right away. She has instructed us to take you downtown involuntarily, if necessary.”

“Give me one good reason why should I go? I don’t work for her any more!” Martinez shouted.

“Andy, your technically still on disability until Mindshare resolves your bug report. You still have to come in when the Chief requests,” Rodriguez said.

Martinez put on his hat and trench coat. They rode the elevator down to the ground floor where an unmarked police ground car was parked in front of the building. A few minutes later, they arrived at the one hundred story building at the corner of Ross and Civic Center that housed the county departments.

Driving into the entrance of the underground parking lot, they were scanned, identified and granted access to the building. They took the elevator up the top floor where Sheriff Beltran’s office was located. When the elevator door opened, Martinez walked out into the office alone.

In the far corner Sheriff Beltran was sitting at her desk. Behind her through the window he could see Mount Baldy in the fading evening light. She was taking to someone sitting in the chair in front of her. He couldn’t tell who it was at first but as he got closed he could watch it was General McCarthy, the President’s Education Czar.

“Andy, I’d like you to meet an old friend of mine, General McCarthy, the President’s Education Czar. The General and I served together during the Academia Wars with your father. He went to Washington and I end up here,” she said smiling.

“We met once at my father’s funeral ten years ago,” Martinez said.

“You’ve grown quite a bit since then! Your father and I were good friends. He was a great warrior. A patriot of the Revolution. We could have never defeated the University of California without him,” the General said shaking Martinez hand.

“The General has a pickle that I deem you can help him with,” Beltran said.

“What I am about to roar you is classified information. Yesterday, an aircar crashed inside California State Penitentiary Fullerton. Laura Acayan, the Mindshare Chief Intellectual Architect, was in it. She was on her way to the Irvine Marriott to deliver the keynote speech for the Neural Content Developers Conference when she was abducted. She was to introduce Mindshare’s new release of Human Intellect Professional 2060. It would be a disaster for Mindshare if she failed to exhibit up. The DOE is prevented by treaty from going in to get her. We need an independent contractor to go in and recruit her before Sunday night when she is scheduled to give the speech,” the General said.

“That’s less than twenty-four hours away! Why don’t you give it to Sanchez? ”

“We can’t. Sanchez is dead. A couple of Irvine roadscholars capped him in a raid out Agran Park last week. You’re the best we’ve got right now. This is an emergency,” Beltran replied.

Sanchez was plain. Martinez thought for a moment. That explained why Rodriguez was running around with a new partner. His mind went relieve two years to the Logan Park operation and the biggest educational related bust in the county’s history. Sanchez had stolen that from him when he reported him to compliance.

“Detective Martinez, the sheriff has told me how badly you want your old-fashioned job back. Get the CIA back and I’ll promise you that I’ll inspect to it that Mindshare promotes your bug picture to top priority. With any luck you could be back on the active duty list within a month,” the General said.

“All right,” Martinez said. “Give me her full profile and a phone number where I can reach you.”

Martinez downloaded the information into his phone. He read through her bio.

“Go down to Special Operations and pick up guns, money, dope sticks, anything you will need. Rodriguez is waiting on the roof parking lot to flee you over to Fullerton College Park Security Control where you will receive your final briefing from Commissioner Hulk there before you infiltrate the university,” Beltran said.

Martinez left Beltran’s office picking up his equipment from Special Operations before taking the elevator up to the roof where Rodriguez was waiting to fly him over to Fullerton.

Part 6

They flew toward Fullerton taking the Interstate 5 airlane. Nearing the junction of the Interstate 5 and 57 freeways, Martinez could see distant lights of Fullerton on the horizon.

Fullerton was the bogey man that every Orange County parent used to scare their kids into submission. As they drove by on the 57 freeway, they would point to the graffiti-covered walls and say: “Look over there at that horrible place, kids. If you don’t obey us and follow the Mindshare EULA you will end up in there!”

As they reached the Nutwood exit of the 57 freeway, the ten story containment wall that surrounded the most notorious institution of higher learning in the country became clearly visible. Electrified razor wire lined the top of the wall that ran along the 57 freeway from Nutwood Avenue to Yorba Linda Boulevard. Along Yorba Linda to Plot College Boulevard. Down State College to Nutwood and back up Nutwood to the freeway.

When they arrived, Rodriguez parked the aircar in hover mode and they walked into the Cal State Fullerton Penitentiary Receiving and Processing Center located across Commonwealth from College Park Security Control. The center was almost empty now, unprejudiced a few inter-session prisoners waiting to be enrolled. It was usually only busy at the beginning or end of each semester when students from the community jails and other academic prisons were being incarcerated and graduates were being paroled.

Commissioner Hulk was waiting for them in the receiving area when they entered the building. Hulk was a tall lean half breed Caucasian with thinning grey hair and a mustache. He was wearing the traditional boots, black leather jacket and nose, ear and nipple piercings of the elite DOE malitia special forces.

“Detective Martinez, it is good to be working with you again. How long has it been since we shutdown the Irvine Dragons? Two years? ” Hulk said shaking his hand. “Sorry to hear about the bug report. What have you been doing? ”

“I’ve been freelancing as a recruiter. It was slow at first but the money is starting to come in. I’m getting quite a few referrals now. Mostly out of county work recruiting rich kids out of PSC and PCLA,” Martinez said. “What can you explain me about Acayan? ”

“She was snatched after she got off a flight at John Wayne last night.” Hulk said. “We figure the Syndicate replaced the regular limo driver with one of their lackeys. The Sheriffs’ Department followed them until they crossed over into DOE air station. They got off one shot before the aircar crashed into the north side of campus.”

“What do they want? ” Martinez asked. “Bigger Pell Grants? ”

“This morning we got this message through third party Syndicate channels,” Hulk said.

He handed Martinez a piece of paper. Printed on it was a short message: “Three percent pay increase for all faculty inside Cal State Penitentiary Fullerton. No bullshit or she’s dead.”

“We think they may just be buying time to smuggle her out through the underground,” Hulk said. “The Syndicate would appreciate to get a gain of someone with inside knowledge of Mindshare products.”

Martinez handed the paper back to Hulk. “Do you have any idea where she is being held? ” Martinez asked.

“We don’t know. She could be anywhere. The new administration in there is quite good at evading remote visual surveillance. My guess is that they are moving her around. She had two bodyguards with her when she went down. They’re probably dead.”

He led Martinez through the Receiving Center Security past the DOE guards to the gate of the walkway that runs up over Nutwood Avenue through the containment wall into Fullerton. One of the guards opened the gate.

“We have an informant, Floyd Furlough,on the inside. When you gain inside find him, he can abet you locate Acayan. After you have the CIA in your custody, go to the top of the Pollack Library and call me here at College Park Security Control. We will arrange for an aircar to fly in and fly long enough to pick you up and take you safely out of the university,” Hulk said.

Martinez stepped inside the gate as the guard closed and locked it behind him. He walked up the stairs then across the walkway looking down at the deserted Nutwood Avenue below as he passed through the containment wall. He walked down the steps on the other side emerging inside Fullerton about thirty yards away from the Visitor Center booth. As he exited the stairs, he felt something hit him on the side of the head. Crawling along the top of the walkway, he saw a silhouetted figure looking down at him and then travel into the darkness. Immediately, his nose was assaulted by the odor of urine, feces and rotting human flesh that pervaded many parts of Fullerton.

Martinez walked north past the Visitor Center then between Langsdorf and McCarthy Halls into the grim Auto-De-Fae of the Campus Quad. The pungent odor of rotting human flesh was much stronger here. The administration used this public display of death and torture to maintain order and discipline on campus. In the center, in front of the Pollak Library, were the gallows, on both sides of the gallows were two sets of stockades and in front were whipping posts. Along the Quad in front of McCarthy Hall he saw a long line of poles stuck into the ground with human skulls on the ends. On two of the four nooses hung the bodies of two men in Armani suits swinging in the light Santa Ana wind.

Martinez’s entry into the Quad startled several nude figures with beards and long hair crawling under the gallows. They jumped into an open manhole and disappeared. They were the rats, undergraduates with undeclared majors, who never deciding on a major jumped from class to class until they degenerated into insanity finally taking up residence in the labyrinth of access tunnels underneath the university. They had complete control of the underground scaring away anyone who might try to utilize them to enter or leave the university. After dark they often came to the surface to forge for food. A rat was harmless enough by itself but if group of them settled on a regular student, they could kill and strip them down to bones in a matter of seconds.

Martinez decided to trek north along East Campus Drive. As he walked, he could peruse the bonfires of the shanty town of broken cars in the long parking lot that ran along the east side of campus. He stopped behind the Humanities building where he traded a couple of dope sticks for directions to Furlough’s office from two undergraduates discussing philosophy over the dead body of another student who had apparently fallen or jumped off of the building.

Within a few moments, Martinez found himself in front of the five epic Cogitative Sciences building. The front of the building was covered with graffiti and a crude mural depicting Adolf Hitler, Al Capone and Bill Gates. He walked in the north entrance and up the stairs to the fourth floor. He checked carefully before he opened the door and entered the hallway. On the wall next to each door was a series of names scrawled onto the wall then scratched out or painted over for each successive occupant who moved in and then vacated the office. He checked the name scrawled beside each door until he found Furlough’s office. He knocked on the door.

“Can’t you read, asshole? My office hours are over. Come back tomorrow,” a voice gradual the door said.

Martinez knocked again. “Dr. Furlough, my name is Martinez. Hulk sent me in.”

The door opened suddenly revealing a middle-aged man with long hair, a mustache and glasses wearing a turtleneck sweater, dark slacks on loafers.

“Come on in,” Furlough said expectantly.

“I’m looking to recruit a new student,” Martinez said lighting him a dope stick. “She came in on the aircar that crashed in front of the gym last night.”

“I heard about that. She had two bodyguards with her. The Dean hung the poor bastards this afternoon. Want a drink? ” he said taking a deep puff on his dope stick. Furlough opened a filing cabinet pulling out an old plastic soft drink bottle.

“The Chemists over in McCarthy Hall,” he said twisting off the top, “found some Agave plants growing behind the Facilities building. They’ve been harvesting it and fermenting what they call Fullerton Ta-kill-ya. If the university curriculum doesn’t kill you, the booze will.”

He poured some into two paper cups handing one to Martinez. “It’s worth its wait in gold in here. I keep it for special occasions. Cheers!” he said as he tipped the paper cup into his mouth.

“She must be really important. Who is she? ” Furlough asked after he had finished his drink.

“That’s confidential client information,” Martinez said. He didn’t know how much Furlough knew about Acayan but he figured the less he knew the better.

“The pickle is, Mr. Martinez, the original Dean doesn’t like outside recruiters poaching on his preserves,” Furlough said. “If the administration learned that I helped you recruit her, I could end up at the end of a rope in the Quad. I will have to ask around and grease some palms to find out where she and get you to her. It will cost you one thousand dollars – cash.”

Martinez pulled out his wallet and handed Furlough one thousand dollar. Furlough counted the money, took a few bills off the stack locking the rest in the filing cabinet.

Furlough grabbed his coat off the rack by the door. He opened the door to his office and they both walked out of the building heading east toward the center of campus.

“So,” Martinez asked, “tell me about the new Dean. What happen to Koontz? ”

“Koontz was assassinated on the floor of the Academic Senate last semester,” Furlough said. “The Senate held a tournament to choose a replacement. Professor Kundy, chairman of the philosophy department, got the top job after spiking all the other challenging department heads. He is one tough son of a bitch. He maintains strict order. We haven’t had a single interdepartmental rumble since he took over.”

Part 7

As they passed by the Commons, Martinez noticed a crowd around the Becker Amphitheater, a small outdoor venue with circular cement seats in the grassy station between Performing Arts and the Titan Prisoners Union. In the dim torch light, Martinez could see a man speaking addressing the crowd in front of an oblong box with the Academia flag draped over it. It took Martinez a moment to realize that it was a funeral.

“That’s Professor Ellison, the new chairman of the English and Literature Department,” Furlough whispered. “He slew the previous chair, Professor Byrd, in mortal combat to succeeded him.”

“It’s not an easy thing to slit the throat of your department chair looking into his eyes as his life slips away and his consciousness slides down that lonely, murky slippery slope into forever nothingness,” Ellison eulogized.

He walked over and gently patted the coffin. “But let’s remember that after being born, the only thing we really have to do is die. Death will waste out painful, futile existence as helpless pawns for the rich and powerful who will continue to get high and enjoy really good sex long after we have gone to our anonymous graves. All our puny hopes, loves and dreams lost and forgotten for all eternity. But, let us take comfort in the sure and certain knowledge that the human race will also one day become venerable and forgotten in this dark and lonely corner of an immense and foreboding universe.”

Holding his hands outstretched he said, “The earth will be swallowed up and consumed by an angry red sun erasing forever all record of mankind’s achievements. Then, many eons from now, with the galactic voids expanding into endless, eternal darkness, all matter will disintegrate into that seamless nothingness from which nothing can ever be born.”

He raised his hands high toward heaven and shouted, “The best is not to be, the second best is to die soon. The chairman is dead. Long live the chairman!”

There were applause and cheering then the crowd began chant, “Long live the chairman!” over and over.

“Gets you right here, doesn’t it? ” Furlough asked pointing to his chest.”Faculty promotions are always very uplifting.”

Furlough led Martinez back across the lawn into the Titan Prisoners Union. They went down the stairs into the Pub. In the dim torch light, Martinez could see about a dozen students sitting at the bar and at several tables. As they reached the bottom of the stairs, a fight broke out between two students at the back of the room. One pulled out a homemade knife and began to stab at the other student.

“You guys know the rules! ‘No student shall ever shank another student without faculty permission’,” Furlough shouted as he reached over grabbed the shank out of the student’s hand kicking him in the stomach

“But, he plagiarized me!”, the student objected.”That’s punishable by death!”

“Take it to your faculty advisor. You can choose to settle the pronounce with either a dual to the death or Russian roulette,” Furlough admonished the students as they both walked past him up the stairs.

“Kids!” Furlough lamented.”They just don’t understand. This is a real university. Not a community jail!”

Martinez and Furlough walked up to one of the tables where a tall thin tranny with long black hair and high cheek bones was sitting on stool smoking a dope stick and drinking a glass of swill.

“Tracey, I’d like you to meet an old friend of mine. This is Martinez. He is looking for another roadscholar, the new girl that objective arrived in the crashed aircar. Can you help him fetch her? ” Furlough asked.

“I’m not the kind of girl who kisses and tells,” Tracey said taking a puff of her dope stick.

Tracey stood up putting her arms around Martinez. She ran them down the front of his coat putting her arms around him and then pulling him close to kiss. “You’re not a girl at all,” Martinez said to push her away and adjusting his trench coat.

“I can take you to her, but it will cost you one hundred dollars,” Tracey said.

Furlough gave her the money.

“Right now the Dean is holding her over in Heritage House. I learned it from one of the Dean’s guards I gave a blow job to this morning,” she said.

“Tracey, you get my friend in with her for five minutes and I’ll give you another hundred dollars,” Furlough said

Tracey led Furlough and Martinez northward toward the Arboretum. They walked past the remnants of the crashed aircar tranquil laying in front of the gym. As they crossed between the gym and the Prisoner’s Health Center, Martinez could see a line of crosses planted in the ground along Gymnasium Campus Drive. Crucifixion was the fate that awaited students downhearted enough to be caught cheating or plagiarizing. Martinez walked over and looked up at the naked emaciated body of a student suspended on a cross with ropes around his forearms and legs and wooden pegs driven through his wrists and ankles. Above his head was a sign that read: “He Said Moby Dick Was HIS Idea. Ya Right!”

They continued northward past the residence halls into the Arboretum. Hiding gradual a clump of trees, they could see Heritage House in the distance. In the dim light of the bonfire, Martinez could see a group of men with weapons guarding the front of the building. After a few moments, another group of five men came out of the house, talked briefly to the guards and then headed south toward the center of campus carrying torches.

“Good,” said Furlough looking at his watch, “The Dean is on his way to oversee the weekly transfer of swill from the Chemistry Department to the Pub. It will take about a half an hour. There is a door in the attend of the house. Tracey will distract the guards. That will give you a chance to get the recruit out. If your not back her in five minutes, you’re on your own.”

Using the foliage as a cover, Martinez ran to a diminutive shack about twenty yards slack the house and waited for the tranny to distract the guards. He watched as the tranny walked up to one of the guards offering him a dope stick. Seeing his chance, Martinez dashed to the back of the house. He twisted the knob, the door opened and he stepped in. He walked through what looked like a kitchen area opening the door to what apparently was the living room. As he looked in, he saw a young good-looking Asian girl tied to a chair.

“Ms. Acayan, my name is Martinez. The DOE sent me in to recruit you.” Martinez said as he cut the ropes holding her to the chair. “Please do exactly as I mumble you.”

“Thank God you’re here,” Acayan said. “They killed the company bodyguards.”

They walked out the back just reaching the safety of the shack when one of the goons pointed toward them and shouted, “Hey, she’s getting away!”

From the north part of the Arboretum, ten other goons surrounded them and led them back to the front of Heritage House. Suddenly there was a commotion and the ranks split to reveal a titanic muscular bald headed man with huge arms and a thick neck walking toward him carrying a heavy wooden club. The Owl of Minerva was tattooed on his chest was and, on his arms, the Harvard and Yale Penitentiary logos. It was the Dean.

“Well, what do we have here? A trick of yours, Tracey? ” the Dean asked looking at her and then Martinez.

“Honest, Dean. I’ve never seen him before,” she said.

With two guards holding him, the Dean opened Martinez coat revealing his guns.

“A recruiter!” the Dean said. “What’s your name? ”

Martinez was silent. The Dean punched him in the stomach.

“I said, what’s your name, asshole? ” the Dean repeated.

“Martinez.”

“Martinez? ” the Dean said looking impressed, “The ex-cop with the unresolved bug? I’ve heard if you. Half of my student body is here because of you.”

He grabbed Martinez by the jaw looking him straight in the eye.

“I don’t like recruiters very much. I’ve made it one of the goals of my administration to save an end to recruiters coming onto my campus,” the Dean said. He hit Martinez over the head the club. Martinez fell forward onto the ground unconscious.

“What do you want us to do with him, Dean? Crucify him? ” one of the goons asked.

The Dean motioned to have his goons hold up Martinez up. “Recall him to the holding pen. I’ve got better plans for him.” The goons picked Martinez up and carried him east across campus toward the stadium.

“Gentlemen, buy Ms. Acayan to my offices up in Langsdorf Hall,” the Dean said.

After the Dean’s entourage dispersed, Tracey walked back to where Furlough was hiding.

“Damn it! ” Furlough cried. “I knew that asshole would fuck it up! Where are they taking her? ”

“Back to Langsdorf. What is so important about this cunt, anyway? ” Tracey asked lighting another dope stick.

“I don’t know but I’m going to find out. You got it, didn’t you? ” Furlough asked.

“Got what, dear? ” she replied coyly.

“You know what! I saw you lift it off of him in the Pub,” Furlough said impatiently.

Tracey pulled Martinez’ phone out of her purse handing it to Furlough.

“That’s another hundred dollars,” Tracey said.

“I mediate the answer is in here. There may still be a chance to make this pay,” Furlough said as they walked succor toward his office.

Back in his office, Furlough had plugged Martinez’ phone into his computer and was reading through Laura Acayan’s profile.

“Holy, shit, Tracey, ” Furlough cried. “This chick is Laura Acayan. She’s the Mindshare Chief Intelligent Architect. She designed the Neural Application Interface. She would have detailed knowledge of bugs and known security holes in all of their products. I can glance why the Syndicate would be keen in recruiting her. I bet the other side would pay big time to get her support.”

Furlough moved his desk out away from the wall. He pulled up the carpet revealing a hidden compartment.

“This office belonged to old professor Gatz. When I first got sentenced to life tenure, he showed me a lot of stuff he had saved from the war,” Furlough said pulling out an AK-47.

“Teacher’s Pet,” he said patting the weapon.

Furlough picked up his phone and called the Fullerton College Park Security Control.

“Hello, Commissioner Hulk, this is Furlough. Your recruiter is dead, but, I think I can get your recruit. Are you willing to deal? ”

Section 8

When Martinez regained consciousness, it was light. He found himself inside a cage somewhere underneath the stadium surrounded by the Dean’s goons. They had removed his coat and shirt leaving him only wearing his boots and fatigues. He could see his guns and the rest of his clothes piled on a table about thirty feet away. But, he couldn’t see his phone. Furlough, Martinez concept, was probably very entrepreneurial. Given a half chance Furlough would probably try to make his own deal with the DOE cutting him out.

He could hear the sound of crowds gathering in the seats above him. It sounded like the entire student body of Fullerton was gathering for some special event.

After about an hour, he heard the Dean’s teach on the public address system.

“Fellow faculty and students. Last night a DOE backed recruiter violated the sanctity of our university.”

The goons opened up the cage that confined Martinez and they lead him out into the stadium in front of the VIP box. In the ground in front of the box was a line of poles with skulls stuck on the ends. The Dean was standing up addressing the crowd. Seated slow him, Martinez could glimpse the Faculty Senate.

“The Department of Education sent in their best man. We are going to see fair how good he is. And if he loses the challenge, he is going to join the rest of my ex-department heads,” the Dean said pointing to the line of skulls in front of his box.

One of the goons on the side tossed Martinez a heavy wooded club and a shield. The door opened on the other side of the stadium and a tall heavy man with a shaved head carrying a similar club and shield walked out. The crowd went wild.

The gladiator ran over to Martinez raising his club and coming down on Martinez’ head. Martinez save up his shield just in time but the force of the blow knocked him to the ground. He rolled out of the way impartial as the gladiator’s club hit the ground next to him. Martinez hit the gladiator in the leg with his club and jumped up. The gladiator screamed and jumped toward Martinez. Martinez stepped to the side. He hit the gladiator on the abet of the head knocking him to the ground. The gladiator was motionless. One of the goons came out examined the fallen gladiator, looked up at the Dean giving him the thumbs down stamp. Two other goons carried the body of the fallen gladiator off the field as the crowd booed.

Above the sound of the crowd, Martinez could hear the sound of an aircar nearby and shots firing. Suddenly, there was commotion in the Dean’s box. A goon ran into the box and whispered something into the Dean’s ear. The Dean got up and ran out of the box. The goon walked to the front of the box and addressed the crowd.

“The girl’s gone! Furlough took her!”

The crowd went wild running for the exits. The rest of the Dean’s goons ran through the gates toward the south side of campus. Martinez put on his shirt, coat, hat and guns and ran to the Pollack Library.

Once inside the library, he turned right and ran down toward the elevators. Strangely, no librarians were anywhere in sight. He heard gun fire from the stairwell. He opened the door and started up the stairs. When he got to the fourth floor, he heard shots coming from somewhere on the fourth floor. He opened the door onto the fourth floor and looked in.

Furlough, Tracey and Acayan were waiting by the elevators shooting at the librarians hiding slack the book stacks. Just as he got there, the elevator door opened and they all got onto the elevator. Martinez pressed the ground floor button. Furlough was clutching the right side of his chest.

“Fucking, bastards. They weren’t here to pick us up. They started shooting at us,” Furlough gasped.

“I’m sorry, Martinez. When the Dean snagged you, I idea for positive you were dead. I called up the Commissioner and made a deal. I was going to cut you in if you lived,” Furlough said as he gave Martinez his phone back.

“You need to get her out of here right now. Here’s a map of the underground,” he said handing Martinez an old piece of paper with a grievous map drawn on it. “Aged professor Gatz gave it to me before he died.”

“If you follow the outlined path, you can get to the Dorothy Lane storm drain. Start by going out into the Quad and down the originate man hole. Go north then jog left where the tunnel branches.”

The door of the elevator opened on the ground floor of the library. Martinez help carry Furlough out of the elevator.

“I’ll stay here with him, ” Tracey said. “Hurry. I’ll try to delay the Dean as long as possible.”

Martinez grabbed Acayan by the hand. He walked over to the blocked off doors next to the elevators and shot one of them out. When he had cleared a path through, they crawled out into the Quad under the gallows to the open man hole.

“We can’t go down there,” Acayan cried. “We’ll be eaten alive!”

“Right now, Ms. Acayan, we don’t have much of a choice. In a few moments, the Dean and his goons will be here. The Dean will kill you unbiased to maintain his university from being over run by recruiters. We have a better chance with the rats.”

Martinez slipped down inside the man hole and then help Acayan in after him.

Part 9

The smell of human excrement and decaying flesh was everywhere in the tunnel. Martinez found an old torch made of a wooden stick with cloth wrapped around one kill laying on the floor of the tunnel. He lighted it, taking Acayan by the hand leading her northward down the passage.

After few hundred feet, a naked figure appeared from the dark, looked at them and then ran ahead into the darkness.

“Why aren’t they attacking us? ” Acayan asked.

“I don’t know. Undeclared majors are notoriously savage. The rats should have been all over us by now,” Martinez whispered.

They tracked forward for another few hundred feet. Martinez figured they were positive of the library in a part of the tunnel somewhere under Memorial Grove. He stopped handing the torch to Acayan so he could examine the map more closely. If the map Furlough had given them was correct then, this tunnel should cross over another tunnel perpendicular to it. Heading east in that one should lead them to the sewer system outside the Dorothy Lane Visitor Center.

“Can we rest for a moment? ” Acayan asked panting heavily. “Who are you? ”

“My name is Andrew Martinez. I’m an independent recruiter hired by the DOE to accumulate you out of Fullerton. I used to work for the Orange County Sheriffs’ Department’s EE Team.”

“Martinez? Was your father General Antonio Martinez? The Hero of the Battle of Fresno? The man responsible for the Santa Barbara Long Walk? ” Acayan asked. “The lunge that killed almost all of that prison’s faculty and student body? ”

Martinez was prepared for the ask. He was asked it often. More often in the past when the white crosses and crude memorials still lined the 101. Less often now that the Party had the bodies along the highway dug up and burned. Unruffled roadscholars level-headed considered it sacred ground and alumni were frequently seen haunting the area.

“Yes, Santa Barbara had to be closed down. There just weren’t funds to keep it open. The entire prison population had to be transferred to Cal State Penitentiary Channel Islands. There was no choice but to do a forced march down the 101. He was just doing his job,” Martinez said.

He paused lost deep in thought for a moment, “Let’s get going.”

As they approached the junction, Martinez felt the hairs on the back of his head stand up. They followed the tunnel as it widened to an location the size of a large room. In the flickering torch light they could observe about forty wild-eyed naked men with beards staring at them. Martinez pointed the AK-47 at the figures. The rats did not move. After a few seconds of silence, one figure standing in the middle, stepped forward and spoke.

“We’ve been expecting you,” said a tall man with dark piercing eyes full beard and long hair. “Don’t you recognize me, Andy-Pandy? ”

Shocked to hear his old family nickname, Martinez brought the torch closer to the face of the naked man walking toward him.

“Marcus? ” Martinez gasped. “Marcus, this can’t be you. You’re dead!” Martinez cried.

“Dead as any undeclared major is in the university system,” Marcus said.

“All this time we though you were humdrum. Mother and father both died thinking they had out lived you. How could you do this to them? ” Martinez asked.

“What would have been worse for our father, the war hero? The revolutionary general who defeated the University of California? Having a son die in a tragic accident or having to live with the embarrassment of having a son drop out to get an education? ” Marcus asked.

“I’ve been hearing a lot about you over the years, Andrew. You’re career with the EE Team and later your exploits as a recruiter. Many roadscholars matriculating in this piss hole are here because of you. I guess father was very proud that you followed in his footsteps to help wipe out education. Don’t you feel kind of betrayed, abandoned by your own people when they discovered your bug? ”

“Actually, father died before I was programmed to be a cop. And, I still have faith in the Mindshare development model. They will get me a patch and one day I will be back on the force,” Martinez said proudly. “How did you get here? We thought you and your girlfriend had drowned in the Santa Ana River twenty years ago? ”

“We both dropped out together. The Orange Idealists helped us fake our deaths with a rafting accident, ” Marcus said pointing to the Lutheran Sinful tattoo on his right arm.

“We boarded the raft at Riverview to make distinct people would see us from the river trail. Later, we secretly got off the raft under the Lincoln Avenue bridge letting the raft float on down to Huntington Beach.”

“We lived in the Orange-Olive ghetto for several years until war broke out between the OIs and the Northside Existentialists over their criticism of our gang’s ontological proof of God’s existence. We rumbled with them in Eisenhower Park, Rebecca was killed and the EE Team rounded up the surviving OIs and sentenced us to bachelors degrees here in Fullerton.”

Martinez recalled the incident from his rookie days before he had joined the EE Team. In department lore, it was called the Eisenhower Park Massacre. The OIs were a brutal gang of German Idealist philosophers based in the Orange-Olive area of the Orange wasteland. The OIs ambushed the NEs near the Buena Vista entrance to the park killing most of the NEs with automatic weapons fire. The few surviving NEs who fled toward the safety of the Brickyard parking lot were chased down and drowned in the duck pond.

“I was so devastated by Rebecca’s death that I couldn’t decide on a major. Soon I fell in with the rats here in the underground. But, I’ve found my life’s work here,” he said pointing around in a circle. “Advising undeclared majors helping them choose musty majors so that they can join the legitimate student body above.”

Honest at that moment another naked figure appeared out of the darkness, walked to Marcus and whispered something in his ear.

“The Dean is on his diagram,” Marcus said. “From the underground we monitor what goes on in the university above us, that’s how we knew you were here, Andrew.”

At that moment, Martinez could hear the sound of loud voices coming from the end of the tunnel where they had fair near.

“Andrew, I’d like you to steal something back to my homies in Olive,” Marcus said. He handed Martinez a Lutheran cross on a gold chain with the name Rebecca carved on the back.

“Give it to Lil-Kierkegraard. He and I both loved Rebecca.”

“You had better hurry, Cornelius here will show you out to Dorothy Lane,” Marcus said.

As Cornelius led them down the tunnel, he assured them, “Don’t worry about your brother. We’ll just tell the Dean we eat you guys for dinner. In a few hours things will be back to normal.”

There was a small room at the end of the tunnel and the far wall had been torn down to reveal part of the sewer system. Their guide placed a box on the ground and helped them up through the storm drain opening on State College just across from Dorothy Lane.

Martinez could see the lights of DOE security cars on the street above. After they crawled out of the storm drain they were driven abet over to College Park Security Control where they met with Commission Hulk in his office at the top of the building. When they got to Hulk’s office, he seemed surprised and flustered.

“Martinez, you’re alive!” said with a guilty look on his face. “My guards told me they found you two crawling out of the underground. How did you survive the rats? ”

“It’s a long narrative,” Martinez warily. “I’ll send you a copy of my report along with my bill.”

“I’ve just called the General McCarthy to give him the good news. Ms. Acayan, we’ve called Mindshare Security. They are sending an aircar over here to take you to the Irvine Marriott,” Hulk said. .

“Let me talk to them,” she said. “I’d like to spend some time with Mr. Martinez before I give the keynote speech.”

She took Hulk’s phone and spoke to Mindshare Security. Then she and Martinez were flown back to downtown Santa Ana and dropped off on the roof parking lot of Martinez’ apartment building.

Part 10

After the DOE aircar had departed, Martinez and Acayan stood under the flashing light of the roof sign watching the aircar fade into the north bound lane of the Interstate 5 airlane. Martinez looked at Acayan.

“I have to go do something. You can wait in my apartment until I get back,” Martinez said.

“No, I want to go with you,” she said. “I’ve never been into the wastelands.”

“There’s a lot of ugliness in the Orange wastelands. Death, violence and education,” Martinez warned.”Are you really obvious you what education does to people? ”

They flew east up the First Street airlane watching the splendor of downtown Santa Ana slowly gave way to the decaying houses and buildings of the surrounding wasteland. By the time they reached the 55 freeway airlane, all they could see for miles around was the blight of burnt out houses and buildings. As they passed Katella Avenue there was a temporary smash from the gloom as they passed the skyscrapers of downtown Villa Park. But on the west side of the freeway, the wasteland spread out as far as the eye could glimpse. By the time they reached Lincoln Avenue, they were again completely surround by the wasteland.

They dropped out of the airlane at Lincoln Avenue changing to ground mode as they headed east on Lincoln past the abandoned remnants of the Brickyard. They could peep shabbily dressed roadscholars warming themselves by fires in the parking lot of an abandoned supermarket across from Eisenhower Park.

The brick wall in front of the park was covered with graffiti: tags written in German and Spanglish intermingled with Lutheran crosses and nineteenth century German art. They were now in OI territory. Martinez turned left onto Canal Street. Martinez knew where the OI safe house was from his days with the EE Team. He drove down Canal parking at the curb just past Heim Avenue behind an old church.

As they got out of the car, two tough looking roadscholars with Lutheran crosses tattooed on their arms walked up and accosted them, “What’s your claim? ”

“We’re here to see Lil-Kierkegraard,” Martinez informed him.

“My grandmother wants to meet Lil-Kierkegraard, motherfucker!”, one roadscholar said stepping toward them.

The other roadscholar followed pulling a gun out of his belt. The first one was about to grab Martinez when Martinez pulled out the chain that Marcus had given him and held it up in front of them.

“I’m here to give him this,” Martinez said.

The first roadscholar grabbed the chain examining the name on the back. His expression changed from one of hate to remembrance.

He spoke to the other roadscholar in Spanglish and then said, “OK, Holmes. I’ll survey if Lil-Kierkegraard wants to scrutinize you.”

The first roadscholar walked through a broken piece of the fence around the old church. After a few minutes, he stuck his head back through the fence and motioned for them to follow him.

They walked around to the front of the church and through the main doors. Their guides led them down the main isle between rows and rows of old wooden pews to the ancient and dilapidated altar in front. Martinez looked up overhead to the high A-framed ceiling illuminated in the black light that came through the stained glass windows.

Suddenly, he heard a voice echoing down on them from up in the choir loft.

“So, tell me what a couple of socketheads are doing in OI territory with the token of one of our dumb home girls? ” the whisper asked. “Is German Idealism the new topic of discussion in the Grid Cafes in downtown Villa Park? ”

Martinez looked benefit but couldn’t see anyone in the darkness above and behind them.

“No. Someone we know in CSPF did us a big favor. In return we promised to bring it to you.”

Suddenly, there was the loud sound of organ music then silence followed by foot steps. After about a minute, a figure emerged from the door on the south side of the church. He crossed over through the pews walking down the center isle toward them stopping about twenty feet leisurely them. The other two roadcholars stepped back to join him.

“Lil-Kierkegraard, I presume? ” Martinez asked.

“Yes, and these are my homies Hegel and Kant,” he said pointing first to the right and left. “Who are you guys? ”

“My name is Martinez and this is my friend Laura. My brother Marcus helped us out of Fullerton through the underground. In return, I promised to bring the chain back to you. I guess you both loved Rebecca. That’s why he wanted you to have it,” Martinez said.

“She was a loyal sister. She died defending the hood against the evils of humanistic relativistic atheistic existentialism,” Lil-Kierkegraard said holding up the chain in the unlit light. “That’s her mark there behind the altar.”

Reflected light flashed through the window on the left side of the altar. Hegel and Kant ran over and looked out the window.

“So, you are Marcus’ brother, the cop with the bug. You worked mostly in south county. If it wasn’t’ for the fact that you capped a bunch of Northsiders, I’d kill you right now,” said Lil-Kierkegraard.

“Somebody in a Toyota honest burnt it out on Canal,” Hegel shouted. Lil-Kierkegraard ran to the window and looked out.

“Sleepy Sarte drives a Toyota,” Lil-Kierkegraard whispered. “Let’s get out of here.”

They all walked through the side door along the church to the front. Martinez noticed an old beat up ground car speeding toward them down the drive way that ran in front of the church. Someone was firing out the passenger side of the car with a small caliber hand gun.

“Look out!” Martinez shouted pushing Acayan to the ground.

Martinez pulled the AK-47 out of his coat and running out into the drive way fired several rounds into the oncoming car. The car veered to the left crashing into the brick wall. Martinez ran up to the car, pulled commence the side door and fired several more rounds into the car killing all of the other occupants.

Lil-Kierkegraard, Hegel and Kant ran up besides Martinez. Hegel opened the side door and looked in. In the front seats of the car were the dead bodies of two young men both with good gun shot wounds to the head.

“Man, you are down on idealism, homie,” Lil-Kierkegraard said with an amazed see on his face. “Shit man! You killed Sarte and Nietzsche at the same time! What a triumph of Christian idealism over atheistic existentialism!”

“Laura, lets go. I’ve done my duty for my brother,” Martinez said as he led her encourage to his car.

Neither of them spoke until they reached the junction of the 22 freeway. Seeing that Acayan was visibly upset by what had happen, Martinez consoled her.

“You see! I told you. Education does this to people.”

Epilog

They landed on the roof of Martinez’ apartment building taking the elevator down to his apartment. As he stood in front of his door, he took both of Acayan’s hands. They looked into each others eyes then kissed.

“I have a cross over cable,” Martinez said suggestively as the door security system scanned him and opened the door.

He walked over to the bar picking up a bottle liquor filling two glasses and handing one to Acayan. He carried his glass with him into the bathroom. He was washing his face when he looked up to see Acayan looking at him.

“Why did you arrive in to recruit me? ”

“They told me they would have your company bump up the priority on my open bug if I recruited you,” Martinez said dressing the wounds on his face as he spoke.

“But, you knew that would not make a difference,” she said. “Subtle neural interactive side-effect bugs are almost never resolved. That’s not a very good reason to risk dying inside some stinking university, is it? ”

“Maybe I impartial wanted to meet the person who designed most of my mind,” Martinez said drying his hands. “Or, maybe I just notion is would be a good way to impress a good-looking girl.”

“Well, thank you. I owe you one. Your brother’s secret is safe with me,” she said. “Did you say you have a cross over cable? ”

The both walked into the bed room. Martinez walked over to the dresser pulling out a six foot UNB cable that had socket plugs on both ends. With the wires crossed over, two brains could be directly linked together with outgoing through the Grid.

“I purloined this up in a raid out in Agran Park,” Martinez quipped. “Police corruption.”

They plugged the cable into their sockets and laid back on the bed side by side. With their minds linked they shared each others thoughts then merged their thoughts together becoming one mind with no secrets. All thoughts and memories merged into a single seamless shared mind inhabiting two bodies. They began to share memories starting from childhood, through adolescent then adulthood. They shared their adventure in Cal Situation Penitentiary Fullerton from each other’s perspective. When they awoke, it was almost six in the evening. Martinez pulled the cable out of his socket and got up out of bed.

“You had better hurry,” Martinez said. “It’s almost seven. You need to find to the Irvine Marriott to give your keynote speech.”

She pulled the cable out of her socket covering her head with a pillow. Martinez now knew what she knew.

“You’re going to be replaced,” Martinez told her. “That’s why Mindshare let you get kidnaped. You were expendable. They were hoping to use you to disseminate untrue information to the Syndicate.”

“Yes, Mindshare is going to out-source all NP development to India. The company has been ghosting development there for several years now. The release I was working on will be discarded.”

“What will you do? ” Martinez asked her.

“I have no idea. I may rejoin my family in the Phillippines,” she said.

Acayan now knew what he knew.

“What about you, Andy? ” she asked. “You were setup by your contain people. The DOE tipped of the Administration that you were inside Fullerton. The company needed to make the kidnaping looked authentic. If they hadn’t sent in a recruiter, the Syndicate would have been suspicious. But, they needed to make sure that the recruiter failed. That’s why they caught you outside Heritage House and the librarians were waiting on the roof with the aircar to shoot us. The DOE wanted you to get caught so that you couldn’t recruit me.”

“Recruiting is getting a bit boring,” Martinez lamented.”There are a lot of things I’d rather do than risk dying recruiting spoiled brat roadscholars. I need to take a break. Maybe I’ll go back to family’s ancestral home in Mexico City.”

She walked over and grabbed both of his hands. They embraced and kissed deeply. Even without neural interface technology they could feel destinies were intertwined.

“We could both go together,” Martinez suggested as they embraced.

It was now completely dark as Martinez packed his suit case. Along with his cloths he also packed in all of his mementos from his days as a policeman. He also put in his father’s medals from the Academia War. While they were riding the elevator up to the roof parking lot, Martinez asked her “Do you want to conclude by the Irvine Marriott and pick up your luggage? ”

“My luggage isn’t there. It’s all in the crashed aircar in Fullerton,” she laughed.

They got into Martinez’ aircar and drove down the 405 freeway looking at the Marriott as they flew by. Acayan reached over and grabbed Martinez hand and clutched it tightly.

They continued down the 405 until it joined into the Interstate 5. Within a half an hour they could see the lights of the Tijuana Metropolis. An hour later they were inside Mexico heading south toward Mexico City where education was legal and the Mindshare Corporation only had a small regional office.

Idaho has many opportunities for commercial drivers. A driver who operates substantial rigs, school buses and other large commercial vehicles must get an Idaho CDL license. Individuals alive to in this line of work need to take a CDL test to accumulate a license. The test includes written knowledge and hands-on skills and driving portions. Applicants should visit the local Idaho DMV to open the process. The DMV issues the CDL license as soon as an applicant passes both portions of the Idaho CDL exam.

Step 1:

Access the online copy of the “Idaho Commercial Driver’s License Manual.” You can access this Idaho CDL manual at Itd.idaho.gov/dmv/driverservices/documents/cdl_manual.pdf. You can also go to the local Idaho DMV to get a paper copy of the handbook.

Step 2:

Look the manual to prepare for your knowledge test. You will have to study the general parts plus any endorsement tests related to the vehicle you intend to operate after getting your Idaho CDL license. For example, many Idaho truck drivers haul unsafe materials. You must take the HAZMAT test if you intend to take one of these driving jobs. If you are unique to the industry and not obvious what you will do, then study the entire CDL manual. By getting all endorsements, you will be ready to retract the skills test for any and all endorsements when you find a job.

You should also supplement your eye of the official Idaho CDL manual with other eye resources for commercial drivers. A few online websites have CDL stare guides or practice questions. Go to Google or another search engine and search for “CDL study guide” and “CDL practice test” to find free study resources.

Step 3:

Go to your local Idaho DMV to take the CDL knowledge test. Upon passing the test, you may then obtain CDL training. You will receive a permit that allows you to train on real commercial vehicles (either with another licensed driver or a training course).

Step 4:

Find Idaho CDL training resources. If you need training for truck driving, the Professional Truck Driver Institute has a list of certified CDL training programs at Ptdi.org/schools/schoolslist.aspx#idaho. If you would rather drive a school bus or passenger bus, then you should contact the local school district in Idaho or private passenger companies. For example, Greyhound has a section on its website to apply for free bus-driver training.

Step 5:

Complete your training so you can take the CDL skills test. As soon as you feel confident that you can pass the skills test (including the driving portion), then schedule a test with the local Idaho DMV. Generally, you will have to find a way to supply your own vehicle. For example, your training school or a local rental agency may provide one for you. In some cases, companies act as official testers and will provide a vehicle for the skills test.

Step 6:

Complete your CDL test and get your Idaho CDL license. You will also have to pass a medical exam. Ask the local DMV about the process of getting your medical exam. If you are a HAZMAT truck driver, you will also need to undergo a background check. Ask the local Idaho DMV about this process, as well.

Sources:

Idaho CDL Manual

Commercial Driver’s License Training Schools in Idaho

It was a Sunday morning benefit in Paris and I was organizing my collection of photo albums, chronologically.This process was completely unnecessary, since all of my photographs were already labeled on my computer. An hour earlier, I had re-organized my closet and color coded my shoe collection. Why was I doing this? Well, focusing on cleaning my apartment offered a distraction from the previous night’s events. The trip to London had revealed that I could not keep a promise. I had vowed to put my career first and stay away from my boss. A night strolling through London, however, had forced me to break my promise. I was now dating my boss. The statement seemed to elude the thought of an inner-office romance; in other words, a scandal. Me…involved in a scandal? A month ago, I would have laughed at the very thought. Trying to distract myself, I grabbed a stack of post-its and continued to organize my photos. As I was labeling the year “1990″ on an album, I suddenly heard a familiar voice singing a French lullaby outside. “Celestiné!” I screamed in delight. I had completely forgotten about her husband! Filled with curiosity, I ran out of my apartment, hoping to catch my neighbor.

She was entering her apartment with a bag of groceries and smiled when she saw me rushing towards her.
“I met your husband yesterday!” I announced, as I gasped for air.
Celestiné face went pale. She stared at me without moving for about a second, until she finally shifted her perceive toward the floor.
“Ah, yes, Jacques. We were married a long time ago; I was only twenty three,” she murmured.
“Divorce? ” I asked, trying to hide my intrigue.
“No, his family doesn’t believe in it,” answered my neighbor with a wave of her hand. She said the phrase snappy, obviously trying to change the subject and avoid further questioning.
“Would you like to join me for breakfast? ” She then asked, holding up the bag of food.

I nodded and followed her into the apartment. The living room was filled with eclectic furnishings, multi-colored paintings, and red lanterns that hung around the entire apartment. Celestiné put down the bag of groceries, grabbed two neon yellow plates, and placed a croissant on each one. I proceeded to eat the delicious pastry, while trying to sneak in some more questions about her mysterious husband. Why was he so upset the other day? The man was after all, banging on her door and screaming. I needed an explanation.

“We need music,” suddenly announced Celestiné. She then ran toward her bedroom in search of some ambiance music. I had finished my croissant and therefore decided to stroll around the room and admire some of her unqiue furnishings. On her bookshelf, I found a bright pink feathered frame hidden behind a sculpture. The photograph inside was of a young brunette wearing a University of Idaho sweatshirt. I couldn’t figure out who this girl was. Yes, she looked familiar. In fact, she looked a lot like Celestiné. As, I put down the frame in wonder, a small brown folder suddenly landed on my foot. I was about to put the folder back onto the bookshelf, when I noticed a familiar looking document inside it. I took out the document and immediatly recognized it. It was an American birth certificate, which announced the birth of somone named Alice Peterson. Who was this person and why was her birth certificate in Celestiné’s apartment. Then, it suddenly dawned on me. The perfect English and the picture in the frame. Celestiné was American!
I couldn’t believe it. I had tried to be more like the quintessential French woman. Yet, the person who I had thought of as the epitome of the carefree French women, was in fact American. Why the lie? As I stood there, trying to invent sense of this recent information, Celestiné walked into the room carrying a CD. The smile on her face evaporated when she saw my dumbstruck face staring at the picture frame.
“Ah, I gawk that you have found out my secret,” she said in a somber tone.
“Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you feel the need to hide your origins? ” I shrieked, still in shock.
My neighbor took a deep breath and sat down on her sofa, apparently preparing to tell me her life story. “I was 23 years old and living in a miniature Idaho town; a town that I had spent my entire life in. I had just started medical school and was engaged to my high school boyfriend, when I suddenly had the opportunity to perceive in France. Of course, I seized the chance. I had never been out of the country and was thrilled to see Europe. During my two weeks there, I completely changed. I fell in love with Paris and I couldn’t imagine resuming my life in Idaho. So, I never came relieve. Instead, I married Jacques, gained French citizenship, and changed my name from Alice to Celestiné.”

A miniature before she said this, I had been indignant with Celestiné for not telling me the truth. However, after hearing her story, the anger dissapeared. I completely understood her need to rush her life in Idaho. After all, was this really any different from my need to move to Paris and rush my own life in New York? I was exactly like my neighbor! The realization made me wonder if I would end up like Celestiné. Living a unhurried lifestyle in a small Monmartre apartment without any concerns. The understanding sounded appealing; it was exactly what I had wanted my new life in France to be like.

However, as I thought this, I couldn’t aid but feeling a sudden sadness wash over me. Celestiné lived all alone. Yes, she had dozens of admirers that I had often referred to as her fan club. Yet, often I would see my neighbor eating dinner all alone, looking glum and lonely. Did I really want to be like Celestiné? “No,” I thought to myself as I stared down at the hard wood floors of my neighbor’s apartment. I prefered being myself. As worthy as I admired Celestiné’s carefree attitude, I didn’t want to spend my time leisurely strolling throughout the city all day. I loved my job, my friends, and even my obsessive compulsive organizational habits. I had reach to Paris to get rid of the plain Jane, yet I now realized that there was absolutely nothing rotten with her. Yes, my New York self did need some improvements. However, there was nothing fundamentally deplorable with my character. I certainly did not want to hide my personal history, pretending to be a French woman. Tiresome or not, I loved being Jane.