Also, a Book Review of a book by an author that promised me an interview but she didn't deliver. I read the book anyway, here's the review but I don't think much of people making promises they don't keep.
She was held hostage by a crack-crazed nut for six days, hog-tied and repeatedly raped and tortured until she finally got to the phone to freedom.
It's a compelling book, this "Shattered" by Debra Puglisi Sharp.
Too bad she's not a woman of her word for all her heroism.
***UPDATE 4/10/08-I will not change the review of Ms. Sharp's book or a word in this Blog post. But I'd like to right now point out that I was contacted by Debra via email. Debra apologized profusely for her oversight in arranging an interview.
I believe Debra was very sincere and wish I could soften my criticism at her failure to contact me as she'd promised.
However, I've said, and will continue to say, that Debra has my admiration and respect and her personal email requesting forgiveness is just one example of those qualities of Debra that I so admire.
I took a bit of umbrage that Debra treated me like a nobody Blogger, which is, ahem, what I am.
At any rate, kudos to you Debra and know that I will always be on your side.
Pic of the Day
Big Brother 8 Ends 2007 With Surprise Winner(s)
This is my first year in watching the Big Brother series and I'm at a loss.
Evidently this show has a sort of cult following and hey, not that there's anything wrong with that.
After watching a show or two one can become pulled in with the curiosity about the players, their "strategy" and a healthy dose of amazement at the various contests and competitions created to cull the winners from the losers. Not to mention that Big Brother house which is obviously based on an Alice in Wonderland concept.
The thing that fascinated me, and not necessarily in a good way, was the constant whispering going on. I understand that all these people live in the same house and a low voice is often needed to keep others from overhearing. My problem is I simply cannot understand the whispering and when the producers do put the whispered words on screen I find it a bit of a pain to read the words while watching the contenders.
Still I did find myself wondering how Daniele and her father, Dick, would do and, indeed, these two did end up obtaining first and second place for Big Brother 8. Evel Dick came in first place.
Come on, Dick doesn't look like anybody's father but once I thought about it, there's no rule that guys covered with tattoos, pierced ears and purple hair can't be a father. I would be positively mortified to have a father who looks like Dick but the man evidently loved his children. Daniele was his daughter, and she is a beauty, and as I understand Dick also has a son. In fact early in the season pictures of Dick with his children when they were small were shown and at that time they looked like a perfectly normal family group. It remained unclear just what was the source of contention between Daniele and her father although at the beginning Daniele was surprised to have her father as part of the competition as they had allegedly been estranged for many years.
It was mentioned that Dick's children were raised by their grandmother and it was never explained what the hell happened to Daniele's mother.
Beginning List of contenders for Big Brother 8:
Jessica
Nick
Eric
Daniele
Dick
Jen
Mike
Kail
Joe
Carol
Amber
Zach
Jameka
Dustin
The 2007 Competition Begins
First Eviction
Other characters in the BB8 series intrigued. There were Dustin and Joe, two former homosexual lovers that were alleged to have parted under harsh terms. They were re-united in the Big Brother house and sparks flew for the entertainment of the viewers. Eric was "America's player", a concept that was supposedly new to the Big Brother series this year. Which makes me wonder if the producers could repeat this concept next year now that the cat is out of the bag. So to speak.
Jen was one weirdo broad who definitely had issues with her looks. Amber, sheesh, if she cried one more time I was ready to hit her.
Finally, will we ever know if Eric and Jessica kept going strong with the contest done?
So I will watch this show next year and we will write about it. Two to three people will likely read it.
The Bachelor Fall 2007-A Shocking Surprise
Way I figure I read almost every major newspaper every damn day. I'm up to snuff on what's going on in the world and either CNN or Fox news is almost always playing on my television.
Thus I can indulge myself in the height of silliness such as watching the Big Brother series mentioned above plus, soon to be mentioned right here, ABC's "The Bachelor", now airing on Monday nights.
The Bachelor web site HERE.
In fact I followed the Bachelor last year, click HERE for The Bachelor Spring 2007 post list, when navy doctor Andy Baldwin began his quest to find the woman of his dreams.
This year we have a bachelor to die for. His name is Brad Womack, he is 34 years old AND...he is a millionaire.
Brad Womack also has another secret he did not reveal until the end of the premiere episode on Monday, 9/24/07.
Seriously folks, I watch this show with my tongue firmly in my cheek. There is nothing on this "competition" that is totally believable. Beginning with Brad Womack's assertion that he was going to find his "soul mate" who loved him only for who he is and not for his money.
Heh.
First, there's never been a Bachelor on this series who was stone dead broke. I'm willing to risk all and bet that there never will be such a fellow in competition for the affections of 25 beautiful women. Even if a bachelor was stone dead broke but very good looking, even then I don't think a single beautiful woman would compete to win such a guy's attention.
See, women don't want men who are broke. Well hey, a fellow doesn't have to be rich to get a woman's attention witness the many, many women in American NOT married to rich men. But a male of the human species better have some way of making a decent living if he hopes to find a female soul mate who'll have him.
Men don't like this little factoid but hey, women are judged on their looks so hey guys, live with the fact that you will be judged on your income. I think it's a fine system myself and I say this even though my own looks as given to me by God aren't right up there with the finest. I am a fairly smart woman by most folks' estimation but smart means nothing to a male seeking a female mate.
If I can live with this than I suggest that men who complain about lack of female companionship due to their own lack of funds and/or promise of future funds should just get over it.
But Brad Womack is going to, against all odds, find that one women out of 25 willing to humiliate themselves to no end for a chance to be his soul mate. And as Brad tells the show's host, he's going to find that beautiful woman who wants him whether he's broke or not.
Heh.
I kept track of the 25 women who chose to vie for Brad's affections and they were an interesting lot. By the end of the first show Brad had to eliminate ten of these women. I think I got an insight into those he sent home and those he chose to remain.
First, a disclaimer. I can understand a female having a sense of adventure and play. Thus a young woman who chooses to enter this TV contest, and is accepted, can be hip, happening and intelligent. The only problem I have is that all of these ladies are drop dead serious. I don't get it.
Why?
Damn I would never, not in my worst nightmare, want a man who had his choice of any female out of a cadre of 25. Further, I wouldn't, even had I a beautiful body and gorgeous face, do the things these females do in order to win the attention and affections of the current Bachelor. In fact I consider it the most humiliating thing a female could put herself through.
Yes it's almost necessary to insert a "bah, humbug" here. But it's about more than my own sensibilities. I'm applying some common sense here. Can you imagine being married to a guy who had 25 beautiful women vying for him? I can envision it now, first argument, this guy's got some phone numbers stashed and with but a few keystrokes he's got one of those women who wanted him so bad that they threw away all pride to have him. Maybe a few would turn him down but out of 25 I bet he can find someone who is willing to sooth his male ego so bashed by the ugly bitch who had no right to him at any rate.
But that's just me.
The group of women who showed up to win the heart and soul of Brad Womack were all lovely. Their ages ranged from 35-Susan, a project analyst, from Illinois-to 23-Sheena, an Internet Marketer from California and Sarah, a bar manager from Illinois. Their occupations included nurses, a couple of realtors, a News Anchor and a dancer for the Phoenix Suns. The group of women included ladies with names such as McCarten, Bettina and Estefania.
The lengths they went to to get Brad's attention were both sad and hilarious.
A Morgan had a special hand signal she'd created to attract her man and displayed her webbed toes.. Susan declared she was the "girl in the silver dress" then proceeded to wiggle what was in that dress. Kristy gave Brad a tongue analysis, all part of her acupuncture skills. Lindsey gave Brad a yellow rose and sang a horrible song. Melissa got drunk as a sailor on leave. Kim took off her shoes because she was afraid she was too tall. Mallory donned a skimpy bikini and greeted Brad poolside with a request that he remove his pants.
Other females of note include Erin who said she once broke her face, Juli-without-an-e who had nice big boobs plus a flexibility that allowed her to demonstrate some amazing contortions, see pic above. Deanna lost her mother at age 12 to cancer, Jessica came up and rudely led Brad away while he was talking to two other women. Jenni, the dancer for the Phoenix Suns, did a dance for Brad. Jenni got what is called "the first impression rose" for her great smile. Or so Bachelor Brad says.
The show ended with a shocking revelation. It would turn out that our Bachelor Brad is an identical twin! His twin brother is married but the show's producers weren't going to allow this tidbit go without somehow incorporating it into the theme.
From the vignettes of the coming week's show we learn that Brad has his twin brother come in and pretend to be him for the 15 girls left in competition.
I sure don't know what the hell this is going to prove. The implication left with the viewer is that the females who could detect that Brad's twin was not the real Brad are somehow smarter, more tuned into Brad's "soul".
Heh.
First, identical twins, if they desire, can fool anybody. They are, on a biological note, essentially the same people what with sharing all the same genes and chromosomes. I think it's a bit unfair to expect these women, so soon after meeting the object of their affections, to be able to ascertain that they are dealing with a set of identical twins. Who would think this?
Further, unless they are perverts, identical twins rarely try and fool their life partners, wives, husbands, fiancés, fiancées, and "soul mates" by pretending to be each other. Identical twins tend to cherish those things that keep them apart from their twin sibling. Nothing so divides a pair of identical twins as the loves of their lives.
But hey, all for the TV show and I'll be as entertained as the next lady.
I did a quick analysis of the ladies Brad sent packing and have some of my own conclusions. Brad evidently doesn't want his soul mate to be too old. He sent Susan, Tauni, Lori, Kim and Rigina-all OVER 30-home. Rigina was a black woman but she was also over 30-so who knows?
Brad wasn't impressed by Juli-without-an-e's big boobs or contortion abilities. She too was sent packing. Morgan's web toes evidently didn't turn Brad on and Melissa's drunkenness didn't win her Brad's affection. Jessica's rudeness at pulling Brad away from his conversation wasn't a good tactic as Brad sent her packing.
We shall continue to watch this series as it unfolds. We will also, as expected, have an opinion.
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Focus on TV Posts of Fame
Those Wacky TV Chefs. Includes Rachel Ray and the sexiest chef of them all.
TV News Pundits including Russert, spitting Matthews and the one I adore.
"Dancing with the Stars" of 2007, reviews, pics and videos.
American Idol 2007 and The Bachelor. One night's review with links to all the others.
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”Shattered” by Debra Puglisi Sharp
It was a bit of serendipity that I chanced to pull Ms. Sharp’s book off of the shelf in the True Crime section of the local library. For it was but a month or so earlier that I’d met Ms. Sharp in person. She was the scheduled speaker at my local Republican women’s club and after the speech I stopped by to speak to her and suggest that I review her book on my Blog.
I do a lot of True Crime book reviews on this Blog as I explained to Debra. Who was, I add, a charming woman and a fine speaker. She seemed very interested and, in fact, gave me her business card. Later she sent me an email to which I responded with a link to my Blog’s book reviews. She responded with an invite to have lunch right after a planned business trip she’d scheduled was over and her time was available.
I haven’t heard from her since.
Now more than likely Ms. Sharp got all busy with this life thing and forgot all about a humble, but LOCAL blogger to whom she has spoken with at some busy purview.
I’m a little disappointed at Sharp’s lack of consideration but I’m not loosing sleep over it. More than anything that behavior would not in any way typify the woman who wrote the book “Shattered” and that’s my big surprise.
Debra Puglisi was busy planting roses one morning in her home in Delaware. Nearby, as fate would have it, one Donald Flagg just got a paycheck from the local Chrysler plant and used the funds to purchase some fine crack. The crack/cocaine caused Flagg to get a bit horny. So he perused the streets until he spotted Debra carrying her garden equipment around and decided she would do just fine for what Donald had planned and to satisfy Donald’s needs.
Donald Flagg parked his car near the Puglisi home then entered the house as easily as a family member via a door left open. Nino Puglisi was arriving home at around the same time and Nino was in Donald’s way. Quick as a flash Donald Flagg shot and killed Nino Puglisi.
Flagg then found the object of his affections, the pretty woman who had been tending her garden. Almost before the surprise could register for Debra Flagg Flagg grabbed her, tied her up then proceeded to rape her in her own house.
But Flagg had other plans for Debra. He bound, gagged and blindfolded her then threw her in the trunk of his car.
Through her co-writer, Marjorie Armstrong, Ms. Sharp then tells the story of what had to be any human being on this planet’s most horrific six days on the planet. For Donald Flagg took Ms. Sharp to his home, threw her into a room somewhere as if she was a rag. When Flagg’s nature called he would retrieve Ms. Sharp, rape her either vaginally or anally, then hog-tie her again and throw her aside for an encore later.
Sharp recounts the horrors of having to urinate on herself, the pain of a horrific anal rape, the unspeakable abomination of having to share this man’s bed as he slept with his arm slung across her bound and naked body that she does not escape. The pain of the ropes cutting into her wrists added terrible pain to the discomfort of the contorted position she was left in for hours on end.
The few times her captor spoke to her Debra assumed a quiet response of respect, referring to her captor as “sir”. One day Flagg casually apologized to his victim for having to kill her husband.
Meanwhile Sharp’s twin children had learned about the death of their father and all of Delaware was awaiting information as to where Mrs. Puglisi might be. The police, as they are trained to do, even suspected Mrs. Puglisi as a possible accomplice in the murder of her husband with a planned disappearance afterward.
The details of the six days were captivating reading. Sharp’s recovery after she was finally rescued was just as captivating.
Besides the trial of recovering from her own wounds (she still has the scars from the tight ropes which bound her for so long), Sharp had to recover from the loss of her beloved husband.
The reader then goes from anger at the evil Flagg through the bittersweet memories of Debra as she now must navigate life without her beloved Nino; a husband taken from her with one quick shot from the gun of Donald Flagg who watched Nino drop in his death then reached behind him to grab a beer from the fridge.
Victims do not lose loved ones in one awful day of fate. Loved ones are lost at an empty chair at the Thanksgiving table. The pain of the loss rises at even the sight of tall grasses, something the fastidious Nino would never have tolerated. Nino’s children finish school and graduate in ceremonies without their father in attendance. Victims lose loved ones in every second of every day as the minutiae and routine of life plows on.
Debra gave a great insight into the trial of Donald Flagg. Sharp had managed to get the police on a telephone in Flagg’s house by hopping on bound feet and dialing the number with her hands tied behind her back. Debra was hoping for the death penalty to Flagg but for whatever reasons, the death penalty was not granted.
As the reader not immersed in the daily pain of loss Ms. Sharp must feel I can understand why Flagg was not given the death penalty. Yes, he did kill one innocent man who deserves to be alive today, watching his grandchildren grow and happily mowing his grass. But as often happens between captor and victim, Flagg began to view his victim as a human being. At one point he had a soul food dinner with her and he began to make promises that he would release her. Point is that Flagg COULD have killed Debra and this fact tended to make him not such a good death penalty candidate in the rather liberal state of Delaware.
The sentencing judge DID give Flagg enough confinement that he’ll never walk free again. One interesting part of Flagg’s confinement as stipulated by the sentencing judge was that for the six days every year that Flagg held Debra hostage under such cruel conditions he was to be put in solitary confinement.
Good. Here’s hoping he had to think how cavalierly he treated a human being while he’s locked up all by himself. May his anniversaries by fine affairs that he anticipates eagerly.
Debra referred to her captor as “asshole” throughout the book. A little tidbit I found terrific because the poor woman had to call that asshole “sir” and that had to hurt.
So I’m sorry I missed my chance to interview Debra. She is one brave woman and the story of her horror made the reader realize the victims of crime suffer for a lifetime.
Makes me understand Fred Goldman all the more.
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Focus on Book Reviews
Review Ann Rule's "Every Breath You Take"
Ann Rule's "Evidence of Love"
Ann Rule's "Heart Full of Lies" and "Bitter Harvest"
Amber Frey's story.
"Tainted Roses"
Thomas Capano Book Reviews
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