Crime and Punishment... Or Lack Thereof

I'm not really sure what's going on in the world lately.  People are committing crimes and not being punished for them. 

The guy who shot that gal in California but was found 'not guilty' because he said the gun went off  - several times into a crowd - accidentally after he'd dropped it and picked it back up again.  He was already a criminal, but hey...

The woman who passed out from being high on drugs and let her child freeze to death on her porch.  No jail time.

The man who raped a 12-year old girl while wearing his monitoring anklet, who - if he'd been punished in the first place - would have been in a cage instead of walking around where he could ruin some poor girl's life.

The numerous people who get off on 'not guilty by reason of disease or mental defect'.  (Personally, I'd prefer they re-word that to 'guilty but insane' and then they still get punished.) 

Plea deals that let murderers walk free after 5 years.

Bleeding hearts who go easy on offenders who then go commit more, and often worse, crimes once they're let go.

People who commit multiple crimes but are only charged with one, and then get off lightly.

:shudder:

Punishment.  Crimes are supposed to include punishment.  Not reform.  Not help.  Pun-ish-ment.   It's supposed to be a deterrent.  Think about what you've done so you are less likely to do it again.  What deters a criminal if they are either never punished at all or are lightly punished for a heavy crime? 

Jus' somethin' to think about this morning. 

The NEW Goodreads Giveaway Program

I got an email this morning from Goodreads with the subject of 'Introducing the New Goodreads Giveaways'.  I almost deleted it as junk mail.  Good thing I didn't.  It's all about the new super-special programs that Goodreads is implementing for giving away books through them.

And it's no longer free.

Starting in January of 2018 - so about 6 weeks from now - you can only give away books if you pay them to hold your giveaways.  Isn't that special?  I know in the email they sound super excited about it.

I remember an old saying and I'm paraphrasing because I don't remember remember it.  "Marketing is telling you to go to hell and making you think you're going to enjoy the trip."

That's about how I'm feeling about the whole Goodreads Giveaway Program this morning.  They've basically told me to go to hell and they're trying to make me think the trip will be super awesome.

Basically, you can get the Standard Plan or the Premium Plan.  Standard is $119 and Premium is $599.  But if you ACT NOW, you can get 50% off, or some such thing.  So, $60 or $300... to give away a book.

I like giving away books.  It makes me happy.  Not $300 happy.  Not even $60 happy.  Lord knows it isn't like I've seen great things come my way because I've given out a book here or there.  I got one review once from someone who won a Goodreads giveaway.  And there's one winner who immediately listed my book for sale on Amazon.  Gnarly.  I'm supposed to pay someone so someone else can get a free book they can then list for sale?  Ummmmmmmm.  No.

Anyway, they can do what they want to do.  It's their business, after all.  I think it's short-sighted and stupid, but I'm entitled to my opinion.  I'll still have my books listed on there for readers to add to their lists.  Until they start charging for that crap.

And yes, I'm bitchy about it.  It's like there a consortium somewhere thinking up ways to make the self-publishing business harder every damn day.

I have a distinct urge to run away this morning.  But it's rainy and cold.  Don't mind fishing in the rain.  Don't mind fishing in the cold.  Cold and rain?  No freakin' way.  I think I'll sort my library this morning and see what needs to be donated to St. Vinny's.

What are you up to today?  Do you enter Goodreads giveaways?  Ever won anything thru there? I have, but it's been a while.