Have you ever noticed that the product reviews are often fake? As everyone knows who reads my blog, I like nutritional supplements over any and all medications if possible. When I see something that attracts my attention, the first thing I do is check out the reviews. However, what I discovered today was that there are products that have fake sites. They give themselves rave reviews but you don’t see any individual reviews. Let’s use diet pills as an example. The most popular right now is anything to do with Keto. I did see a consumers review site that really criticized the ‘Shark Tank” product. They claimed it was a complete scam. As I continued to peruse the websites, the only one that actually gave real information without naming a product was consumers review. This also applies to almost anything else available online. I have read that many of the larger companies, have phony reviews for various products. I suspect that the companies are paid a large sum of money to produce positive reviews and only a few negative. Therefore, when you consider a product, as you review both sides, it may seem positive, but in reality it is not. For example, I bought a pair of sneakers online. I had used this brand years ago and assumed they were still good. It was wrong of me to assume. There is a t-shirt that says, “Assume nothing.” It is accurate. Not only did they hurt my toes, even though they fit, just to walk down my hall was uncomfortable. I did not leave a positive review. My review is not there but suddenly there are numerous negative reviews that were not there when I purchased the sneaker. In the Good Gus series, online didn’t exist. Product reviews were by word of mouth only. The series is online at Kindle, Nook and Waterstones. Hard copies are also available online and through our website. “Misplaced Trust” is also online at 24 Symbols, Apple, Nook, Kindle, Kobo, Page Foundry, Scribd, Playster and Tolino.
The scammers have been busy. Just yesterday alone I received twenty-five robo calls. One company called me nine times. Every evening I receive a call that is labeled “None.” Now if I see the area code I know immediately. The scammers are also busy on Facebook. There are all types of ads. Many offer a better job, work from home, free money, money from the government and so much more. If you read the comments you will find out what they really want. For many its a new phone service, your personal data to rob you, and investment into a ludicrous pyramid scheme. They will be stepping up their calls as the holiday season approaches. I love the ones that tell me my warranty is about to expire. That is a neat trick as I do not own a car. The scary scammers are the ones who program their phones to appear as if they are a government agency. In the states it is the Internal Revenue Service, (IRS). They claim your taxes are wrong and you need to pay immediately. If you refuse, they claim they are sending agents to your home to take all of your possessions. They sound frightening but they never appear. The one important item everyone in the U.S. should know is that the IRS never calls you. They always send letters. There probably were scammers during the Good Gus era but I did not include them. The books both hard copy and online can be located on Kindle, Nook and Waterstones. “Misplaced Trust” does have scammers in a few chapters. You can find it for your fall reading enjoyment online at 24 Symbols, Apple, Nook, Kindle, Kobo, Page Foundry, Scribd, Playster and Tolino.
Lately the Facebook videos are not up to any even reasonable high standard. I like to listen to them as I walk each day. Unfortunately, there is a great deal of foul language, low class conversation, violence, and too much bullying. The poor vocabulary and ghetto talk doesn’t speak highly of Facebook videos either. I am tired of hearing the ‘F’ word. I know it is acceptable in certain countries in Europe, but it is not in the states. There are also too many bullying videos. It almost seems like the video is so long that a person might give up to see the bully be taught a valuable lesson. In some ways, it gives young adults the impression that it is okay to harm others and stand idly by and not assist. The parts that bother me the most are the superiority actions of the bullies going after others just because they feel like it. Many years ago a woman was murdered in New York and all her neighbors looked out their tenament windows and watched. The country thought it was appalling. They were shamed and humiliated. Today, the woman who was assaulted on the train in Pennsylvania, where people sat there and did nothing but watched are not being charged. How do they live with themselves? I frankly, even though, I am older, would have at least bashed him with my purse. I would have pulled the cord to stop the train or if service was available called 911. In the Good Gus series, there was no technology so no videos. The books are online on Kindle, Nook and Waterstones. This is exciting! I have received a royalty for the books from Japan. Thank you. “Misplaced Trust” is also online at 24 Symbols, Apple, Nook, Kindle, Kobo, Page Foundry, Scribd, Playster and Tolino.
Many people feel they have all the time in the world and even though they have unfinished business they always believe they can solve it tomorrow. We all think we have all the time in the world, but we don’t. Families, couples, friends and even workmates or acquaintances have disputes and problems. Letting them linger because they believe they have all the time in the world is not wise. Often people pass and there is massive guilt for those left behind. That may be why mediums are so popular now. They are letting people know that they need to let go and not hold on to the negativity that they feel. Even in these COVID times, there is much unfinished business. Companies, shops, various types of businesses and more are closing their doors. They can’t go on, people are not longer interested in working, too much sickness and more. They end up now with cargo sitting on docks and the companies are failing because the containers are not being delivered to their area and they simply no longer have the products. If you are having trouble with people and/or other businesses try to work it out. Lately it seems people are resorting to violence rather than communicate and solve issues. Think about this. What if this morning before school, work, etc. you and your partner, husband/wife, children argue and someone leaves on bad terms. Then, you never see them again. How strong will your guilt be? Will they be at peace as they have left behind unfinished business? It’s something to think about. There was no unfinished business in the Good Gus series. It is available online or hand copy at Kindle, Nook and Waterstones. “Misplaced Trust” is also online at 24 Symbols, Apple, Nook, Kindle, Kobo, Page Foundry, Scribd, Playster and Tolino.
Most people avoid responsibility. They find it easier. I was watching a Hallmark movie, ‘Signed, Sealed and Delivered’ which was from their series three. Oliver O’Toole, is the name of a main character. He had been mad at his dad for fifteen years. One day the dad appeared and he still refused to speak to him. Shane, a second main character, met the dad and couldn’t understand why Oliver was avoiding him. When Oliver finally agreed to meet his father at a park, Shane had to go to the park to tell him his father died the night before. Oliver was in shock and stayed at the park for a while. Suddenly, the dad appeared. Oliver was surprised and told him that he thought he was dead. Then, the dad explained. Basically, his mother, cheated on his dad with another man. The dad forgave her because she was pregnant. The moment he saw Oliver he loved him. He tried to explain that his mother wasn’t really interested in any responsibility. Oliver was furious. He had to go to an attorney’s office to find out about his bio dad. As he was the man’s only living relative, he suddenly became wealthy. He went back to the park. The dad explained that his mother continued to have affairs with his bio dad and never wanted the responsibility of raising a child which was why she left one day. The dad reminded him that he never said a bad word about his mother, but she wanted a different lifestyle. Oliver then figured his dad knew he would be rich. The dad reached into his pocket and took out fifteen years of letters with ‘return to sender’ on all of them. The dad took his responsibility to heart and continued to try for a relationship. In the end, of course, they do work it out. There are people in life who may look responsible but under the surface are fakes and phonies. In the Good Gus series every understood responsibility. Hard copies and online books are available on Nook, Waterstones and Kindle. “Misplaced Trust” is also online at 24 Symbols, Apple, Nook, Kindle, Kobo, Page Foundry, Scribd, Playster and Tolino.
Were you aware that child marriage is legal in forty-four states in the U.S. and is legal in a few countries in Europe? In both the states and Europe you can be married before the age of eighteen with your parents permission. There are many countries in the Middle East that actually promote child marriage. When I was in high school I lived in a regular neighborhood. Most of the families associated with one another. One of the families had a son who had graduated from high school and joined the military. When he returned, he was married to a girl from Kentucky who was my age, fourteen. She wasn’t even pregnant. Her parents gave permission. The home I lived in was set in back and the home in front was a two story, two family home. The couple lived on the first floor. I found it amazing that she married and not still in high school like my next door neighbor or myself. Eventually, she did become pregnant and I babysat for them. A child or a teenager, in my opinion, should remain unmarried and enjoy their youth. There is plenty of time for them to take on the responsibilities when they are adults. There was an article about a sixteen year old girl who did marry because she was pregnant in Idaho. Her parents did give her permission but as soon as she turned eighteen she divorced. She has started a new life with her child and has a new career as well. In the Good Gus series there were no marriages. The books are available online and in hard copy on Kindle, Nook and Waterstones. “Misplaced Trust” is also online at 24 Symbols, Apple, Nook, Kindle, Kobo, Page Foundry, Scribd, Playster and Tolino.
Sometimes people say they are ‘finished.’ There are a variety of reasons why people say they are finished. Lately people seem to mean they are tired of life, work, marriage, kids and anything else. Everyone seems to be fed up with everything. They are taking out all their frustrations on each other. There was an article about everyone being rude to each other. Restaurant employees are quitting at rapid rates due to the disrespect of the customers towards them. They are expecting to be treated like royalty and are overly demanding. Just because there was a lockdown and people have been sick is no reason to be rude. During this difficult period, most people had homes to live in, food to eat, clothes to wear and utilities. They should be appreciating that there is no lockdown now. The public just doesn’t care. There was an article today about a woman who was assaulted on a train in Pennsylvania and NO ONE helped her. They just sat there and watched. That was overwhelming to me. Talk about being finished. We need to reassess our priorities and return to being kind and considerate. No society is every perfect, but at least there was some civility. It seems to have completely disappeared. It is so rare now. With all the religion in the world, you would think that their influence to treat each other decently would have an effect. Instead, one of the famous preachers in the United States, who is a multi millionaire, has to return money that he and his church did not deserve. What does that say about his preaching? Do as I say, not as I do? In the Good Gus series, I would have to say that kindness and decency were a priority in all stories. You can find both hard copy and online books on Kindle, Nook and Waterstones. “Misplaced Trust” is also online at 24 Symbols, Apple, Nook, Kindle, Kobo, Page Foundry, Scribd, Playster and Tolino.
People are continuing to not spending wisely. I saw a post on Facebook that made me think that. A woman was at the laundromat. She was busy doing her laundry when she saw a man also doing his laundry. The difference between the two individuals was that the woman had an expensive phone and he had the latest and greatest that cost more than a washer and dryer. The woman posted that if he could afford that type of phone, he could afford a washer and dryer. Seriously, he could buy them on time, buy used or refurbished. Most companies even deliver. When you think about spending wisely, people need to consider their daily needs such as food, shelter and clothing. I actually developed a ‘Money Manager’ . I designed it when I was really broke. I utilized my methods of getting out of debt and it worked and continues to work very well. There are people I know that live by it. Mine was handwritten but it is now on the computer. Miss Patty’s niece and nephew swear by it. There is even an executive at Bose who has used it since 1981. He is quite well off. It teaches you the importance of spending wisely without sacrificing fun, clothes, and occasional restaurant jaunts. Spending wisely was a way of life in Pecos in the Good Gus series. Both hardcopy and online versions are available at Kindle, Nook and Waterstones. The last thing most of the characters in “Misplaced Trust” ever thought about was spending wisely. They are all about the greed. The book is online at 24 Symbols, Apple, Nook, Kindle, Kobo, Page Foundry, Scribd, Playster and Tolino.
I saw an article today about beggars. A man felt sorry for another homeless man who had a sign asking for help. The kind man bought him a meal from a fast food restaurant. Instead of saying thank you, the beggar fat shamed him. The kind man was in shock. It just shows that even beggars feel that they can say or do anything regardless of how it makes others feel. There is a nonstop variety of videos on Facebook about beggars. The videos portray people almost in a kindly way. Obviously, these people are down on their luck. In the videos, for the most part, they are looking to eat and get help. Many of the videos end up showing kindness, which I believe is their goal. They offer food, jobs and sometimes shelter. The beggars that only want money are not the people who should be helped. Why? It’s simple, they are making more than probably anyone reading this blog. I saw an article the other day stating exactly that. They have their dirty clothes and their dirty blanket along with a sign and a jar. They claim all sorts of things. Yet, at the end of the day, they go home to a nice house, a full refrigerator, and the comforts of a real home. When I was in Italy years ago, a friend who is also a policeman, told me from the beginning, wherever we went, not to give anything to the beggars. They do not have the same problem of homeless people there as in the United States. California has a brutal problem. In the Good Gus series, there were no beggars. Liam, from “The Special Gift” was lost but he did not beg. Its a wonderful Christmas story that all children love. Both hardcopy and online books are available on Kindle, Nook and Waterstones. “Misplaced Trust” is also online at 24 Symbols, Apple, Nook, Kindle, Kobo, Page Foundry, Scribd, Playster and Tolino.
Today is National Stop Bullying Day. It is a sad day in this world that this even exists. When I wrote “Pecos Meets Bad Bart,” it was about being a bully. Bad Bart looked intimidating when he rode into town. He was dressed all in black and rode a black horse. He had a nasty tone when he spoke and a bad attitude. Both the adults and children were afraid of him. He hitched his horse to a post and went inside Bob’s Sweet Shop. When Bob explained that the shipment was late and there was not chocolate ice cream, Bart had a fit. Eventually, Sheriff Gus appeared after his rounds and resolved the issue in a peaceful manner without violence. I didn’t realize until one day when I was on a plane reading to a little boy, that I had included Bart having a temper tantrum. The boy’s mother loved the story, as did the child and she pointed it out to me at that time. The National Stop Bullying Day should be exposed around the world. I noticed it in the Irish Post today. The trouble with being a bully is that it doesn’t seem to end. If a child starts out as a bully, unless they receive a harsh lesson, they will continue throughout their lives until reality teaches them to stop. There is so much self help in the world today, if a person feels inadequate, inferior or a loser, or any other negative feelings, they should seek therapy or help. Changing is the first step to end the bullying. This includes nations around the globe. The Good Gus series can be purchased online or a hard copy on Kindle, Nook and Waterstones. “Misplaced Trust” is full of bullies who try to lie, cheat and steal. It is online at 24 Symbols, Apple, Nook, Kindle, Kobo, Page Foundry, Scribd, Playster and Tolino.
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