Five of the Biggest Liars of 2013

Every year brings it own share of amazing lies and liars ... each one accompanied by a flurry of news stories that quickly fade away.  Some of them make national news; others only receive attention in one region of the country.

It's actually wise of us to go back from time to time and recognize the lies that many people fell for ... in the hopes that the public won't be so easily fooled in the future.

If you know of a situation that occurred in 2013 that you think should have made this list, feel free to include it in the comments section below.  I'll even allow links to articles on the topic, as long as the links are not promoting more potential scams.  (Believe it or not, I frequently have to delete comments containing links with obviously dishonest exaggerations such as "lazy way to make $50,000 a month."  I'm always amazed that people believe I will leave these types of comments on this site!)

Here are my picks for the biggest liars of 2013, based on the amount of interest shown on my blog over the past year.  Click on the title of the stories that interest you and you will discover that it is a link to the full article.  Beneath each title I've included a line or two from each of the articles to give you a better idea of the information they contain:

Clayton County Sheriff Elected Despite Felony Charges

"It seems beyond belief that Sheriff Victor Hill was elected to oversee law enforcement and the Clayton County jail in Georgia while he had 32 pending felony charges against him, including accusations of racketeering and theft." Learn more about this outrageous sheriff.

What is Catfishing and Could You Be Victimized?

"The latest person to be damaged by catfishing is Manti Te'O, a Notre Dame football player and Heisman Trophy contender".  Read more about his embarrassing story.

The Jodi Arias Lies

"Few recent trials have captured the attention of the American public more than the Jodi Arias murder trial.  She was accused of murdering her former boyfriend, Travis Alexander, on June 4, 2008 at his house in Mesa, Arizona by slitting his throat, stabbing him 29 times and then shooting him in the face.  After a televised four month trial, the jury convicted Ms. Arias of first-degree murder on May 8, 2013."  Read about the lies she told that convinced the jury that they should convict her.

How to Avoid Phony Online Product Reviews

"The website business2community.com recently posted an article about online reviews in which they reported that a research company named Gartner has discovered that approximately 15% of online product reviews are fake!"  Learn how to recognize a phony review!

Oops!  Anthony Weiner Did it Again!

"This week Mr. Weiner revealed that he actually had sexually explicit online relationships, via text, Twitter and Facebook, with approximately six to ten women while he served in Congress."  This is in addition to the scandal from 2012.  Is this going to become an annual event?

I'm sure we'll have more interesting scandals to read about in 2014.  I wonder if Anthony Weiner will make the list again!

You are reading from the blog:  http://lies-and-liars.blogspot.com

Photo of Anthony Weiner is is official Congressional photo and is courtesy of www.wikipedia.org/commons

Get Your Poetry Published and Avoid Poetry Scams

Are you, or one of your kids, an aspiring poet?  Poetry is a wonderful way to express your feelings and learn about the beauty of language.   Once we have written a poem, or anything else, we all have a powerful desire to share what we wrote with the world.  We also want to receive recognition for our accomplishments.

Unfortunately, there are people who prey on poets and try to trick them into buying their way into publications by giving them phony awards.  Fortunately, there are legitimate online sites where poetry can be published and where the poets can not only get recognition, but may also be able to occasionally earn a small amount of money without getting cheated or scammed.

Poetry Scams

First, you need to know how to recognize poetry scams, if you wish to avoid them.  They usually promote themselves as poetry contests or competitions and may suggest that they specialize in poetry contests for kids or for high school students.  You may see these poetry contests advertised in newspapers, magazines and online writing sites.  You or your child may even receive a letter promoting these competitions.   Typically the contest organizers either promise poets the chance to win money or simply the opportunity to get their poetry published.  All you need to do is mail in your poem and wait for it to be judged.

After a few weeks, contestants receive the good news that their poem has been selected as a semi-finalist in the contest and the contest organizers ask for permission to publish your poem in their anthology.  How exciting!  Up until now, everything has been free.

However, you want to see your poem in print, don't you? If you are a parent, you want to support your child's budding talent as a poet, so of course you decide to purchase a copy of the anthology.

Now, the contest organizers have you hooked.  They request $50 or more for you to receive a copy of the anthology so that you or your children can see their published poem.  In addition, you may receive other offers, such as a plaque with your poem mounted on it, cassette tapes of your poem being read by a professional, the opportunity to join an association for poets (for a membership fee), or even the chance to attend the "poet of the year" awards at a cost of hundreds of dollars.

Whether you only buy the anthology, or you pay for some of the other items and opportunities that you are offered, the truth is that you have fallen for a scam.  There is no contest.  All the poems submitted get the same exciting offers.

Fortunately, you do not have to fall for these scams in order to get your poetry published.

How to Get Poetry Published

If you or your children are poets, there are ways to get the poems published online without spending a dime.  You may even be able to occasionally earn a little money, as well as recognition from admirers of your poetry.

Publish your poetry online:  

There are several online sites that allow people over the age of 21 to publish poetry as well as essays and short stories.  One of my favorite is Hubpages.com.  Another site is Bubblews.com. If your child is the poet, and they are under the age of 21, you can join the site and publish their poetry for them.  You can even write an introduction, talking about your child in general terms.  You do not want to give out their real name or give personal information.  However, if you wish to say, for example, that your ten year old child wrote these fascinating poems about the birds in your backyard, that is perfectly acceptable, as long as you write the introduction and submit the articles under your own pen name.  (I recommend that everyone use a pen name when writing online.) Each of these sites operate a little differently.  However, they both pay a tiny amount of money for views ... which can add up over a period of time.  Bubblews pays a little faster and has a lower threshold for payment ... $25 rather than $50.  In either case, you are not charged to be on the site and you may even end up earning a little money!

If the poems are short, you may wish to put together a collection of several poems in one article, especially if they are related in some way.  In this way, you will be sure to meet the minimum requirements for article length (about 100 words on Bubblews and 300 - 400 words on Hubpages).  In addition, you may want to include photos.  For example, if the poems deal with your pets, the flowers in your backyard or items around your home, including photos will make them more visually appealing.

Once you have submitted the poems and set up an account, you can give your family and friends the URL for the article and let them read the poems.  Mention it in your Christmas letter.  The more views the poem gets, the more likely you will eventually earn a little money from the ads that will be published with it.  In addition to the possibility of earning money, you will also get recognition and the satisfaction of seeing your articles in print on a legitimate writing site.  Other writers on the site may also stop by, check it out, and leave encouraging comments from time to time.  (You can delete any negative ones.)

Publish Your Poetry as a Kindle Book:  

If you or your child is a prolific author of poetry, you may also decide to publish the poems in a Kindle poetry anthology that you create yourself.

Anyone can write a Kindle book.  You should not have the same poems on both an online site like Hubpages and in a Kindle book at the same time.  You can start by writing a few poetry articles on Hubpages and, once you publish your Kindle book, you may edit your articles to promote your book.

If you want to see samples of the Kindle books of poetry that are currently available at Amazon, use this direct link to Amazon's Kindle poetry books.

The instructions for writing a Kindle book can be found at Kindle Direct Publishing.  If you know a little about using the computer and how to write a document using Microsoft Word, you should be able to follow their instructions.  You can either take a photo or buy a photo and create your own cover, or you can use the plain cover that Kindle provides.

If you would like more detailed information about how to publish a Kindle book, you may want to order a cheap Amazon book that contains specific Kindle publishing instructions.

Once your book has been published for the Kindle, it will be available for sale at Amazon.com.  You can set the price yourself and make your book of poetry available for as little as .99 cents.  Of that, you will receive approximately one-third.  Once you have accumulated $10 in royalties, you can receive a direct deposit into your checking account.  In other words, you can publish your own poetry book for free and may even earn a little money from time to time.  What could be more exciting?

Get a print copy of your poetry book:

If you decide you would like to have a printed copy of your poetry book, you can use the Amazon company CreateSpace.com to publish one for free.   The process is very similar to publishing a Kindle book.  Then, you can order printed copies of your book for just a couple of dollars.  Again, if other people buy your books, you can earn royalties.

As you can see, rather than being scammed in a phony poetry contest, you can publish your poems legitimately and may even be paid publishing royalties.  In addition, your book of poetry will be translated into other languages and available for sale around the world.  You never know who will see it and appreciate the meaning of your poems.  What a satisfying feeling!

You are reading from the blog:  http://lies-and-liars.blogspot.com

Copy of Irish Poem "May the Road Rise Up to Meet You" courtesy of www.morguefile.com

TSA Airline Security Or a Den of Thieves?

A few months ago, when my husband and I flew from Southern California to Northern California to attend a grandchild's graduation, we were asked by the airline agent whether or not we wanted to check our bags.  I told the desk agent that I was too concerned that the gifts in my suitcase would be stolen if I checked my bag.  The airline agent nodded briskly and told me that I was not the first to feel this way.  She made no attempt to defend the TSA.

When my sister got married in Las Vegas a couple of years ago, her college-age daughter packed six cute, brand-new dresses for her first trip to Vegas.  When she opened her suitcase at the hotel, all six dresses were missing.  Since she had a TSA approved lock on her luggage, only someone with access to a pass key could have stolen the dresses.  She reported the theft, but it did no good.  She was not reimbursed, her clothing was never returned and she was left feeling very cynical about the TSA.

Apparently, the Federal Government has been receiving a lot of complaints about many aspects of the TSA.  On July 31, 2013, TSA officials went in front of Congress to address a scathing report on airport security.  Among the issues they were expected to address were the 10,000 cases of TSA misconduct from 2010 to 2012 alone,  which have been documented by the Government Accountability Office.  The problems suggest that far too many agents are breaking rules and compromising security.

Among the complaints that need to be addressed are TSA pat downs that are considered far too aggressive by many passengers, especially women who have sometimes felt humiliated and embarrassed.

In addition, the Government Accountability Office listed approximately 2,000 cases of airline screeners falling asleep, not following procedures, or allowing relatives to bypass checkpoints.  Even when agents have fallen asleep on the job, often their penalty has been no more than a letter of reprimand.

The biggest issue for our family, however, are all the stories of screeners who steal from passengers.   The problem is so serious that last year ABC news reporter Brian Ross conducted an undercover investigation.  Mr. Ross intentionally left ten iPads at several different airport checkpoints.  In nine of thosee cases, the iPads were returned.  In Orlando, however, a screener stole the device and it was traced to his home.  Other stolen items were also found in this man's home.

Brian Ross also showed undercover video of TSA agents going through the luggage of airline passengers looking for valuables and taking whatever they wanted!

Although the TSA insists that it holds its workers to the highest ethical standards, our family is skeptical.

So-called airport security does not make us feel secure.  Recently, at LAX an airport employee set off several dry-ice bombs in secure areas of the airport.  Although they did eventually catch him, it took them longer than it should have because they did not have very many security cameras in the non-public areas of the airport.  Really?

Today, a Federal Marshal was arrested for taking photographs up the dresses of women who were flying.  He admitted doing it on at least 20 different flights. He was caught by airline passengers!

There are currently approximately 56,000 screeners working at the nation's airports, as well as many other airline and government employees who have access to our property when we travel.  While I admit that most are doing their job, far too many are not.  Consequently, I will continue to carry-on my luggage as frequently as possible.  When I do check bags, I will only pack things that won't upset me too much if they are stolen. I feel ridiculous even writing that, when you consider that we spend a fortune trying to assure ourselves that airline travel is safe.  From whom?  The people who are supposed to be protecting us?

Now I understand what it must have felt like for people to travel by stage coach in the Old West, where they were in constant danger from bandits and other types of attacks.

Isn't that a heck of a way to travel?

Sources:

"Good Morning America," ABC News, July 31, 2013.

You are reading from the blog, http://lies-and-liars.blogspot.com

Public domain photo of an airplane is courtesy of www.morguefile.com

Educate Yourself - Watch Scammed on the History Channel

Do you think you are too smart, too business-minded and too skeptical to fall for a scam?  Do you think other people are foolish and naive when they get scammed?

If so, you may want to watch the television show "Scammed" which is shown periodically on the History channel.  It was the most eye-opening program of this type that my husband and I have ever watched.

In this television program, a man named Paul Wilson, who is identified as a con expert, perpetrates a number of scams on innocent people who have no idea that they are falling victim to these scams ... often until the producers explain to them afterwards exactly what happened!

Using a small group of about eight people, Paul Wilson and his associates are able to drive off with two expensive cars that are for sale.  They need these cars for the "long" scam that they are also working on.  In addition, they take a mark out to dinner at an expensive restaurant and walk out on the tab ... by befriending the people at the next table and indicating to the hostess that their "friends" are paying the bill for them.

They also rely on the sympathy of strangers to listen to their sob stories and hand over cash quite willingly.

Their "long" scam is the most impressive of all.  They convince a very intelligent, successful businessman to put up $20,000 of his own money to help someone else retrieve $400,000 in Euros from overseas.  You will have to see this scam for yourself in order to believe it.

It was amazing to see this troop of modern-day pirates blatantly steal from intelligent people who have no idea what is happening to them.

Check out the listings of the History Channel in your area.  They have shown this program several times and are likely to show it again.  This is one program you will not want to miss!

You are reading from the blog:  http://lies-and-liars.blogspot.com

Public domain photo of money is courtesy of www.morguefile.com

San Diego Mayor Bob Filner Forced to Resign

The beautiful city of San Diego (shown here), has just gone through an ugly period of time brought on by the behavior of their mayor, Bob Filner.  Finally, after lengthy negotiations, Bob Filner has agreed to resign as mayor, effective August 30, 2013.  The resignation cannot come soon enough for many of the citizens of San Diego.

What did he do to create such angst for the residents of America's eighth largest city?

Mayor Bob Filner sexually harassed a minimum of 18 women.  At least, that is how many women have come forward.  There may be others who are simply too embarrassed to talk about the things Mayor Filner said and did.  Among his less savory activities:

Asking an employee to not wear underwear to work
Groping women or putting his hands in inappropriate places on their body
Grabbing women and kissing them on the lips, even when they tried to push him away
Licking the sides of their faces
Whispering inappropriate comments in their ears
Asking women to "forget" they were married

While some of these women were employees who worked under him, others were women that he met for the very first time when he engaged in his inappropriate behavior.

Although in some cases it is only the woman's word against Mayor Filner's, on other occasions there were shocked witnesses standing nearby.  On at least one occasion, he was photographed groping a woman after a business meeting.

Personally, I am glad to see him go.  He undoubtedly engaged in this behavior for years before he was forced to resign.  In my opinion, it is time that powerful men learn that sexual harassment is always inappropriate, especially if the men involved have the power to hire or fire the women or can control whether or not they can get business contracts for their companies.

In addition to losing his job, the Attorney General for the State of California is considering a possible criminal case against the mayor.  At least some of the women intend to file civil lawsuits against him.  As a result, he will have to deal with the consequences of his behavior for the next several years.  At the very least, he deserves whatever happens as a result of the legal complications of his inappropriate behavior.  Meanwhile, I hope he will treat other women with more respect in the future.

You are reading from the blog:  http://lies-and-liars.blogspot.com

Photo of San Diego at night is courtesy of www.morguefile.com

Oops! Anthony Weiner Did It Again!

Just when we thought that Anthony Weiner might have rehabilitated himself after his resignation from Congress last year, and could now be a viable candidate for public office again, it turns out that nothing really changed at all.

 When Representative Weiner (a Democrat from New York State) resigned from Congress in 2011, it was because of the revelation that he had Tweeted nude photos of his private parts to a young woman who was following him on Twitter.  Of course, at that time we did not find out the truth that she was just one of many women who were receiving these types of messages.  In fact, initially he spent weeks lying about the photos and insisting that his Twitter account had been hacked. He repeatedly claimed that he did not send the embarrassing Tweets at all ... until experts were able to prove that his account had not been hacked.  Now we are discovering that the Tweet that caused him to resign was just the tip of the iceberg.

This week Mr. Weiner revealed that he actually had sexually explicit online relationships, via text, Twitter and Facebook, with approximately six to ten women while he served in Congress.  The reason he gave for the range in numbers is because he said he couldn't "tell you absolutely what someone else is going to consider appropriate or not."  In other words, this married husband and father sent explicit messages to about ten women ... he just doesn't know if all of the women thought that the messages were inappropriate. 

What about the voters? Do they think it is appropriate for a married man and elected official to send nude photos and sexually explicit messages to women other than his wife?

Surprisingly, despite the fact that he was sexting with other women during the time that he was dating his wife, Huma Abedin, as well as during their engagement, while she was pregnant, and after she gave birth to their son,  Huma vigorously defended him during a recent press conference.  Does she really believe that his behavior is acceptable and that voters should ignore it?

In past posts, I have always expressed the opinion that a man who cannot be trusted by his wife probably should not be trusted by voters.  I certainly wouldn't want one of my daughters to be in a position where she was working alone with him ... or receiving messages from him!

Unfortunately, despite the fallout from his first batch of Twitter messages, and a sincere interview in People Magazine with his wife Huma Abedin, in which he proclaimed that he was a changed man, apparently Anthony Weiner had not actually changed at all.   In fact, Mr. Weiner recently admitted that after his resignation he continued to regularly engage in sexually explicit online relationships with young women that he did not know!!

In interviews over the past few days, Mr. Weiner confessed that he continued sending messages to at least three more women after his resignation and People Magazine interview.  In order to disguise his identity, he used the online pseudonym of Carlos Danger.  Among the messages that he sent these women were more nude photos of his private parts, as well as embarrassingly explicit descriptions of his sexual desires.  Some of these photos and messages were released by a woman named Sydney Leathers, a 23 year old from from Indiana who says she had an online relationship with him for six months in 2012 ... a claim he does not deny. 

So far, most of the other women involved have not come forward.  Perhaps they are just waiting until their books are ready!  I wouldn't be surprise to see additional revelations in the coming months.  Hopefully, the voters of New York City will be wise enough to not election him to office as their next city mayor.


Sources for Sexting Details:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/anthony-weiner-details-how-many-women-hes-had-online-relationships-with/2013/07/25/c185ad5a-f572-11e2-9434-60440856fadf_story.html

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/07/26/anthony-weiner-huma-abedin-what-normal-about-this-relationship/

You are reading from the blog:  http://lies-and-liars.blogspot.com

Official Congressional photo of Anthony Weiner courtesy of www.en.wikipedia.org/commons

The Wonderful Truth about Chocolate

Most of the posts in this blog have been about terrible crimes, hoaxes and similar serious ways that people have been deceived.  This month, lets have a little fun with a lighter topic. I would like to clear up some misconceptions and myths about chocolate, a food that is often maligned.  Here is the wonderful truth about one of my favorite treats:

Chocolate Does Not Cause Pimples

Even decades ago, when I was a teenager, I was told not to eat chocolate because it would cause me to get acne.  However, according to the website "Mythbusters," a number of studies have proven that chocolate does not cause us to get pimples.  I wish I had know that as a teenager.  At least I would have felt less guilt when I indulged in it!

Chocolate Will Not Cure Cancer ... But It Is Good for the Heart

Although I have never heard the myth that chocolate can cure cancer, apparently it is one that has been going around.  While the cancer myth is not not true, the good news is that chocolate can benefit the heart.  It contains beneficial flavonoids and an ingredient called theobromine.  People who eat chocolate, particularly dark chocolate that contains at least 70% cacao, can slightly reduce their risk of heart disease.  In fact, some researchers recommend that you eat as much as seven ounces, or four dark chocolate candy bars a week, to maximize the benefits. Even if it won't cure cancer, the benefit to our hearts is certainly good news, isn't it?

Chocolate Will Not Keep You Awake at Night

While there is a small amount of caffeine present in chocolate, you would have to consume a great deal of it in order to keep you awake at night.  A normal size cup of hot chocolate or a small piece of dark chocolate should not cause you to have a problem.  If you do have trouble sleeping, skip the chocolate for a few nights to see if that makes a difference.  If not, go ahead and indulge in a bit of it.

Chocolate Does Not Cause Headaches

Many people who get migraine headaches blame chocolate.  However, recent research indicates that chocolate does not contribute to either normal headaches or migraine headaches.  Isn't that good news?

Of course, we are all unique and it is possible that you may have an allergy or that your experience with chocolate may be different from another person's. If you experience any unusual symptoms after eating chocolate, you may want to consult your doctor to make sure that the chocolate did not cause the problem.

For most of us, however, in moderate amounts chocolate is safe and delicious, and may even be beneficial to our health.  What more can we ask of such a delicious treat?

Now that you have all this good news about chocolate, you may want to use this link to order your favorite chocolate candy from Amazon.com.  Eat a few ounces a day, and enjoy it without guilt!

To read more good news about chocolate, you may be interested in one of these articles:

http://www.mythbusters.com/common-myths-about-chocolate.html

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/benefits-of-chocolate

You are reading from the blog:  http://lies-and-liars.blogspot.com

Photo of chocolate candy courtesy of www.morguefile.com

Wanting Better Schools Does Not Make You a Racist

When residents of a subdivision in the Porter Township of Pennsylvania requested that all the children in their subdivision attend the same local school, Wallenpaupack Elementary, they were lambasted by the local newspaper for being racist.  They felt they were being dishonestly portrayed in the press because the parents had never made any racist comments.  

The only thing that these parents had requested was that all of the children in their community be sent to nearby Wallenpaupack rather than having some of them sent to Bushkill Elementary School, in the East Stroudsburg School District.  The parents in the Porter Township have been upset for some time that their children are routinely separated from other kids in their neighborhood.  What makes the separation even worse, however, was that Bushkill has significantly lower test scores, as well as a lower rate of parental involvement.  These parents wanted their kids to have the same opportunities as the other children in their community.  Don't parents have the right to want the best education possible for their children? There isn't anything wrong with that, is there?

You can imagine how shocked these parents were to be insulted by an editorial in their local newspaper that insisted that the only reason these parents wanted to change school districts was for racial reasons and so they could pay lower school taxes.  The idea that a caring parent would want to change districts for purely educational reasons and to keep their children with their neighborhood friends, was entirely dismissed.

What do my readers think?  Should parents be forced to send their kids to a school system with lower test scores simply to avoid being called racists, or should they have the right to seek out the best and most appropriate public schools in their community?  These parents were deeply offended by the editor's accusations, especially since it came from their local newspaper, which they felt should have been unbiased.  They felt their intentions were being intentionally distorted and that the accusations of racism were simply not true.

There is no reason for me to reiterate what these parents had to say on the topic.  Read this letter by one of the parents that was written in response to the editorial and decide for yourself whether their request for a change in school districts was exactly what most reasonable and rational parents would want for their children:

Letter to the Editor of the Pocono Record in Pennsylvania

Dear Editor of the Pocono Record,

The entire premise of the article "Does Race Play a Role in Porter Township School Switch" is not only false, but extremely offensive to those of us who seek only to provide our children with the highest quality of education and quality of life. The question in the headline is answered in the very first sentence of the article: "Nobody came out and said it in testimony". The writer then goes on to fabricate a completely inaccurate account of what Porter Township is trying to accomplish. Over seven people testified in favor of the initiative, and we all made ourselves very clear as to our motivations. The school board's District Attorney and the writer of the article have chosen to ignore the actual testimony and spin the issue in such a way as to attempt to deflect criticism from where it belongs: the East Stroudsburg School District. To attempt to do this by insinuating that I and my friends and neighbors are racists is not only personally offensive, but shows an unfortunate disregard for the basics of civil discourse.

The first and foremost concern for all of us, especially those of us with school age children like myself, is a better education. Look at the test scores and compare them year after year like I did. Wallenpaupack tests better. Then look at the social factors for the parents of children who have been born and raised alongside other children in their community, but now must attend a school full of strangers. Not because they are of a different race, because they have already formed friendships and bonds with children in their neighborhood, their church, their parks and play grounds, their library, their pools and lakes and their Pre-K classes and play groups.

Taxes are also a concern, but I'd pay the same or more just to live in a place where I could experience belonging to a community and having my child go to the same school with higher education goals and standards not to mention better parent participation in PTA and extracurricular events. Surely wanting to pay lower taxes in today's extremely difficult financial climate cannot be a bad thing? Why are the people of Porter being depicted as racists who don't want to pay taxes? Because having failed to make their case for blocking the initiative, the East Stroudsburg School District has chosen to play the race card - and the writer of the article is complicit in this disingenuous and somewhat desperate tactic.

Lastly, our property values have been damaged by the (largely deserved) poor reputation of the East Stroudsburg school district. Why not look into that contributing factor? Why is the school district performing so poorly? Who is to blame? Surely it is not the fault of Porter Township who only contributes a drop in the overall bucket of their budget. Also, the District ought to take a long, hard look at the lack of parent and teacher involvement beyond the classroom. I say this from experience as an active PTO member at Bushkill Elementary. All fundraising efforts fall on the shoulders of 3 overworked board members, and a handful of teachers--in an elementary school with over 400 children. The East Stroudsburg School District has a clear responsibility to manage its budget and bring the community together to serve our children. Instead, it chooses to make a grab for undeserved revenue, and to engage in divisive rhetoric.

I expect more from our local newspaper, upon which I rely on you to gather facts and evidence, not pander to a failing school districts attempt to keep 1 million in undeserved tax revenue to provide an inferior education to less than 50 students.

Best Regards,
Cynthia  

You are reading from the blog:  http://lies-and-liars.blogspot.com

Photo of school bus courtesy of www.morguefile.com
 

The Jodi Arias Lies

Few recent trials have captured the attention of the American public more than the Jodi Arias murder trial.  She was accused of murdering her former boyfriend, Travis Alexander, on June 4, 2008 at his house in Mesa, Arizona by slitting his throat, stabbing him 29 times and then shooting him in the face.  After a televised four month trial, the jury convicted Ms. Arias of first-degree murder on May 8, 2013.

Arizona is one of the few states in which jurors can submit questions they have, and the judge will then ask them during the trial.  Based on the questions that the jurors submitted, one of the problems they had was whether to believe her testimony that she had acted in self-defense.  They were bothered by the fact that she had already told so many lies to investigators.  At least some of the jurors wondered how they could believe anything she said.  What were some of the lies that may have troubled the jurors?

Biggest Lies Told by Jodi Arias

1.  When she was first questioned on July 15, 2008 about the death of Travis Alexander, she insisted that she had not had any involvement in his death.   She said, "I would never want to hurt him."  Later, she would have to recant this statement.

2.   She also told investigators that she had not seen Travis at all since April of that year, weeks before his death.  However, a camera was found at the crime scene with photos inside that proved she was actually in the house on the day of his death.

3.   Once she could no longer deny being present when he died, Jodi then told the police that two masked men had killed Travis, also claiming that one of the intruders had held a gun to her head.

4.    Jodi must have forgotten the first story, because a short time later she told another tale about a pair of male and female masked intruders and how Jodi, trying to save Travis, had charged down the hall and pushed the female intruder as hard as she could.  How heroic of her!

5.   When no sign of intruders could be found and it appeared that Jodi was the only person present in the house that day, Jodi tried another tact.  In this story, she finally admitted that she had killed Travis, but claimed it was in self-defense. 

6.   To support her story of self-defense, of course she had to come up with damaging evidence against Travis Alexander.  She presented letters that Travis had supposedly sent to her indicating that he was a pedophile.  However, court testing indicated that the letters were actually forgeries.

7.   Apparently, Jodi Arias could not keep herself from lying, even about where she worked.  Her new boyfriend, Ryan Burns, testified that Jodi had told him that the cuts on her fingers came from a broken margarita glass at the restaurant where she worked.  She said the name of the restaurant was Margaritaville in the town of Yreka.  No such restaurant exists.

8.   In attempting to create a fake alibi, she visited Ryan Burns within hours after killing Travis, telling him that she arrived later than promised because she had gotten lost.  She also left messages on Travis's phone, and sent him an email telling him that she was looking forward to seeing him soon.  All this was done to create the impression that she did not yet know that he was dead.

9.  In looking at her alibi, it becomes obvious that she was attempting to carry on a relationship with both Travis Alexander and Ryan Burns at the same time while, simultaneously, not wanting Travis to have a relationship with anyone else but her.  The theory is that she killed him in a jealous rage.

10.  Finally, even her appearance during the trial was a lie, of sorts.  While she was described by the press as a "blonde bombshell" prior to her arrest, she darkened her hair color to brown and wore glasses and conservative clothing during the trial, all in an obvious attempt to look too sweet and innocent to have committed these crimes.

Without a doubt, the jurors were skeptical of these lies.  After a four month trial, they convicted her of first-degree murder on May 8, 2013.  However, even after being convicted it is possible that she is still spinning a web of lies.  In an interview shortly after her conviction, she stated that she would prefer to die "sooner rather than later."  She also said that "death is the ultimate freedom."  In other interviews she has indicated that she contemplated suicide in the past.   The result of these comments is that she has been placed on a suicide watch which has actually caused the penalty phase of her trial to be delayed.  Was she still lying when she made these statements?  Who knows? Perhaps even she does not know the truth when it comes to her own thoughts and feelings.

Whatever the truth about Jodi Arias, there is no question that the events that happened on the night of June 4, 2008 were a terrible tragedy for Travis Alexander.


Sources:

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

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57583601/jodi-arias-says-she-prefers-death-penalty/

http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2013/04/jodi-arias-lies-murder-trial-travis-alexander/

You are reading from the blog:  http://lies-and-liars.blogspot.com

Photo of courthouse door courtesy of www.morguefile.com

How to Avoid Phony Online Product Reviews

Like many online writers, I write online product reviews about merchandise that I have bought or would like to buy.  In addition to using first hand accounts of my own experience with a product, I also discuss the product with other members of my family and read the reviews other people have written on sites like Amazon.  On websites like Squidoo and InfoBarrel, I have written hundreds of reviews of products that I like, or that my friends and family members enjoy using.  Whether the products I am reviewing are sunglasses, children's books, shoes or jewelry, I try to write reviews that are helpful and reliable.  In writing these reviews, I try to be as positive, yet honest, as possible.  If I am aware of a disadvantage to using a certain product, or know that there is a better choice available on the market, I let people know.  If I simply believe that it is generally an important item for people to own, such as First Aid Kits, I try to give them a wide range of choices, rather than push just the most expensive one.

As readers of this blog know, I feel comfortable informing my readers whenever I spot a lie or intentional misinformation.  I also am not hesitant to make negative comments on my other blog, Baby Boomer Retirement, when I think it is appropriate.  For example, on that blog I have mentioned problems I have heard about retirement communities, such as the sinkholes in Timber Pines, near Tampa, Florida, or the water issues that could hamper development in the Green Valley area of Arizona.

On the other hand, despite my love of honesty and full disclosure, whenever I write reviews of products, the truth is that I rarely mention anything bad about a product unless I have purchased it and had an exceptionally negative experience.  The reason for this is simple.  When I have had a bad experience with a product, I usually do not write a review.  Consequently, nearly all of my reviews are fairly positive.

At the same time, I have never written an entirely phony review.  I have never written a glowing report on a product, and told others how much I loved it, if it was about a product that neither I, nor anyone I personally know, has ever tried.  In addition, I have never been paid to write a phony review. Unfortunately, my personal scruples do not appear to be typical of everyone who writes online product reviews.

The website business2community.com recently posted an article about online reviews in which they reported that a research company named Gartner has discovered that approximately 15% of online product reviews are fake!  I want to help my readers avoid being scammed by these phony reviews.  In searching for recommendations on how to spot this dishonesty, I picked up some important tips.

How to Avoid Phony Online Reviews

Be suspicious of any reviews you read on the internet if they show any of the characteristics listed below:

Be skeptical if everything about the product is fabulous, incredible, unbelievable or amazing, especially if there are few specifics mentioned.  Most normal people are hesitant to sound ridiculously enthusiastic about a product, even if they like it.  Only people who are paid to write fake reviews talk this way.

Check to see if there are several reviews that are practically the same or were written on the same day or very close together, even though they are written under different online names.  If all the reviews sound the same, they were probably all written by the same person.

Don't rely on reviews that are written in ALL CAPS.

Be suspicious of reviews that sound too good to be true.  For example, if the writer warns that you might lose too much weight too quickly if you use this product, or if the product exceeded the reviewer's wildest dreams, don't believe it.

Be skeptical of reviews that insist that only one manufacturer of the same product is any good.  This is common with phony reviews of nutritional supplements.  

Watch out for what writers call Keyword Stuffing.  This occurs when a writer uses the name of the product and the model number over and over again.  Real people tend to use a lot of pronouns, and are more likely to write vague reviews that sometimes only barely mention the specific name of the product.  For example, a real person is more likely to say, "I really like these shoes;" they are less likely to repeatedly mention the brand, style, color and product number of a pair of shoes that they are reviewing.

You should also be aware that you may be reading a phony review if the person gives you discount codes or links to where you can buy the product, and only that product. On the other hand, many perfectly honest reviewers will include a link to Amazon or a similar legitimate site where you can read more about it and purchase the product.

You also need to be suspicious of especially vicious negative reviews.  Sometimes they have been written by the competition.  Make sure that you are not simply looking at an ad in disguise for another product.

It is smart and perfectly reasonable to read reviews before you purchase a product.  However, just remember not to believe everything you read.  Personally, I particularly like to read Amazon reviews because they allow you to read reviews by people who have given the product a range of scores, from 1 Star to 5 Star.  If you read a few reviews at each level, you should get a fair evaluation of the product.

When I write product reviews on sites like Squidoo, I often include not only my own experience but I sometimes will mention some of the comments other people made in their Amazon reviews.  My goal is to always give people a range of choices, rather than limit them to just one item that I am pushing.  I wish other reviewers made the same effort.  Fewer people would end up feeling deceived.

You are reading from the blog, http://lies-and-liars.blogspot.com

Photo of sunglasses are courtesy of amazon.com.

Clayton County Sheriff Elected Despite Felony Charges

One issue that never fails to amaze me is the willingness of the American public to elect criminals to public office.  Over the years, I have heard of several politicians who were elected to office despite the fact that they were under indictment.  However, it seems beyond belief that Sheriff Victor Hill was elected to oversee law enforcement and the Clayton County jail in Georgia while he had 32 pending felony charges against him, including accusations of racketeering and theft.

The Georgia Sheriff's Association must share my dismay that Sheriff Hill took office.  They have asked the Georgia Governor to appoint a committee to determine if Hill should be suspended with pay until his indictments have been resolved.

The indictments against Sheriff Hill include accusations of using county money and resources to take vacations and buy personal items during his earlier term as sheriff. He is also accused of assigning public employees to work on his personal re-election campaign as well as private charity events.  In addition, he approved the phony sick leave of an employee so she could go with him on an out-of-town trip.  Is he the type of person that the State of Georgia, or any other state, should accept as a leader in law enforcement?  I do not think so, although apparently the majority of the residents of Clayton County, Georgia would disagree with me.

This is not the first time that Sheriff Hill has behaved in an controversial manner.  Right after he was initially elected sheriff, in 2004, he began his term by firing 27 employees.  They were escorted away from the Clayton County Jail while snipers were posted on the roof.

Clayton County Jail Inmates File Complaint over Conditions

According to a recent report from Access North Georgia, dozens of inmates have complained about the "poor food, unsanitary living conditions and atrocious civil rights violations" at the Clayton County Jail.

According to the complaint, which was signed by 42 inmates, under the leadership of Sheriff Victor Hill the inmates have also been denied access to a law library, without any explanation.

Rather than deal with the complaints, Sheriff Hill insists that he is using a boot-camp approach to  his treatment of the inmates.

Inadequate Inmate Medical Care at Clayton County Jail

The poor treatment of inmates at the Clayton County Jail has gone on under other sheriffs, as well.  When 25 year old DeShawn Nicole Balka was arrested for misdemeanor possession of marijuana and was subsequently sent to jail because she tested positive for drugs and was unable to pay her fines, she was 5 1/2 months pregnant.  During the 12 days she spent in the jail during the month of April, 2012, she went into premature labor.  She alleges that her repeated requests for medical attention were denied.  She gave birth in the jail and only after her child was born were she and her baby transported to a hospital.  The baby died 75 minutes after its birth.  She believes that her baby might have lived if she had been transported to a hospital as soon as she went into labor.

Interview with a Short-Term Inmate of the Clayton County Jail

During a recent interview with Pam B., a woman who spent just three days in the Clayton County Jail, she expressed her horror at the conditions in the jail.  This was the first time she had ever been under arrest and she was released as soon as her attorney was able to clear up a misunderstanding over a legal issue that was taking place in another state.  She was one of the lucky inmates who could afford an attorney to arrange for her release, although making these arrangements cost her a substantial amount of money in legal fees and changed airline tickets.

From the moment she arrived in the first holding tank, where she was held for nine hours before being assigned to a cell, Pam was confronted with unsanitary conditions.  There was no soap or toilet paper, and the only toilet she was allowed to use was "disgusting." 

When she was finally assigned to a cell, Pam was shocked at the conditions in the jail during her short stay.  She lost 10 pounds in three days.  She said that she did not have a problem with the other inmates.  They were actually very nice to her.  Since this is a county jail, none of them were incarcerated for major crimes.  Most of them were in jail, as Pam put it, "for being poor."  When they were unable to pay various fines and fees, they had been arrested and forced to spend a few weeks in jail.  Her cellmate was in the jail because she was unable to pay the license fee for her car.  She had driven it anyway, and ended up with a fine, which she also could not pay.  Ultimately, she was sent to jail.

In my opinion, there has to be a cheaper solution than having a county spend thousands of dollars to feed and house people who cannot pay modest fines.  This system seems fiscally irresponsible.  Perhaps a modest garnishment of their salary or any financial aid they receive from the state would be a more reasonable solution.

When Pam arrived at the jail, she was having a flare-up of her gout and her foot was visibly swollen, but she did not have her medication with her.  She filled out a medical request form, but she was never seen by medical staff, given medication or treated in any way for her painful condition.  Despite ignoring her gout, they did give all the inmates a TB test.  Apparently, tuberculosis is a concern in the jail, although Pam received no follow up information.  She was also asked if she had an STD.  She told them no, although privately she feels that the jail conditions were so unsanitary it would be easy for someone to pick up a multitude of viral or bacterial infections.

Pam reported that the only food items that she found edible were the two plain bologna sandwiches she received each day.  She found the "hash or goulash or whatever it was they were serving for dinner" to be inedible.  When she tried to save one of her bologna sandwiches to eat later in the day, she got in trouble.

Pam was also disgusted that the jail refused to allow the women to wear underwear, even during their monthly cycle.  This caused them to have to live with bloody clothing ... a horrifying and unsanitary situation.  Pam felt that the women she met in jail were being treated like animals, even though most of them were there for very minor infractions of the law.

Like the jail inmates who made the complaint mentioned above, Pam was also not allowed access to a library or a television, even in a common area.  In fact, she and her cellmate were confined to their cell for 23 hours a day.  Pam also complained about being cold in her cell with only one thin sheet and blanket.  To make matters worse, she was only allowed to use the blanket from 11:00 at night until 4:00 in the morning.  If she was caught using it at any other time, they would take it away from her.  What harm could possibly have been done by allowing her to cover herself with a blanket at 4:30 in the morning or at 10:30 at night?

As though to add insult to injury, the Clayton County jail system also made it unnecessarily complicated and difficult for her to be released.  Once her husband arranged for her release, he was not allowed to call her.  He put a message on his phone for her, in case she was able to contact him.  When she was originally detained by the sheriff's department at the Atlanta airport, they told her to bring only her driver's license and to leave everything else, including money and credit cards, with her husband.  Consequently, when they released her, she didn't even have cab fare to go to the airport.  If she had been allowed to keep a credit card, she could have gotten herself to the airport and been able to fly home on her own.

When Pam was told she was being released, her jailers were unable to tell her if anyone was waiting for her.  Her husband, who had gone home to St. Louis until he knew she would be released, had flown back to Atlanta. However, Pam did not know what was going on.  She was not allowed to call him, because the phone in the jail could only be used for local calls.  Fortunately, a helpful guard eventually allowed her to use his cell phone.  What purpose is served is making it so difficult for people to make a long-distance call to find out what is going on with their case or to make arrangements for transportation after their release?

When Pam finally returned to her home city of St Louis and dealt with the legal problem that had lead to her detention in Atlanta, her local police department did not find it necessary to arrest her.  In fact, they told her that they had specifically told the Clayton County Sheriff's office NOT to arrest her.  Her home city just wanted her to return home and handle her legal issue.  They believe that Clayton County arrested and detained her only because they wanted to make money by charging St. Louis for the detention.

While it is impossible to confirm the communications between the police department in St. Louis and the Sheriff's Department in Clayton County, this appears to be one more example of mismanagement and corruption in the Clayton County Sheriff's Department.

Pam's attitude was that there had to be a reason for her to be forced to have this experience, and she asked me to share her story with others.  Perhaps, along with the complaints of other former inmates, her story will inspire some improvements at the Clayton County jail, as well as in county jails throughout the United States.

Inhumane Jail Conditions in the United States

Unfortunately, the problems exposed in Clayton County seem to be common. This is almost certainly not the only county jail in the United States that forces its inmates to live in unsafe, unsanitary and inhumane circumstances.  For example, the ACLU has served as a court-appointed monitor of the Los Angeles County Jails since 1985.  During these years, they have documented a number of instances of unsanitary living conditions, overcrowding, and violence against the inmates.

I have heard of other jail systems that forced inmates to live in tents or without either air-conditioning or open windows in hot weather.

As my readers know from reading other posts on this blog, I am all for sending child molesters, murderers, rapists, burglars, embezzlers and people who commit other serious crimes to prison.  However, it seems to me that we need to come up with a more fiscally responsible, reasonable and humane approach to dealing with people who have committed minor infractions of the law.  In these days of jail overcrowding and financially strapped state and county governments, we need to stop lying to ourselves about how jail conditions are "acceptable" and rethink the way we deal with minor law breakers.

Resources:

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local-govt-politics/clayton-county-sheriff-takes-office-despite-charge/nTj4D/

http://www.accessnorthga.com/detail-pf.php?n=134461

http://www.news-daily.com/news/2012/jun/27/former-inmate-sues-county-over-dead-baby/

http://www.aclu.org/prisoners-rights/prison-conditions

Photo of typical American jail cell:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cela.jpg

You are reading from blog:  http://lies-and-liars.blogspot.com

Health Fraud Scams

Most of us are willing, and even eager, to try alternative medical treatments in order to improve our health.  We may try these alternatives because we feel that traditional medications are not working for us, or because we believe that standard medical treatments are too expensive.  While some alternative treatments, such as taking yoga or meditation classes to help with depression and anxiety, have been shown to be helpful, there are many products that are sold to unsuspecting patients that can be complete frauds.  The FDA tries to discover and expose these fraudulent products, but there are so many that it is difficult for them to keep up.  As a result, consumers have to rely on their own skepticism and natural doubts to help protect themselves.

How can you tell if a health product may be a fraud?  The FDA has released six tips that should make consumers suspicious.

Six Tips that a Health Product May Be a Fraud

1.  One product that claims it will heal many different health problems.  This is especially common with dietary supplements.

2.  Personal testimonials from anonymous people.  These testimonials may claim that a product cured their illness or that their cancer tumors are now gone.  However, there is no way for you to investigate these claims.

3.  Products that promise a quick solution, such as losing 30 pounds in 30 days or curing a disease in a short period of time.

4.  All natural products may not actually be free of chemicals and dangerous drugs, and there is no way for you to know without an expensive chemical analysis.  In truth, you do not know what is inside these products and the FDA frequently finds false advertising when they have tested a multitude of products.

5.  The words Miracle Cure should be an immediate red flag.  If there really was a miracle cure for a disease or serious condition, it would be widely reported and scientists around the world would be studying it to see if they could verify its success.  It would certainly not be a secret known only to one obscure doctor.

6. Claims of a conspiracy to keep the product off the market.  There is no reason why any government agency would conspire to keep a legitimate, well-researched and documented cure away from patients.  In particular, there is no reason why companies in other countries would conspire to prevent the release of this drug.  In fact, if there really was a miracle cure out there, scientists in some other countries would be buying the product, analyzing the contents, duplicating it and manufacturing it for sale in their nation.  There is no way it could be kept a secret.

Don't be a victim of fraud.  Use your own common sense about whether or not you should trust those ads.

If you want to read more about the FDA tips, you can see their full article at:  http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm341344.htm?source=govdelivery

You are reading from the blog:  http://lies-and-liars.blogspot.com

FDA Warning about Phony Flu Products

Is there anything that people will not try to use in order to make money by tricking other people?  The FDA released a warning this week about fraudulent flu products. 

Among the products that concern the Food and Drug Administration are drugs, nasal sprays, dietary supplements, devices such as special lights, and ordinary foods that people claim will cure the flu.  The problem with scammers promoting these products is that some people may become seriously ill, or even die, while using products that will not help at all.  Meanwhile, the patients postpone going to the doctor because they believe they are treating their illness themselves.  These unproven treatments give flu sufferers a false sense of security.

The products that are of concern are those that claim to either prevent, treat or cure the flu, although there is no evidence that they have been tested, and the FDA has not approved them for this purpose.

The products are often advertised online, but they may also be found in stores, sometimes labeled as "alternatives" to the flu vaccine.  Often these products are found in online pharmacies and are shipped from overseas.

Instead of trying these unproven products, most people are far better off getting the flu vaccine which will usually either prevent the flu or lessen the symptoms.  If you become seriously ill, contact your doctor or a walk-in clinic as soon as possible, especially if you become dehydrated or develop a high fever.  If you or a loved one becomes seriously ill, go to the emergency room.

To learn more about the FDA warnings, and to sign up to receive warnings yourself, you can check out this Food and Drug Administration article at: http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm337453.htm?source=govdelivery

You are reading from the blog:  http://lies-and-liars.blogspot.com

Photo of pill bottle courtesy of morguefile.com

What is Catfishing and Could You be Victimized?

Catfishing is the name of a new phenomenon that is sweeping across internet sites, causing emotional pain and embarrassment to many people.  The latest person to be damaged by catfishing is Manti Te'O, a Notre Dame football player and Heisman Trophy contender.

Catfishing happens when a person, referred to as a catfish, creates a fake identity and puts it out on the internet.  They usually take a photo of an attractive person and use it as their own.  For example, the photo attached to this article would be ideal for use by a catfish.  It depicts an attractive Asian woman who has obviously won a beauty contest.  Based on this photo, the catfish would then create a backstory.  They would give the person a name and a phony identity, set up accounts with Facebook and other social networking sites, and begin the process of contacting their potential victims.

In the case of Manti Te'O, the fake identity went under the name Lennay Kekua, a leukemia patient.  Her tragic life and death was heartbreaking.  At least it would have been, had she actually existed.  Once he discovered that her existence was a hoax, Manti Te'O was apparently so embarrassed that he had been victimized in this way, that he perpetuated the story even after he knew it was a hoax.

Don't let yourself be victimized by a catfish.  Do not accept friend requests on Facebook or other social networking sites if you do not know the person.  Do not give out too much information about yourself to strangers.  Do not become entangled in a relationship with someone unless you are absolutely sure they really exist.

Catfishers defraud other people for many reasons.  Sometimes they are trying to scam their victims for money.  In other cases, they simply like a challenge, and they want to see if they can really fool someone else.  Sometimes a catfish creates a phony persona as a way to embarrass or harm a specific person as a type of cyber bullying.  Whatever the reason behind the fraud, everyone needs to be aware of this trend and take steps to protect themselves.

You are reading from the blog: http://lies-and-liars.blogspot.com

Photo of beauty queen courtesy of www.morfile.com