‘Willice Samuel’

‘Willice’

“Of Philly’s Best”

Philadelphia, “E Pluribus Unum,” – ‘Out of The Several, 1!’ Not like that of other towns, existence had been excellent for lots of folks in spite of the huge gentrification, politicalizing, politicalized racial polarization, anarchy, criminal offense, capitalization, gun-air pollution, gun-habit, drug-addiction, social desease, hunger, homelessness, incarceration, drug-czars and gangs, law enforcement brutality and corruption, condition, town and non-public business enterprise white-collar crime and corruption, and a ‘God-Provided Will need for Salvation and Forgiveness. Not at all not like other significant metropolitan areas across the nation. But, in this town of Philly, there is a great deal to be provided… and been given. There is wonderful pleasure in residence possession here… (non-house-possession is just as wonderful a reward for residing in this area as very well). There are four key universities of greater mastering with two big colleges, i.e., Philadelphia Group Higher education on Spring Garden Avenue with a number of satellite campus locations and The Berean Institute Higher education (previously of Girard Avenue in the coronary heart of North Philadelphia) in and about the Philadelphia bordering region.

This town previously the fourth-most significant city in The us a sizzling-mattress of sports champions and groups… the property of Champion Boxing greats, The Philadelphia Eagles in NFL Football, The 76r’s in Basketball, The Philadelphia Wings in Soccer, The Philadelphia Flyers in Hockey, The Phillies in Baseball, The Taney Street Dragons Minimal League Baseball Workforce, “Philly’s Entire world Champions” with numerous other good sports teams and supporters a robust and happy town of various people today, Museums, Artwork Galleries, Places to eat of Remarkably Classed Delicacies(s) and Fine Lifestyle house to “The Rocky Statue and Balboa University.” A Philly neighbor to New Jersey throughout the river, is divided by the Mighty Delaware River slicing as a result of Philly, the Energetic and Unrelenting ‘Schuylkill’ River working by means of it hosting lots of ‘Sculls,’ Scullies and other variety of boat races… in “Fairmount Park!”

“Fairmount Park,” (rivaled only by ‘New York’s Central Park)… is Dwelling to ‘The Initial Nationwide Zoo in The us!’

A town immersed in its pleasure of staying a diverse unwavering metropolis, possessing huge bursts of wonderment, appreciation, experience, and creativeness. Fairmount Park, a large out of doors environment of the aged and the new… a wilderness of discovery a fanciful land of functions for the whole family, oriented in friendship – “Brotherly Love and Sisterly Passion!” A soulful experience for all who just take aspect in venturing forth, partaking of its excellent pleasures… offerings of bountiful majesty gifted to one particular and all, by ‘Mother Nature’ and the ‘Grace of God!’

… But a deadly town non-the-less.

The time is now… your time… our time, an un-yielding vast and eternal holistic knowledge throughout the area. A Philadelphia Story of Your Struggle(s), Our Wrestle(s), The Struggles of Life In Philly! The exceptions to the rule are these who have no struggles, or so they say. Willice and his kin fare no otherwise than the typical people in and all over city… like a lot of in the law enforcement community and individuals of lots of Philadelphia Civil Servants Willice has paid out his dues quite a few situations in excess of. He’s long gone that additional mile a bit a lot more times than envisioned, required, or unaccepted by several who serve. The trials and tribulations associated with his job climb and daily life plans, have compelled him into a war with a beast no 1 could have at any time probably imagined. Quadrupled with his struggle in opposition to the systematic engine built to preserve him and individuals of his individual persuasion in a set put… their location. He labored with the wrestle in hanging on to his task, his household, his lifetime, and his steadfast dedication to his vows of safeguarding the men and women, his never ever-ending fight against the really individuals with whom he is forced to deal and get the job done together-side, every single and each individual working day.

“Willice Samuel’s relatives arrived up North from Ga by way of Winnsboro, South Carolina. The spouse and children settled in Coatesville Pennsylvania, in or about April 1911.

Willice’s Terrific-Great Grandfather talked about a lynching and burned at the stake murder of a Black Guy by a mob of white men who wore masks. He said the Black Gentleman named Zachariah Walker was accused of shooting to demise a white cop, named Edgar Rice. He was meant to have been a special police officer in Coatesville. The Willice’s are descendants of America’s rewarding Industry of Black Slavery.”

(“SHAMAN”)

He worked with these who conspired against him, people who wished him humiliated and destroyed. They want to send a crystal clear and potent message, it is really that means… “it is we who are in regulate… it is we who are the strong and managing faction though it is you, who are beneath us! It is you, who are destined to serve and remain subservient… permanently! Willice Samuel will in no way be a role design for any… Black, Latino, Asian, or white… and nearly anything in involving!”

Willice was not on any mission to make any key social variations… but did not, would not, will not run absent or again-down from the obstacle of defending the unprotected.

The criminal offense in the town is at an all-time high. Children killing young children, in the town and the burbs as nicely. City’s across the nation are going through several ‘Youth Challenges’ coupled with the brash and emboldened mind-sets unleashed by the racist torrents of “white-supremacist” and spit-spewned hatred from the lips of an ‘two-timed-impeached, traitorous, treasonous, insurrectionist, ex-whitehouse commandant the imitative representation of a “Cost-free-Earth Management!”… “Agent Orange.”

The captain and his staff of crime-fighters are also besieged with a desk complete of corrupt and chilly-scenarios that need to have to be posted from ‘red to black’ (in the squad responsibility area) in a hurry. They are beset with an onslaught of difficulties whilst dealing with community backlash and case resolving filibusters from City Corridor, Town Counsel, and Law enforcement Unions, as opposed to the featuring of solutions. Arranged criminal offense and white-collar investigations are also part of the smorgas-borg of physical and psychological assaults facing this crew of “Crack-Crime-Fighters!”

If this captain of detectives and his crew can tame the ravishing of a rampaging goliath sized beast, what can they probably do from the approach of a disciplined algorithm ‘juggernaut’ of a ‘well-oiled-organized-criminal offense-spree’ initiated from several instructions… the four-corners of the town?

They really don’t know it, but these criminal offense-ridden monsters of so-known as human-variety, would be improved served if they you should not cross the radar of Captain Willice Samuel and Associates… they will be a sorry good deal it they you should not heed the warning… stay absent from anything at all that would or will put you on a collision study course to any and all instances… felony situations taken care of by a “Willice Samuel Investigation!”

“If You Cannot Do The Time, Really don’t Do The Crime – Willice is on the scenario!”

~ ‘FAIRMOUNT’ – Terror In The Park!~

The Evolution of the Filling

It’s hard to imagine any era of human life where cavities didn’t exist. Tooth decay, or dental caries, is a disease caused by bacteria. In extreme cases, cavities can cause death. So when did the use of fillings begin? Was Mercury the first filling material used? Let’s take a look at the evolution of the filling.

Hypotheses of what may have caused teeth to decay have been found in texts of ancient Sumeria, Japan, China, Egypt and India. “Tooth worms” were to blame according to these cultures. Nearly perfect holes in the teeth of skulls found in Pakistan dating back over 9,000 years are believed to be the work of primitive dentistry. But evidence of using fillings is not found.

Teeth were likely pulled in many cases where pain was an issue. Ancient writings document cases of tooth extraction. It is not entirely certain precisely when the use of fillings began. Doctors used many filling materials including cork, stone chips, lead and gold more than 500 years ago. A silver paste is reported to have been found in a tooth dating-back over 2,600 years in China; but evidence of this as a regular practice cannot be found.

The best evidence for the start – and continuation – of the practice of filling teeth with some sort of material, leads us to French physician Ambroise Pare who used cork and lead to fill patients’ teeth in the 1500s. In 1603, German Tobias Kreilius boiled a concoction of copper, acids and mercury which was poured as a hot liquid onto diseased teeth! I wonder which pain was the greatest!

There is an actual “Father of Amalgam”. This name was given to a Frenchman, Louis Regnart. He improved on a boiled mineral cement by adding mercury, which greatly reduced the high temperature originally needed to pour the cement onto a tooth. Amalgam was originally used in France around 1826.

Amalgams became unpopular over the next several years. Respected dental research included in some of the first textbooks of American dentistry discouraged the use of amalgam. The use of mercury was specifically mentioned as “mischievous.” Although it offered certain benefits since 1833, when the French Crawcour brothers brought amalgam across the sea to America, gold, platinum, silver, tin and lead were preferred in the 1840s.

So what might Doc – John Henry – Holliday have used during his short life as a dentist? Literature including the use of dental fillings in the United States during the 1860s makes it very clear what was accepted as professional practice when fixing rotting teeth with filling material. Two texts used by American dentists of this time were, “A Practical Treatise on Operative Dentistry” written by J Taft, and “The Principles and Practice of Dental Surgery”, written by Chapin A Harris.

Taft’s text was published in 1859, Harris’ in 1863. They stated that beginning in the early 19th century, eleven types of metallic fillings were used in teeth damaged by dental caries. The simple process of rolling metal into pellets to be placed into cavities was common. These pellets were made of some of the aforementioned materials like gold, lead, platinum, silver and amalgam as well as aluminum. The texts also cited early uses of materials by various doctors as far back as the 18th century when Pierre Fauchard recommended the use of lead.

The respected Taft and Harris texts make it clear what was used as filling material. We now know much of what was practiced on a regular basis from the 18th century through to the Civil War. One other material that hasn’t been mentioned yet appears in the Harris text. Asbestos was used in the 1850s for its non-conductive properties to be placed under the filling of a sensitive tooth.

At the time, doctors were aware of the dangers of some of these materials. Lead and Mercury were known to be unhealthy, yet they were still used. Graves from the American Civil War were found to contain various soldiers with conventional and odd filling material.

What was recommended by Taft and Harris and what was actually used as fillings were sometimes quite different. Gold was preferred – but very expensive. What was likely a shotgun pellet was found as a filling in one specimen. Thorium, a radioactive element – not known to be radioactive back then – was found in another. Amalgams, tin and iron were found in others.

Today’s dentists may offer alternatives to fillings, depending on the level of tooth damage. Gold and amalgam are still used. Porcelain and composite resin – which can offer the same color as a patient’s healthy teeth – are also used. The Evolution of the Filling has been rather slow and varied, and today we still find materials used that were materials used in the early days of recorded dental practices.

Book Review: Bound by My Choices: How a Death Nearly Broke Me, But the Navy Saved Me

This illustrated memoir is a modern fairy tale of how a troubled young boy managed to overcome the many obstacles thrown his way and how he continues to do so as an adult. Keshawn A. Spence claims that he is bound by his choices, but as his story unfolds, the opposite message seems to emerge, one of freedom and possibilities.

“Bound by My Choices” is mostly rooted in the childhood of the author, focusing on the influence of the external factors over his life. The book debuts with a series of photos immortalizing some of the most important events throughout his life, but also some that are precious precisely because they mirror the nakedness of real life. So, ever since the beginning, the intention of the author to create an intimate bond with the reader on his journey of self-discovery is quite clear. The evolution of the relationship between author and reader throughout the book will only make the read that more personal and memorable.

A very special part is dedicated to his large family, as each member, contributed in a meaningful way to shape his personality. Keshawn A. Spence cordially invites the reader inside his family circle and reveals personal stories about those who had a bigger impact on his life. This proof of trust on his part and implicit agreement to confidentiality on the part of the reader creates a strong bond between the two.

As the pages of his life events keep turning, he ends up finding a much coveted stability in the navy. What started out as just a way to prove a point (as someone he respected did not believe he would be navy material) ended up becoming a way of life. Only a small part of this book is dedicated to this consistent life chapter, the meat of the experience is promised to the sequel. Nevertheless, a clear contrast becomes blatantly obvious between the characteristics of Keshawn A. Spence’s childhood surroundings, and those of the navy, which only makes his journey more intriguing.

The main message of the book is that we should not allow our surroundings to shape us; we can fight against a seemingly predetermined path and choose our own. However, as Keshawn A. Spence warns us, by example, this is not a simple road to walk down on. His book, “Bound by My Choices” is a delightful blend of a memoir and motivational book, succeeding in walking the line between these two genres.

Drug Trafficking in West African Criminal Networks

Poor countries are a source of production or transportation of illegal goods or as transit points for trafficking, while developed countries offer clear opportunities for the sale and acquisition. These countries have more interest for criminal groups as a base for their activities, namely:

a) In the European Union, Ireland – UK – Germany – Netherlands – Belgium – Italy – Spain

b) In Latin America and the Caribbean-Netherlands Antilles – Venezuela – Peru – Ecuador -Brazil

c) In Asia – Afghanistan – Pakistan – Thailand

d) In the Middle East, Lebanon – Dubai – Bahrain

West African criminal networks operate with great ease and flexibility. Often they change people with whom they work, sometimes because the nature of the crime, others to confuse the police.

In addition, in West African cultures there is a strong sense of family ties, as reflected in the fact that they are always willing to help their relatives, often without reserves. This feature can explain the corruption in Nigeria and other countries in the region. Moreover, these networks share information for their activities. The operational method used successfully by a group can be then used by a different group composed of other members. They collaborate with other criminal groups, including Colombian and Pakistan drug trafficking organizations discreetly in the background, escaping from the attention of the police and the general public.

The network leaders encourage people who are part of the influential circles of Nigeria to support the activities of criminal networks in West Africa, with the promise that they will hold financially and help them preserve their privileged status.

The activities of these networks we can distinguish four categories:

1) Traditional crimes;

2) Crimes that support to other crimes;

3) Enabling criminal activities;

4) Combining crimes.

Usually, the West African criminal networks prefer to be engaged in long term business relations by distributing products in bulk to minimize the risks of detection, even if that represents less profit. These networks have relationships with the Colombian and Pakistan cartels in the field of trafficking in cocaine and heroin, respectively.

Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa are countries where they store cocaine and heroin for distribution worldwide. The linkages between the activities of distribution of cocaine and heroin that carry out the West African criminal networks are significant in Europe.

The Austrian police have reported that heroin and cocaine markets in the country are controlled by West African networks operating internationally and whose members, from the highest-level dealers to those working in the street, are natives of this African region. Similarly, although traditionally these criminal networks are using the technique of “shotgun” (sending many mules with small amounts of drugs each) to transport drugs, they are now also using them for remittance of larger amounts of money.

Cocaine

Cocaine trafficking is a very popular activity among West African networks and that it is very lucrative. The cocaine-producing countries are Colombia, Peru and Bolivia, but the West African criminal organizations prefer to install their operating bases in neighboring countries or in countries close to them. This imply a strong presence in Venezuela, Ecuador and Brazil (where lives more than 50,000 Nigerian) and the Netherlands Antilles.

These networks may occasionally arrange transport of large shipments of cocaine by sea, usually prefer to minimize the risks by sending small remittances through postal systems or smugglers. Recent developments in Curacao show that the frequency of deliveries of small quantities has increased considerably in recent years.

Often the courier companies are the way chosen by Nigerian criminal organizations to transport cocaine from Ecuador and Venezuela. The Netherlands, France, Spain and Italy are the European Union countries used by these networks as transit points for drugs en route to Nigeria. Cocaine is shipped from Brazil in large volume shipments. These shipments pass through Nigeria and other West African countries. The final destinations are South Africa, the European Union and the United States.

In South Africa the crack trade is controlled by Nigerian and it is a business closely linked to the sex trade, because many women subjected to sexual exploitation in this country are addicted to crack and their customers are encouraged by them to consume it.

West African networks often use smugglers, particularly in Brazil and the Netherlands Antilles, for shipments to the European Union. The transport “mules” are recruited in Africa as well in the countries of origin or destination.

The recruitment of facilitators has grown into a specialized activity of certain members of the networks. The recruitment is to train the persons to take up their tickets and the money they need to travel, to receive the mules, escort and house them until the drug reaches its destination. Itineraries vary, but the most popular destination airports in the European Union are Amsterdam Schiphol, Madrid Barajas and Paris-Charles de Gaulle. Further distribution is responsible members of the network located mainly in Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Italy. The major destinations are Sweden, Denmark, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, the United Kingdom, Spain and Italy.

The drug transportation through “mules” is not an exclusive activity of organizations of West Africa, but it is certainly one of the areas of crime in which they excel. Therefore, the fact that a country suffers a serious drug problem may indicate that West African criminal networks are operating in it.

Heroin

Heroin trafficking networks in West Africa as supplying countries choose Pakistan, India and in lesser extent, Thailand, where there is a major Nigerian colony. Afghanistan is another source of heroin. Nigeria, Ivory Coast and South Africa are being used as major transit country for further distribution of heroin to the United States and to a lesser extent, Canada and to the European Union via Turkey.

Recently it has been known another method of sending traffic to Africa in heroin packets across Germany. The UK has served as a transit point for heroin bound for the United States. Other places of transit are Dubai and Lebanon.

More and more heroin is consumed in South Africa, which could mean that West African networks have chosen this country and storage center for the drug.

Ecstasy

In January 2009, South Africa apprehended 27,000 ecstasy tablets. The “mules” that made the transport were a Burundian and a Nigerian, arrived by air from Belgium. The tablets were found inside speakers.

Interpol General Secretariat has noted the involvement of Nigerian in the importation of large quantities of ecstasy tablets as further retail distribution in South Africa. According to the reports provided, the tablets come from the Netherlands.

Since the Netherlands and Belgium are the major producers of ecstasy in the world and the West African criminal networks are present in both countries, the trafficking of this drug could become a new source of illicit income for them.

The process of developing the drug and access to chemicals and equipment necessary for their manufacture is simple, and that its traffic has high profitability, it is foreseeable that West African groups living in South America gradually will become involved in this business producing their own.

Condo Rentals – 3 Advantages Over Hotels

Whether you’re headed for the fine sands of the beach or the fun-filled magic of a week at the amusement park, family vacations are a time-honored way to get away from the hustle and bustle of life and remember that you have to save time for fun every now and then. Of course, vacations aren’t just about what you choose to do on your week away from work, but where you choose to stay. Great accommodations can make a big difference in how much fun you have. If you are stuck in the hotel rut, here are three reasons that you may want to look into condo rentals for your next family trip:

– More Space

If you’re used to vacationing in hotels, you are probably familiar with the cramped spaces they provide. For a person travelling alone or with only one other person, the average hotel room isn’t that bad. You have a bed, a desk, and a shower. What more do you really need? For a family, however, that hotel room is like packing everyone into one bedroom for a week. Even a couple of days in those kind of cramped quarters can be difficult to stand. Condo rentals open up the space and give you a sort of home away from home with such luxuries as multiple bedrooms, a full kitchen and a couple of bathrooms. You will enjoy your attractions considerably more if you aren’t in a bad mood from your night at the hotel.

– Additional Privacy

Some vacationers don’t mind having a maid service come in every day, rifle through their stuff, make the beds, and do everything else they do. In fact, many people like it; however, some don’t. If you fall into this category, condo rentals may be just what the doctor ordered. In most cases, you’ll be left entirely alone for the duration of your stay. While your bed may not be turned down while you’re off at the beach, you won’t have to think about what you need to lock away for the day, either.

– Cost Savings

When it comes to the base price of condo rentals versus a typical hotel room, the hotel room is (probably) going to win out on the cost. But if you compare square foot to square foot, the condominium is usually going to blow the hotel out of the water. A hotel suite is massively expensive and out of the budget of the average family. Even base price to base price, however, condominiums provide another big way to save: food costs. Eating out for every meal can be fun, but it can also add extensively to your bottom line. If you have a full kitchen in which to cook, you can save a lot of money by the end of a week’s vacation, even if you hit a restaurant a couple of times.

Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut Game Review

By all accounts and current gen standards, Deadly Premonition is a mediocre game at best. However, if you can trudge through the mud and reach the precipice of the game, you’ll probably be happy you did. Deadly Premonition comes from the creative mind of Hidetaka Suehiro (also known as Swery). His vision showcased that there can be much more to games than high pixels and frame rates. Trust me on this one; if you play the game, you’ll see my point. However, get past these notions, and you’ll be awarded with a very unique gaming experience. The town of Greenvale serves as the main setting; and offers a very Twin Peaks sense of aura. During your investigation, as main protagonist Francis York Morgan; just call him York, because that’s what everybody does, you’ll be in charge of investigating a series of gruesome murders. Legend has it that the murders are being committed by none other than the town legend Raincoat Killer.

During your stay in Greenvale, you’ll have to interrogate a variety of suspects; all very colorful in their own unique way. You can take part in a variety of side quests, such as finding a old piece of memorabilia for the town’s hotel owner. You can even go fishing; although, this is a very annoying process. During your investigations, York will often be shut off from the “white” (Premonition’s version of a somewhat normal world); and be transferred into a “red” or evil existence. Here, the game turns into a Silent Hill of sorts. Monstrosities of various manner will come at you to be disposed of properly. One annoying aspect of this world’s version is that every creature you kill says the same thing… “I don’t want to die.” First time, not so bad. After 100 or so, it gets downright annoying.

While playing the game, you’ll be asked to complete a few puzzle activities; none of which are very difficult, but it does break things up a bit. One of the more intriguing puzzles requires you to get the correct umbrellas from various rooms and place them in statuettes. If you’re puzzle solving skills aren’t correct, you’ll hear York say more than once, “we’re still missing a vital piece of the puzzle.” This gets old, too. However, other than the repeat bits of various dialogue; the rest of the script is what gives this game merit. The story is truly engaging and will probably keep you guessing until the end.

On the gameplay front, apparently there have been some major improvements since the original X-Box release. While I’ve never played the original, common complaints seemed to stream around gun play and navigation. During my time with the PS3 version, the fight sequences were fairly standard to most 3rd Person Shooters. It wasn’t great (like not being able to move while aiming); but, I can only guess that it’s a vast improvement over the original. The travel sequences can be cumbersome. There is no way to set waypoints during the game, so you have to rely on a mini-map on the left portion of the screen. It works, but it’s very dated. Additionally, if you don’t pick up a radio (during an early side quest), Greenvale can require some major driving distances that grow tiresome.

That being said, even with its annoyances and less than average graphics, I’m still glad I played The Director’s Cut. The script and much of the dialogue are the greatest aspects of the game. See through its glaring weaknesses, and you’ll be glad that you spent time in Greenvale, attempted to solve the Raincoat murders!

Concept – 10

Graphics – 6

Sound – 7

Playability – 7

Entertainment – 8

Rating Average: 7.6

Mobster in America – Jack "Legs" Diamond – The Gangster Who Couldn’t Be Killed

Jack “Legs” Diamond was shot and injured badly so many times, he was called “The Gangster Who Couldn’t be Killed.”

Diamond, born on July 10th, 1897, of parents from Kilrush, County Clare in Ireland, spent the early years of his life in Philadelphia. After his mother died from a viral infection when Diamond was thirteen, he and his younger brother Eddie fell in with a group of toughs called “The Boiler Gang.” Diamond was arrested more than a dozen times for assorted robberies and mayhem, and after spending a few months in a juvenile reformatory, Diamond was drafted into the army. Army life did not suit Diamond too well. He served less than a year, then decided to go AWOL. He was soon caught and sentenced to three to five years at the Federal Penitentiary in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Diamond was released from prison in 1921, and he decided that New York City was where he could make his fortune. Diamond and his brother Eddie relocated to Manhattan’s Lower East Side, where they fell in with an up-and-coming gangster named Lucky Luciano. Diamond did various odd jobs for Luciano, including a little bootlegging, in conjunction with Brooklyn thug Vannie Higgins. Diamond’s marriage to Florance Williams lasted only a few months (he was never home). But his luck changed, when Luciano introduced Diamond to Arnold “The Brain” Rothstein, a notorious gambler and financial wizard. This was the break Diamond was waiting for and he made the best of it.

After starting out as a bodyguard for Rothstein, Rothstein brought Diamond in as a partner in his lucrative heroin business. When his pockets became full enough with cash, and his need for Rothstein diminished, Diamond, in concert with his brother Eddie, decided to branch out on their own. They figured they could make a bundle hijacking the bootlegging trucks of other mobsters, including those of Owney Madden and Big Bill Dwyer. This was not a very good idea, since Madden and Dwyer were part of a bigger syndicate of criminals, that included Luciano, Dutch Schultz and Meyer Lansky. In no time, Diamond was persona non grata in the gangster world, and free pickings for anyone who wanted to get rid of him.

In October of 1924, Diamond was driving a Dodge sedan up Fifth Avenue, when at 110 Street, a black limo pulled along side him. A shotgun fired at Diamond from the back window of the limo, but Diamond was too quick to be killed. He ducked down and hit the accelerator, without looking where he was going. Luckily, he was able to escape his shooters and drive himself to nearby Mount Sinai Hospital. The doctors removed pellets in his head, face and feet, and when the cops arrived to question him, Diamond dummied up.

“I dunno a thing about it,” Diamond told the fuzz. “Why would anyone want to shoot me? They must of got the wrong guy.”

Soon Diamond became friends with a gangster not looking to kill him. His name was “Little Augie” Orgen. Orgen installed Diamond as his chief bodyguard. In return, Orgen gave Diamond a nice share of his bootlegging and narcotics business. This friendship went just fine, until October 15, 1927, when Louis Lepke and Gurrah Shapiro gunned down Orgen on the corner of Norfolk and Delancey Street, with Diamond supposedly standing guard over Orgen’s safety. Diamond was shot in the arms and legs (probably by accident), necessitating another trip to the hospital. Upon his release, he made nice with Lepke and Shapiro, and as a result, the two killers gave Diamond Orgen’s bootlegging and narcotics businesses, as a reward for being stupid enough to get in the way of bullets meant for Orgen.

Now Diamond was on top of the world. He had plenty of cash to throw around, and he became a mainstay in all of New York City top nightclubs, usually with showgirl Kiki Roberts on his arm, despite the fact he was still married to his second wife Alice Kenny. Diamond was seen regularly at the Cotton Club, El Fay and the Stork Club, and his picture was frequently in the newspapers, which portrayed Diamond not as a gangster, but as a handsome man-about-town. Soon Diamond was part owner of the Hotsy Totsy Club on Broadway between 54th and 55th Street, with Hymie Cohen as his fronting partner. The Hotsy Totsy Club had a back room where Diamond frequently settled business disputes, usually by shooting his adversaries to death, then carrying them out as if they were drunk.

Diamond’s downfall started, when on July, 13, 1929, three unruly dockworkers got loaded and started a ruckus at the bar of the Hotsy Totsy Club. Diamond jumped in, with his gang member Charles Entratta, to stop his manager from being throttled. “I’m Jack Diamond and I run this place,” Diamond told the dockworkers. “If you don’t calm down, I’ll blow your (expletive) heads off.”

Talking didn’t work and soon the shooting started. When the smoke cleared, two dockworkers were dead and one injured. As a result, Diamond and Entratta took it on the lam. While they were in hiding, Diamond decided that before he could go back to doing what he was doing, the bartender and three witnesses had to be killed. And soon they were. Cohen turned up dead too, and the hat check girl, the cashier and one waiter disappeared from the face of the earth. Diamond and Entratta, with everyone out of the way who could possibly harm them, calmly turned themselves into the police and said, “I heard we were wanted for questioning.” No charges were ever brought against them, but Diamond realized New York City was no longer safe for him, so he closed the Hotsy Totsy Club and relocated to Greene County in upstate, New York.

From upstate New York, Diamond ran a little bootlegging operation. But after a few months of impatience, he sent word back to gangsters in New York City, namely Dutch Schultz and Owney Madden, who had scooped up Diamond’s rackets in his absence, that he was coming back to take back what was his. This put a target right on Diamond’s back, and he became known as the “clay pigeon of the underworld.”

Diamond was sitting at the bar of the Aratoga Inn near Arca, New York, when three men dressed as duck hunters barreled into the bar and filled Diamond with bullets. The doctors gave him little chance for survival, but four weeks later, Diamond walked out of the hospital and told the press, “Well, I made it again. Nobody can kill Jack Legs Diamond.”

A few months later, as Diamond was leaving an upstate roadside inn, was shot four times; in the back, leg, lung and liver, but again, he beat the odds the doctors gave him, and survived. He was not so lucky in December of 1931, when after a night of heavy drinking at the Kenmore Hotel in Albany, he staggered back drunk to his nearby boarding room and fell asleep. The landlady said afterwards that she heard Diamond pleading for his life, before she heard three shots. Apparently two gunman had burst into Diamond’s room, and while one held him by his two ears, the other put three slugs into his brain.

The killers escaped in a red Packard, putting an end to the myth that Jack “Legs” Diamond was the gangster who couldn’t be killed.

Carbon Fiber and NanoTech Will Improve the Accuracy in Archery

There have been some incredible technological advances in archery over the past couple of hundred years, but we are about to see a huge technological leap with new nano materials. Arrows and bows made out of carbon nano tubes, graphene, and bucky paper will make arrows super strong, and very accurate, as well as thinner and thus, faster.

For the crossbow hunter this gives them a superb advantage over wild game. Almost to the point that it isn’t fair, of course it wouldn’t be fair to hunt wild mammals with a sniper rifle either. And if you are hunting something that could hurt you, you don’t necessarily want it to be a fair fight anyway. Still, with these new high-tech materials there will be no competition.

There will however be competition in archery, as these new materials are being used by all participants. The accuracy ratios will be nearly unheard-of, the distances to the target can be increased, but the accuracy will get even better. Right now the manufacturers of these nano to materials have a few hurdles and barriers to cross, but within the next five years they will revolutionize the sport of archery.

It will be very interesting to see what the Olympic judges determine when using these new more accurate materials. We are already seeing with high-tech swimsuits, and special prosthesis running legs, that they given a very banished. In the archery space each athlete is allowed to use the same high-tech materials, and thus, it evens out any advantage.

Still, for the very first contestants and archery athletes that have these new materials, they will have an advantage for at least the length of time until their competitors get the same tools. Please consider all this.

BOOK REVIEW: Bringing Up Girls by Dr. James Dobson

Here’s a checklist of who this book is for:

-You’re a dedicated viewer of Fox News

-You attend a Christian church weekly, read the bible and pray daily (NO OTHER RELIGION IS ACCEPTABLE)

-You blindly vote Republican in every election cycle

-You consider Bill O’Reilly or Bill Cosby as moral barometers to be looked up to

-You think 1950’s America was the height of civilization, where women stay home to raise babies, don’t have professional careers, are under-educated, subservient to men and the whole women’s liberation movement ruined our society

-You believe the world was created in 7 days, 6,000 years ago and that dinosaurs and global warming are a hoax, the Earth is flat and at the center of the universe and otherwise think science is not factual

– You have a daughter

If you have all those boxes checked above and you fall into those categories, (I’m sorry for you), here are other reasons you shouldn’t buy this book: Telephoned-in authorship, meaning there isn’t that much original writing of new material. It’s mostly excerpts from other books, interviews from the author’s radio show or other shows copy/pasted together in a very incomprehensible, non-chronological and illogical way. Also, the book is littered with footnotes from sources that were selectively cherry picked to support the author’s opinion, particularly with scientific studies and material from other medical journals that were taken out of context or where the parameters of the study are faulted to produce a bias. Most of the supporting evidence for theories is anecdotal, with each story coming from women that are daughters or closely related to clergy members of other church organizations that the author has a relationship with. As a reader, you shouldn’t expect to gain any tactical advice from this book, such as “spend at least one day a week unplugged from the digital world with your daughter outdoors”, what you’ll read instead is a whole chapter on why you should focus all your efforts on ensuring your daughter stay a virgin until her wedding day and how the sky will fall down upon you if that doesn’t happen.

This book will offend you if you:

-Have any tattoos

-Have any piercings not in your ears, (women) any piercings (men)

-Are atheist, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Zen, Paganism or gain any spirituality from nature, or participate in any other religion that is not Christian in any capacity

-Are gay, or transgender

-Are not born in America, (this book is very nationalist with a negative viewpoint on being a responsible global human)

-You’re a professional women with a career outside the home, and/or the household breadwinner

-You’re a stay-at-home dad

Other disturbing issues with this book are the authors negative views on the ACLU, American Civil Liberties Union, whose stated mission is “to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States”. So because the ACLU has taken stances on issues that this author doesn’t agree with, they’re now evil and should be admonished. Along with the ACLU being outcast, so too should you admonish Girl Scouts! Because they did the most horrible act of putting the whole world first before America! Nationalism is a dangerous disease, and this author clearly suffers from it.

So why did I read it. This book was gifted to me by a family member and I was thus forced to read it. The family remember that gave it to me speaks english as a 2nd language, so I presume she didn’t fully understand what she was buying, and I had no idea who this author was before receiving this book. This book creates a world that I don’t want to live in for myself or my daughter.

12 Ways To Profit From Non-Performing Real Estate Notes

Non-Performing Notes (NPN’s) are an excellent way to invest in Real Estate, without getting dirty, or dealing with toilets, termites, or tenants. It involves buying the defaulted mortgage and promissory note from a bank, hedge fund, or its current owner. Now you are the bank, and no one ever calls the bank if the toilet is clogged, so you can have a restful night and weekend.

The promissory note, or note for short, is a secured debt, attached to the mortgage on the house. Depending on the state, the mortgage might sometimes be called Trust Deed, Contract for Deed, or Land Contract, though they are all instruments used to buy a home. Once the note is paid off, the mortgage & note is marked as paid, and the owner has full title to the property.

However, life throws many problems at us, and for whatever reason, someone stops paying the note off. They could lose their job, spouse, or sadly, their limbs and they don’t have the money to make the payments at this time.

When this happens, the banks for the most part really don’t care, and just want their money past due, now! They are not that good at getting them to repay no matter how hard they try, as you can’t squeeze blood out of a rock. Nor do they want the property back. When they can’t get the homeowner to pay, they want to clear this bad debt off their books. They sell them in bulk by the truckload to equity or hedge funds, which then sell them off by the case or the bottle to investors.

These defaulted and secured notes are available for pennies on the dollar. Ideally the goal would be to try to get them to repay. Getting them repaying is goal #1 goal, though it does not always work that way, so here is a list of 12 exit strategies to profit from them as investors.

Since you now own the note, and are now the bank, you can do whatever you want, and if you are creative, you can come up with many ways to exit.

Here Are 12 Ways To Profit From Non-Performing Real Estate Notes:

1. Repay or Modify The Note

The #1 goal is to help the homeowner stay in their house, and since the new owner paid very little for it compared to the value of the property, they can forgive some of the past due amounts, and still make a nice profit, though only If the homeowner wants to stay. You can lower the unpaid balance, payments, interest, or any combination of the three. After 6-12 trial payments to show good faith, we can modify the loan with any term we want.

2. Assumption Of Note By Someone Else

Since we own the note, we can find a family member or friend of the homeowner who would like to move in, and have them start repaying the monthly payments. If they keep paying, there is no need to modify the terms if it’s mutually agreeable to both parties.

3. Resell The Note For A Profit

Many people are looking for NPN’s, and they can be resold quickly for a higher price to another investor. Sometimes this makes sense to get a small amount upfront vs. spending time and money on a note that be a little too hairy, or you need the funds quickly.

4. Short Sale

If the homeowner has equity, a short sale is a good way to let them exit, and get their equity out. It requires our blessing as the mortgage holder, and a Real Estate Agent who will list it on the MLS. It’s a win-win for both parties.

5. Deed-In-Lieu Of Foreclosure

If the person does not want to stay, the next exit would be to ask them to sign the deed over to you in lieu of foreclosing or a DIL. Many times they will do this if they are upside down, and just don’t want the headache any more. It allows them to “save face,” exit with dignity, and we will not go after them for any amounts owed over the sale price, as well as not filing a 1099 with the IRS.

6. Cash For Keys

Sometimes they want to leave and they have equity, or are just being stubborn. This is when we offer them cash to leave, and sign the deed over to us. We typically give them a small amount to show good faith, then, give the rest after they leave the place cleaned out, and not damaged. The amount can vary from $500 to $100,000 or more depending if it’s a shotgun shack in the Ozarks vs. a $3 million Manhattan condo.

We saw a note for such a condo, and the person living in it was a retired schoolteacher with rent control, whose monthly payments were less than the taxes and HOA fees & they had no desire to move. The note was being offered for $1.5MM, so even a $500,000 cash for keys would have been a good deal to have a $1MM profit!

7. Foreclosure

Foreclosure is our last resort when all else fails. On a vacant property, we always start foreclosure right away. If the homeowner is still there, and refuses to work with us, we also foreclose. This takes anywhere from 2 months to 4-5 years, depending on the state. We will also pursue a deficiency judgment for any balance owed us over the price we get for selling the property when we have title, and if they are really jerks, we can submit a 1099 to the IRS for that amount.

The last three exits above are the starting point to obtaining title to the property, and also have multiple exits depending on how creative you want to be.

8. Sell As-Is

You can then just sell the property AS-IS to a rehabber or handyman, on your own, or with a Realtor. Advertising on Craigslist or at a local Meet Up is a great way to sell this.

9. Fix & Flip

In this case, you are like a traditional rehabber; you obtain title, fix it up, and sell it to a homeowner or investor as a move-in ready property for more than As-Is.

10. Fix & Rent

You can perform a low cost rehab, using lower quality paint, carpet, and tiles to rent out if there is a shortage of rentals in the area. Though you are now a landlord, and have to deal with the toilets, tenants, termites, roof, hot water, and all the other issues since you own the house.

11. Fix and Sell

This is a great way to create your own paper. You sell the rehabbed property, either As-Is or fixed up to a homeowner, typically for a higher price than selling. Since you are the owner, you can create a note out of thin air, and a mortgage or Land Contract or Contract for Deed that has terms the homeowner can afford and collect the payments, just like the bank for 20-30 years.

12. Fix, Rent, And Sell To An Investor

You can sell a “loaded” rental to an investor as a turnkey investment, typically for a higher price than a standard fix & flip. One method is 25% to 50% down, and write a seller carryback note that will use the rents to pay the balance off, with a monthly payment that is lower than the rent, so the investor gets some cash flow each month with the difference. This way, the renter pays off much of the cost of the property.

With so many ways to profit from a defaulted real estate note, it’s hard to lose money unless you pay too much for the note. There are no bad notes, just overpaying can get you into trouble.