Cesar Millan's Short Guide to a Happy Dog by Cesar Millan

Cesar Millan's Short Guide to a Happy Dog: 98 Essential Tips and Techniques, Cesar Millan. Washington D.C.: National Geographic Society, 2013. e-book, 145 pps.

Short Guide to a Happy Dog gives you the basics in digestible chapters. Cesar Millan covers dog psychology, natural dog laws, balanced dogs, pack leadership, and choosing the right dog for your household along with other stuff. 

A dog whose people refuse to or don't know how to be pack leaders will seek to fill the void. We blame our dogs for not doing what we want them to do, yet we do not create the proper environment for them to be able to respond to us. This is serious stuff. A large percentage of dogs who lose their homes find themselves in shelters, purebred rescue societies, or abandoned on the streets because of the improper actions of people. This alone ought to make caring dog owners everywhere want to learn how to be pack leaders and provide proper exercise, discipline, and affection for their dogs. But sadly, it does not.

Of the few dog owners that I was able to provide some direction to, two signed up for group obedience lessons, one took her dog to the vet where a long-term digestive condition was uncovered, one got through her puppy's teething stage successfully, and one hired me to exercise their dog. The rest of them continued to live with their "problem" dogs dominating their lives and the lives of their families. 

One "problem" dog was found dead by his dog house. He was four years old. He spent his life tied up there twenty-four/seven save for the times when he escaped and ran wildly around the neighborhood. Our animal control laws are such that as long as his humans gave his access to fresh water and food twice a day, what they did to him was legal. 

I salute everyone who have carefully chosen not to have a dog for whatever reasons. I did not know the four year old dog well. He was a beautiful Irish Setter that came to a bad end. He wasn't allowed inside the home due to allergies. He received hardly any attention, no exercise and no discipline. That dog would have been far better off had he never met that particular family.

sapphoq reviews says: Being a fan of all things Cesar Millan, Short Guide is no exception. Highly recommended to those who have committed to or are considering committing to a dog.

Format Your eBook the Free and Easy Way by J. Gunnar Grey

Format Your eBook the Free and Easy Way, J. Gunnar Grey. Humble Tx: Dingbat Publishing/ Smashwords edition, 2011. ebook, 49 pps.

     I've been preparing my first e-book for publication and I am quite frankly scared out of my mind. I remember reading that the Midrash says "all beginnings are hard." Ain't that the truth?

     At last, I have found one book that tells me how to format my e-book in simple words using lists and illustrations. That book is Format Your eBook the Free and Easy Way. By using Calibre [https://calibre-ebook.com/download]and Sigil [https://download.cnet.com/Sigil/3000-2351_4-75332057.html], J. Gunnar Grey says I should be able to do this.

sapphoq reviews says: I wrote Up the Rebels last year in thirty days and have been proofreading it so it can be ready to submit as an e-book. November is fast approaching and I am getting reading to write a second novel. Hopefully, my first novel will be ready to hit the digital waves by then. If so, I promise to name a character in the second book Gunnar or Grey. Highly recommended.

Swarm Traps and Bait Hives by McCartney Taylor

Swarm Traps and Bait Hives: The Easy Way to Get Bees for Free, McCartney Taylor. self-published?: Out Of A Blue Sky, 2011. e-book, 53 pps.

Swarm Traps and Bait Hives is for the bee keeper that is wanting to obtain bees at no cost. The author is thorough and has many valid tips and suggestions. Why hives swarm is explained along with some basic history. Lemon Grass Oil and a bit of old comb are suggested as bait to attract the bees into the temporary structure. Once the bees are settled, they can be transferred to your more permanent set-up. Of particular interest to the hesitant bee-keeper is the chapter on safety. It is noted that the use of ladders is not recommended. If the bees get pissed off, retreating from a ladder without injuring oneself is difficult.

sapphoq reviews says: Although my favorite bees are hover bees [also called wood bees or sometimes mason bees] that don't produce honey but do pollinate lots of blooms for me, the information in this book is highly valuable to now and future beekeepers. 

I do plan to keep honey bees a couple of summers from now. My cousins kept bees years ago and I got to see that hive set up. A bee hatched in my hand which was pretty cool. 

Bees are very important to our well-being because without them, flowering plants and flowering fruits and vegetable plants would not get pollinated. 

Keeping bees is another way to say to company or companies wishing to monopolize seeds, crops, fertilizer, and bug sprays "No thanks. You cannot dictate to us what we will do." There is something infinitely satisfying about growing things from seeds that we harvested ourselves. And even better, the knowing that the fresh foods from our gardens have not been genetically engineered.

Get this e-book if you might ever be in a position to do some bee-keeping. Bees are vital.

 N.B.:  http://www.LearningBeekeeping.com is worth investigating for more info.

925 Ideas by Devin D. Thorpe

925 Ideas to Help You Save Money, Get Out Of Debt And Retire A Millionaire So You Can Leave Your Mark On The World, Devin D. Thorpe. self-published: Smashwords, 2012. e-book, 761 pps.

Devin D. Thorpe presents a lot of ideas about how to spend less of the money you do have and how to save money. 

sapphoq reviews says: Many of the suggestions are common sense and stuff that richer folks have been doing for years. Valuable and necessary for those who wish to avoid getting sucked into parting with money when cheaper options are available. 

Arrest-Proof Yourself by Dale C. Carson and Wes Denham

Arrest-Proof Yourself: an ex-cop reveals how easy it is for anyone to get arrested, how even a single arrest could ruin your life, and what to do if the police get in your face, Dale C. Carson and Wes Denham. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 2007 and 2014. e-book, 333 pages.

N.B.: This book comes with a disclaimer that attorney advice is your first and best resource concerning laws in your state. My review comes with the same disclaimer. 

     The first thing to remember when being questioned by the cops is that you have a right to have an attorney present. It's called lawyering up. Most cops don't want you to do this. But this is something that you should remember to do. 

     Arrest-Proof Yourself is about far more than "Get an attorney-- NOW!"  The book teaches the reader how to avoid arrest. There are changes that we can make and things we can do in order to avoid those iron bracelets. The first thing is to quit doing things that will cause a cop to consider you to be suspicious. There are specific suggestions about exactly how to do this.

     My favorite tip is to take out the back seat of the old clunker that you are allowing your teen to drive around. After removing the back seat, fill the space with yellow goo. Then give your kid a note explaining why you did this to produce to any police officer who pulls him or her over. I don't know anyone who has ever done this but I do know quite a few parents who ought to have done it. Some parents will search their teens' bedrooms and I am for that. [I also think that not allowing a teen to drive the car until he or she is out on their own and earning their own money is a cool thing too]. The search should also include their cars and computers. Same for if anyone living in your home-- regardless of age-- is arrested for any reason.

sapphoq reviews says: I highly recommend this book. I also think that parents would do well to present their teens with a copy of this book or at least read sections of it to them when they can't get away. 

Arrested by Wes Denham

Arrested: What to Do When Your Loved One's in Jail, Wes Denham. Chicago: Chicago Press Review, 2010. e-book, 266 pps.

Arrested is an ideal book for the family members of someone who is going through legal difficulties. Wes Denham is a business writer who has an excellent grasp on the law; http://folioweekly.com/Hot-Bullets-Cold-Truth,5556 for an example of an article that he wrote. He addresses concerns of those left behind to hold up the fort until the convict becomes an ex-convict.

When a loved one is arrested, there are several pitfalls to watch out for that Denham addresses. One of them is the high cost of phone calls from jail and what that can do to the family's budget. Another is making sure that your own living quarters and car are "clean" should law enforcement want to toss the place because your family member lives with you. And then there are the attorneys.

Denham discusses life as a prisoner and how that can effect the family who is outside the bars. He talks about commissaries, getting religion (while incarcerated), sex, and how to tell if your convict really wants to change. He discusses what to do if you are threatened (flee; and report the threat to the cops) and provides several handy checklists. The appendixes include helpful forms and letters and the most thorough vocabulary list of prison slang that I have ever seen in a book.

sapphoq reviews says: Wes Denham has written a pretty good book to guild families of people who are getting tangled up in the justice system. Arrested leaves nothing out. A valuable aid to thinking clearly in a situation where family members can often go to pieces. There is straight talk about financial concerns, avoiding prison rackets from the outside (don't send money to people when asked to, especially to other prisoners), and having a life. Highly recommended.

Behind Bars by Jeffrey Ian Ross and Stephen C. Richards

Behind Bars: Surviving Prison, Jefrey Ian Ross and Stephen C. Richards. Indianapolis: Alpha Books/Penguin, 2002. e-book, 173 pps.

I read through several books on how to prepare for prison and this was the one that I thought was the most valuable for soon-to-be convicts and their families. Behind Bars was written by two college professors who have had experience with incarceration-- one is an ex-con and the other was on the staff. This book tells it like it is. In spite of cries from some readers that "we need more positive prison literature" [huh?], there is no glossing over the facts about fighting and sex, the gangs and the drugs, giving birth in prison and the high recidivism rate. Because serving time isn't on most peoples' bucket lists. 

Behind Bars starts off with some stats about American prisoners and then walks the reader through the arrest process, the difference between jails and prisons, classification, getting to prison and what to do and not do once you get there, and getting out. There is a rundown on a "typical" day in a fed pen which has controlled movement. All the taxpayers who are screaming about how their/our tax dollars pay for prisoners to go to college can stop now. There are no Pell grants for convicts and haven't been since 1992. Cons (or their families) have to pay for any college courses. Although a meaningful education is a huge help in not returning to the prison system as a con, there are many barriers in the way. Prisoners are subject to almost instantaneous transfers. Wardens are threatened by the educated. Cons work in prisons for what is considered to be slave wages on the outside and then spend that money (added to their accounts) in the commissary where the markup is usually around 125 percent. The food is inedible and many fights break out in the chow hall. Hope that you do not get sick in prison. See a dentist if you can before arriving at prison-- some of the ones on the inside may be dedicated-- because you don't want to take your chances with the local hack surgeon. There is a ton of information in Behind Bars.

sapphoq reviews says: Ross and Richards have written an excellent book for those who are on their way to becoming convicts. Behind Bars should be read by anyone who is about to have a first contact with the legal justice system as a prisoner. The curious and the folks who figure they will never have to serve time behind bars [some innocent people do wind up in prison] will also find this book to be valuable. Highly recommended. 

101 Weird Ways to Make Money by Steve Gillman

101 Weird Ways to Make Money by Steve Gillman.  Hoboken NJ: Wiley, 2011.  261 pps. inc. index.  paperback.

101 Weird Ways to Make Money was fun and entertaining and thought-provoking all in one breath.  Lately, I have been questioning the validity of some of my beliefs.  In the statements "I cannot/don't want to do the work involved in keeping my car clean" and "My brain injury has increased my disorganization and distractibility to the point of not being able to keep an orderly house" and "I've 'never' been able to parlay my talents and experience into a highly paying career and so forget about it now"-- I am now striving to replace the "I can't" and "I've never" with the words "Why not?"  At the core of my non-achievements is a central laziness.  At the center of my laziness is the erroneous belief that I've missed my chances in life.  Taking the thought that I've missed so many opportunities to its' nauseating end I find a lack of confidence and self-worth.

The fun and entertaining part of the equation lay in how the chapters of 101 Weird Ways to Make Money were named.  Chapter 73 is titled, "I See Dead People Profits: Estate Goods."  Chapter 92 yields "Playing with Plastic People: Mannequin Business."  Every chapter title is followed by a humorous subtitle which explains the information to be found in that chapter.  Each chapter is divided into four easy-to-read sections.  The first section gives a brief overview of the job itself.  The second section talks about salary.  The third sections gives hints on how one can get into the job.  The final section lists several resources available should the reader opt to do more research.

The chapters are groups into twelve parts.  Thus, if a reader is a seller, she may head directly to Part Ten, "Buying and Selling Things."  If he as the attention to detail necessary to cleaning up, he may opt for a look through Part Eleven, "Cleaning Jobs and Businesses."

Steve Gillman recounts in his intro his qualifications for writing this book.  He shares a long list of unusual jobs he himself has held, along with the success of his many websites which he uses to generate streams of income from a variety of audiences and sources.

sapphoq reviews says: I liked this book.  It was written in an appealing style.  By the end of the book, I had picked out several unusual job possibilities.  And I also started the arduous process of cleaning out my car. Two months later, my car is still clean!

SICK SATURDAYS 4/14/07

Whatever you do, don't decide to seek medical attention on a Saturday.
On Saturdays, my doctor's medical practice offers hours.
Who is there on any given Saturday is pot luck.
Originally, the physicians' assistants were assigned to take on Saturdays and evenings on a rotating basis.

Doctors secretly complain about what liabilities that the P.A.s are to them but forget that patients like the physicians' assistants.

"What the hell is he doing here today?"
The rent-a-nurse shrugged. "It's becoming more common to have one of the docs work today."
I offered her the same vacant smile she offered me.
Office politics.
Mustn't ask.

In walks doctor friend of doctor.
They forgot to tell doctor friend of doctor a few things in medical school.

Thus in my ever present spirit of helpfulness, here are my pointers for dealing with Nervous Wreck:

(1). Do not tell Nervous Wreck something like, "I hope it's only that."
Do not then say, "Uh if you get feverish or see blood, go to an e.r.--
right away."
Especially if Nervous Wreck is leaving on a long trip the next day.
Nervous Wreck is well-acquainted with every health rule and symptom
there is. Furthermore, cruising Medscape is her hobby.
She knows every single thing that can go wrong with human, dog, cat,
frog, or husband.

(2). Listen to Nervous Wreck when she tells you that it's the little tomatoes
in the sauce that triggers runs for two days.
Don't repeat the words "little tomatoes" in a monotone to show Nervous Wreck that you are listening.
You are getting paid to listen, moron.
Nervous Wreck has made it through life thus far by being able to spot
faking interest.

(3). Don't tell Nervous Wreck that San Francisco is a beautiful city. Nervous
Wreck has already paid enough attention to know more about your
proclivities and has known for several years what they involve. [Hint:
that pic in the specialty magazine...Nervous Wreck reads everything
obsessively on her obsessive jaunts to the bookstore].

(4). Dump the entire Saturday office staff. They are lazy and badly dressed.

(5). Bring back the physicians' assistants on Saturdays dammit.

sapphoq the Nervous Wreck reviews