27 September 2018

[Perrin Lovett] - Fake Money and Fake Debt Make Real Problems


Neither a borrower nor a lender be; For loan oft loses both itself and friend.”
- Polonius to Laertes, Hamlet, Act I, Scene III.

America has a debt problem. In a time of a booming economy mentioning that is out of vogue. Democrats aren’t talking about it. Republicans aren’t talking about it. President Trump isn’t talking about it. They know, they’re just staying quiet while they can.

The Federal Reserve knows. So do the talking heads at CNBC. If one listens very hard one will occasionally hear the faintest murmur from those quarters that something might be amiss.

During the good times, no-one wants to talk about bubbles no matter how big or bad they are. Peter Schiff is an exception. In a recent article for the New York Post by John Aidan Byrne, Schiff predicted the next depression (with a “D”).

“We won’t be able to call it a recession, it’s going to be worse than the Great Depression,” said economic commentator Peter Schiff, forecasting a major economic downturn as early as the tail end of the Trump presidency’s first term. “The US economy is in so much worse shape than it was a decade ago.”

We are, statistically, historically, overdue for a downturn. It’s not a matter of if as much a matter of when. So, “when?” While not as unpredictable as the Second Coming, this question is best answered with a hearty “sooner or later.” Some of us have been saying that for a while.
Back in June, I noted a warning, within an obfuscation, from the CBO about the debt carried by the feds. That was one of 150 or so articles I’ve penned on the debt over the years. The problem has been around and it’s not going away. In fact, read the business or politics section of any fish-wrapper, and you’ll see it gets worse by the month.

There’s the question of “how,” which now kind of misses the point. When a dragon moves into the neighborhood, burning and destroying, it’s not all that immediately important where he came from. What matters is stopping the rampage. People have discussed this for decades.

Back in 1993 Harry Figgie and Gerald Swanson wrote Bankruptcy 1995: The Coming Collapse of America and How to Stop It. A fine little book and one I recommend everyone read. But, 25 years later, it seems a little dated and impotent. It’s not. It’s just that the timing and the paradigm was a little off.

America was bankrupt in 1995. And yet here we are in the current year, bull market, MAGA, and all. It turns out that the debtor in this case, the US government, also happened to be the primary creditor and the bankruptcy court - all in one. The golden rule: he who has the gold makes the rules. In this instance, there’s no gold (part of the problem) but the rule-maker has plenty of guns and convincing, conniving arguments. But they won’t hold off reality forever.

The laws of economics are as immutable as those of physics. One can fly an airplane high, in plain defiance of gravity, but only for so long. What goes up MUST come down.

Part of the problem is the fact of the massive debt itself - federal debt (public, private, and off-book), state debt, local debt, corporate debt, private debt, my debt, your debt, international debt, derivatives debt. Twenty Trillion here, ten trillion there, and pretty soon you’re talking about real money. Except that it isn’t. The fake, baseless, literally-out-of-thin-air fiat is another issue. Slavery is another related problem.

In a nutshell, it works like this: The government and the central bankers craft money that never existed in the form of debt. They get the first benefit as there’s no cost associated with making something that isn’t real. The funny money “trickles down” through the economy, shedding imputed value as it goes. It finally comes to rest with the people, who are the only ones expected to contribute something of value to the cycle. Their actual blood, sweat, tears, time and effort are literally bought for nothing. This can play out so long as the teevee stays on and the beer flows. A hiccup and all bets are off.

Consulting with the old Debt Clock indicates multiple hiccups and worse are brewing.

US Debt Clock.

Remember that snapshot and associated information - it will be worse tomorrow and next month, next year.

The problems are worse than 750 or 1,000 words. Or 10,000. Or 150 articles. What’s the solution? It’s as plain as it would be painful. (There would be pain, in the short term; but there will be long-term pain regardless).

The solution is Repudiation. Cancel the debt. Admit it’s based on nothing, that it causes more harm than good, and then kill it. All of it. Then, and only then, can we expect an honest reset. There’s room to quibble over a return to the gold standard, a mixed standard, a commodities standard, or any other standard - so long as it’s a standard. It has to be done.

And, without getting into specifics, it could be done. The “legal” mechanisms are already in place and have been. It’s now a matter of waiting and of summoning the will to act. As a bonus, and to keep this beast from returning, debt - money loaned for interest - could be made illegal, like anything else. Jubilee!

Let’s make Billy Shakespeare proud. Let’s be friends and lose the loans.





Fellow Terry College of Business (UGA) grad Brother Perrin Lovett is a true renaissance gentleman & scholar. A recovering attorney, he's into guns & cigars, and the US Constitution. A published authorPrepper columnist & YouTube personality, and an acclaimed blogger, TPC is very proud to have our old friend on board as the C.F. Floyd Feature Writer of National Affairs

25 September 2018

Past Piedmont Chronicles - John Newton: Fact or Fiction

*originally appeared in About Covington to Madison magazine in 2010

Greetings...It's been awhile...good to be back with everyone again. In a previous column about the city of Covington, I had mentioned that there were possible questions regarding the truth about the namesake of Newton CountyJohn Newton. After that column came out, there were some questions in the community as to how accurate and fair my words may have been. In my defense, I used a lot of words like “seems like”, “may have”, and “possibly” and never, in my opinion, made an affirmative statement either way regarding the validity of the John Newton legend; however, ever since that column was published, I have been eager to get back to it and sort through it all and see if we can figure out one of history's mysteries—John Newton...fact or fiction? So here it goes...

As I mentioned then, Newton's legend came from the writings of M.L. “Parson” Weems who was perhaps best known for penning the story of George Washington and the Cherry Tree. Most historians would agree that Weems was known for being a bit of a romantic and could stretch the truth a little bit sometimes. The basis for the legend is indeed factual. In 1779, a group of American soldiers led by Sgt. William Jasper rescued a group of American prisoners from a British regiment and killed or captured ten redcoats. Newspaper accounts from that time specifically mention Jasper but make no mention of a John Newton. In fact, it has been all but proven that John Newton was never mentioned until Weems released his second book, “The Life of General Francis Marion” in the early 19th century. That right there would make me lean towards fiction. But we'll reserve final judgment until the we cover all the bases. 

As a quick aside, you'll notice that Jasper and Newton Co. are side by side here in our neck of the woods. There are several other states in the union that have the same thing. In addition, there are other states where you will find a Newton Co. with a city of Jasper as its county seat, or a Jasper Co. with the city of Newton as its county seat. In all, there are upwards of a dozen instances where Jasper and Newton are in a close geographical proximity of some form. True or not, Newton and Jasper will always be intertwined and united in a shared legend.

Another crucial piece of the puzzle is a man by the name of Peter Horry. He was a Brigadier General in the Revolutionary War who served under Francis Marion and served over William Jasper. He was the one who provided Weems with much of the information for the book on Marion and whose name was also listed on the title page. It has been documented that he was livid with how the book turned out and accused Weems of exaggerating and fabricating several portions of the book, especially the part about John Newton, which Horry said was all a lie. 

From there, it starts to get a little confusing. And really, the more I got into this, the more unclear things seemed to get. For one thing, it seems like all of the negatives regarding John Newton ultimately comes from one source—Peter Horry. Could it be possible that he was unhappy with not getting more credit for his role in war? Did he possibly have an ax to grind? That's all pure conjecture on my part, but I really do have to wonder. As time went on and the legends of Newton and Jasper started to solidify as counties and cities were named in their honor, I wonder if he was a little jealous. Because here's the thing—some recent analysis has pointed to the fact that while there were four different John Newtons who served in the Revolutionary War, none of them were enlisted at the time of the incident. That 's originally what I thought was the “smoking gun”; however, those records are shaky at best (I mean...they're over 200 years old), and I wouldn't put too much credence in them. Also, many times, especially in that particular conflict, soldiers would continue to serve even after their enlistments expired. Besides, if there were no John Newton at all—why would Horry have spoken ill about him. And here's another thing—most of the “John Newton as Fiction” contingent has all basically come from one thing—a magazine article from the 1950's...seriously. One single article has been the basis for most of the anti-Newton stuff over the last 50 years.

To help shed some more light on this head-scratching mystery, I enlisted the aid of Jinx Faulkner. Ms. Jinx is a former Regent of the Sgt. John Newton Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. And while she told me she wasn't quite feeling 100%, she was kind enough to give me a few minutes of her time. Ms. Jinx was very frank. She readily admitted that she really didn't know with absolute certainty if the legend of Newton was completely factual. Of course...no one can make that claim either way as it all happened over 200 years ago and there just isn't much evidence out there. She did make it clear that she definitely did not believe in “the talk of him being a thief.” As I was speaking to her, I literally had a “light bulb” moment...an epiphany, if you will. Was the John Newton legend real? And then it hit me—are we not living in Newton Co.? Are we not next door to Jasper Co.? Are there not several other Newton and Jasper counties and cities all over America...always in close proximity? Yeah...I'd say the legend is pretty real. Is it 100% factually confirmed? Definitely not. Nor could one expect it to be. Unless new evidence presents itself (which seems very unlikely), we'll never completely know one way or the other. But I have kind of come around on this thing honestly. When I wrote the Covington column last year that first addressed this, and even as I started this current series, I felt like I would be in a position to give a definitive no to Newton's legend being truthful. But I just can't do it. My final conclusion would have to be....Who Knows? But I'd like to think that it he is real...that John Newton was a hero of the first order...a Real American Patriot! 


23 September 2018

[Bess Tuggle] - Memoirs of Surviving Children: The Irish Ma - Frosty's Colleen

I’m going to diverge slightly from my normal columns.  This one is not about me surviving my children, but my grandmother surviving me as a child.

Ma is a little, bitty Irish woman.  She swears she’s 4’10”, and I know she’s lying.  If she hit 4’6” I’d kiss your rear, but 4’4” is more like it.

I, on the other hand topped out at 5’6” by the time I was 12 years old.  Might get wider or thinner, but that’s as tall as I’m gonna get.

We got into it one time.  Can’t remember what I did, but it must have been something really special for her to get on to me.  My CB handle was “Colleen’s Angel,” Ma was “Frosty’s Colleen” and Pa was “Frosty Papa.”  (He talked to us every day on the CB on his way home from work in Cleveland)

There is –nothing- like the sharp side of an Irish woman’s tongue to take you to your knees.

As I listened to the lecture I was told “Look at me when I’m talking to you!”  

I did look at her. That was my next mistake.  Then I was told “Don’t look down your nose at me!!!” 

We went through this, back and forth, for about 10 minutes, all of which was complete torture for me.  I simply couldn’t win for losing, and I still can’t remember what I was getting in trouble for.

Finally, I crouched down so I could look her in the eyes, not down my nose, and take the tongue lashing.  She started laughing.  Lecture ended.  I survived that one.

Ma is 93 now.  She’ll kick me in the shin for divulging that, assuming she can reach my shin.  I love my trips up to visit her.  We still argue.  I will NOT have a Twinkie and call it breakfast.  I don’t eat what and how much she thinks I should, but the fun starts at 10 o’clock p.m. with some Port Wine and we talk until 1 or 2 in the morning.  

Those stories are PRICELESS!!!

Bess



jack of all trades, Ms. Tuggle has been a Covington resident since the late 70’s. She's been a K-Mart cashier, cabinet builder, vet tech, office manager for a beef cattle ranch and water well company (where she was able to hold benefits for D.A.R.E. and Scouts), a court reporter, business manager, assistant at a private investigation firm, legal assistant, convenience store clerk, landscaper and elementary school substitute teacher.  Her greatest pleasure is being a wife, mother and grandmother.  Her stories are all real, and all names will be withheld to protect the innocent, and also maybe the guilty, depending on the crime & the Statute of Limitations.  


20 September 2018

[Perrin Lovett] - They Can’t Handle the Truth (Because It Burns Them Like Fire)



Things are heating up in the District of Corruption. My offbeat guest last week offered some interesting insight into life and times in the Swamp - along with a glimpse inside the mind of a schizophrenic. One thing really stood out as a panicked admission: “The deep state is in trouble.” Yeah. More than she, you, or they believe.

Unless you’ve been under a television soaking up the NCAA/NFL opiates, you know that the Senate is currently in the process of vetting Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Kavanaugh will be confirmed here shortly. And he will be (should be) as good a Justice as one could expect at such a late hour.

These confirmation hearings are always colorful. But this one has had more than its share of fireworks. You’ll recall the other week when some pill-popping cyber sloth sleuth REEEEEEEE-ed away upon discovering that Kavanaugh’s former law clerk, Zina Bash, was throwing white power hand signs around the hearing room. This was very volatile fuel for the Trump-racism crowd. It’s well known that women like Bash are the KKK’s special forces; white supremacists only deploy the attractive Jewish Hispanic agents in dire emergencies…

Hit ‘em, Girl! I hear she goes by “Alice Baker” on the street. Pic by Newsweek.

Then, the other day, and right on schedule, right out of the playbook, Senator Dianne Feinstein (Communist - KAL) rolled out a hoax implicating Clarence Thomas Judge Kavanaugh in a sexual assault case that never happened. Kavanaugh for his part denied the allegations emphatically. Feinstein for her part has yet to deny being a vampire. It was telling that the supposed episode - which no one ever heard of (because it never happened) - happened some 35 years ago. It involved a (then) 15-year-old girl whose identity Feinstein choose to keep a secret, though Feinstein did say she had referred the fake narrative to the FBI. At the time I assumed the anonymity had something to do with the woman not existing. I was wrong.

It turns out that 2018 is a little different than 1991 - make a wild allegation now and, anonymous or not, it gets the treatment. With reporters asking questions all over, the teen “victim,” now a 50-something liberal Kalifornia university professor, registered Democrat, and avowed resistance fighter spoke up. But not so clearly. Her name is Christine Blasey Ford and her parents were once party to a Maryland foreclosure overseen by Kavanaugh’s mother. She has no motive for revenge or fabrication whatsoever.

And she hasn’t fabricated much anyway. The details of the fake affair seem to elude her. At one point she questioned whether it even happened. (I think we can safely answer that one with a confident “No”). Kavanaugh denied it. The other man allegedly present denied it. Other general vicinity witnesses allegedly present either denied it or have no idea what Ford is talking about. Sixty-five women who knew Kavanaugh way back when vouched for his character. Ford herself said she didn’t really want to talk about it either until Feinstein came trolling and, even then, that she was content to remain anonymous.

This week, however, she had a change of heart. Now someone said she wants to testify before the Senate Committee, just as soon as she gets the story straight. A hearing was supposed to occur next Monday: He Said vs. She Said. Or it was… Word came Tuesday that nothing was scheduled and that Ford certainly was not yet a formal part of the show. This vacillation, strange as it might seem, was part of someone’s plan - a plan that is completely falling apart, swirling away like swamp water through an irrigation pump.

An offer was made, and probably by someone smarter than Feinstein, to drop the entire Ford attack-that-never-happened hoax in exchange for Trump NOT declassifying the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax-that-never-happened probe. Trump refused and has ordered reams of information made public.

This is a game-changer that makes the Ford-Kavanaugh fuzzy details thing utterly irrelevant. Suddenly, people with names like Ohr, Comey, McCabe, Strzok, and Page are in serious trouble. The cause for concern could easily spread to names like Clinton, Hussein, Biden, Schumer, Mueller, and Feinstein. !Popcorn! And, suddenly, the same Democrats who wanted a transparent FBI investigation into an anonymous, detail-free load of ancient lies do not want any transparency in an existing FBI debacle. (Seriously, flag the popcorn guy down). We may hear something about all of this in Trump's Thursday text to the Nation.

The troubles are real. The panic is real. Deep Staters are scrambling from the light like Post Malone sweating an Illuminati “curse.” It’s about damned time.

8Chan/patriotsfight.

Note: A very few of you may recall a few weeks back the news (reported in no mainstream source) of “Big Bird,” Snow White,” and the Bude Installation. (If not, don’t worry). I was able to independently verify much of the story. Something happened. I think I know what and why. One of those sources told me about Malone, whom I had never heard of before. Thanks (in this case) to the MSM, I now have verification of that celebrity matter. I have no doubts about the DECLAS offer and ensuing terror.

Now, I certainly hope you did enjoy last week’s guest bit. With what we’re learning, I am a little worried about my nameless but totally real secret source. I’m also a little saddened about the touted review of Hamrick’s Can-opener Emporium and Salsa Boogie Bar which now simply cannot happen. It’s not my fault for losing Kayla in the cornfield. I’m sure she was (is?) okay. And I had NOTHING to do with the fire. Insurance, right?

Please leave your responses, comments, “right on’s!” and so forth below in the handy comments section. Until next week, dear readers.



Fellow Terry College of Business (UGA) grad Brother Perrin Lovett is a true renaissance gentleman & scholar. A recovering attorney, he's into guns & cigars, and the US Constitution. A published authorPrepper columnist & YouTube personality, and an acclaimed blogger, TPC is very proud to have our old friend on board as the C.F. Floyd Feature Writer of National Affairs


[Kayla's Corner] - Another Big Weekend!

Keeping an Eye on Covington & Beyond


Hey, y'all, this week's corner is completely packed full! You will not run out of things to do, I promise! There's a lot of music, entertainment, social gatherings, fundraisers & hands-on fun for everyone this upcoming weekend.

Wake up Saturday morning & do some picking at the Antinques & Stuff Dealer Yard Sale! There will be tons a great stuff to look through and there will be complimentary coffee & donuts provided in the morning with snacks & beverages in the afternoon. This is always a big event, so make sure to swing by!


2177 Elm Street Covington, GA 30014

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Starting up at 12 noon, there is a benefit for Officer Matt Cooper beld by Lakeview Drive Tournament Lakes. Featuring an Elvis tribute artist, gospel singing, facepainting, BBQ chicken from Stalvey's, BBQ Pork from Jack's BBQ & Real Country 92.3 will be broadcasting. Later on, they are hosting a fishing tournament with proceeds going to the family of Officer Cooper.





On Saturday at 5PM Main Street Trolley is taking a road trip to Oconee Brewing Company! This looks like a ton of fun! Click on the event link to get more information.





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The Chris Key Band Live at 5 O'Clock on Friday night!


Great Food & Great Times - Five O'Clock is the Place to Be!

Country singer Chris Taylor will be playing Saturday night at The Listening Room at Irish Bred Pub. With its great atmosphere & superb menu, The Pub is always a great place to take in a show.

Chris Taylor Live at The Listening Room @ IBP

 And it's time for this year's edition of everybody's favorite local festival - The Yellow River Jam! 

Music this year includes, Sarah Zuniga, Joe Olds Band, Chris, Jon & Scott, Matt Moncrief & Stoopgrass, Scarlet Stitch and Sanctified Revival.

Boats, Bands and Brews! Don't miss the exciting line up of Bands for the 2018 Yellow River Jam! Go ahead choose "going" , mark your calendar and SHARE with your friends. We spend very little money advertising - instead we RELY on you to help spread the word. 2017 Yellow River Jam - for paddle information - keep an eye out for the The Georgia Conservancy event posting. T- Shirt sales starting soon.

FREE Event - but a $5 donation at the gate is encouraged. All proceeds benefit Yellow River Water Trail access and conservation efforts.

So much good stuff going on! Alright, guys! Enjoy the fun & I'll see you next time!

Author of TPC recurring piece, "Kayla's Corner," Ms. Leasure is originally a Walton Co. gal who studied marketing & advertising & loves the beach, the woods & her dogs while keeping herself busy with multiple projects & endeavors. She has her finger on the pulse of the home county like no other & is always "keeping an eye on Covington." A beautiful lady, inside & out, it is The Chronicles' true privilege to have her talents as part of our team. 
Kayla's Corner - Keeping an Eye on Covington

17 September 2018

[Ellis Millsaps] - Light in August

“For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.”
-Hosea 8:7

The last week in August the best and worst of America were on display. The week started with the death of John McCain and the president’s petty refusal to lower the flag until the American Legion forced his hand.

We saw three memorial services for the American hero, each profound, moving and occasionally quite funny. There were a number of brilliant eulogies, but not even Barack Obama matched Joe Biden in capturing John McCain’s America.

As the week of mourning unfolded the current president tweeted away, mostly whining that the Justice Department wasn’t acting as his KGB. He did this throughout the services for McCain and Aretha Franklin, but the stations I watched didn’t break to tell us that “news,” saving it for their end of the day “oh, by the way…”

I don’t know how they handled it on Fox.

By the end of the week I imagined I could feel a shift in the national psyche, a ray of light piercing one of the republic’s darkest hours, a recognition that the time has come to shoulder the burden of making America great again in the eyes of the world. We have lost so much prestige and leadership in the last seventeen months that it will take a long time for us to be trusted again.

This morning I saw a brother and sister lobster fishing team being interviewed. The rosy pair were asked if they knew who Paul Manafort is. No, what about Robert Mueller. Who’s that?

When I see things like that I wonder if it’s only we “elites” who care about the future of the American experiment in democracy, but these kids probably won’t vote anyway. I see signs that young people in general are going to register and vote. If they do, the self immolation of the Republican Party will be manifest, the party that brought us Donald Trump whom they lack the spine to oppose when he undermines basic American values.

They have no one to blame but themselves. When we hear a president lying on an hourly basis, not like Johnson on the Gulf of Tonkin debacle that won’t be apparent for decades, but tells lies knowing that we know he’s lying, do we wonder how we got here?

I don’t. I look to the “mainstream” Republicans who have consistently maintained (and still do) when passing legislation restricting access to voting that they weren’t trying to keep voters likely to oppose them from exercising their franchise. No, they were trying to prevent (non existent) voter fraud.

Trump took public acceptance of lying and ran with it. He took their dog whistle racism and made it overt, and now we find ourselves in this dark time when children are taken from their parents and caged. Anyone who truly cares about the Republican party will vote for Democrats.



Ellis is a recovering Attorney but has worn many hats over the years: father, bus boy, stand-up comedian, novelist, wiffle ball player, rock'n'roll band manager, and at one time wrote a popular and funny column for The Covington News. A Fannin Co. mountain boy originally, Mr. Millsaps now stays at the mill village of Porterdale by way of 20 years in Mansfield. Usually funny and at times irreverent and subversive, he leans left in his political philosophy but can always be counted on for a pretty darn good write-up. The Chronicles are proud to have him involved... 

16 September 2018

[Bess Tuggle] - Memoirs of Surviving Children: Thing 2, The Pontiac & Running Out of Gas

I always thought my second son, Thing 2, would be the best driver of my crew.  He was cautious on the gas pedal, light on the brake, and had –years- of experience driving by the time he got his learners license.  

After learning to drive in the Mali, he proved me wrong; getting his learner’s license meant his wings were no longer completely clipped.

By that time I had an old Pontiac Lemans.  It had 6 seat belts and a ton of the finest steel Chicago ever made.  It was a brick house rolling down the road.  Thankfully.  

We came to a four way stop with Thing 2 driving.  Traffic lights, turning lights, the whole she-bang.  He waited until the turning light was completely red (he was actually in the correct turning lane) and GUNNED it through the intersection on a red light and left turn.  I really didn’t think that old car could burn rubber, but she sure did on that one.  The tires –squealed-!  

I wasn’t calm anymore.  The rest of my kids were in the back seat.  It was a major “white knuckle” moment.


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-LOCAL ADVERTISER-

  770-317-7935


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We made it through that intersection, then another, and another.. and finally turned onto the access road.  We’d survived this far, so I really thought we were doing well.


Oops.  I thought wrong again.  My car stuttered.  She picked up, then stuttered again and puttered out.  

As we sat there on the access road, hot as hell, four kids in the car, I looked at the dash panel.  We were out of gas.  Satan would have had his hands full with me at that particular moment.

He’d driven by seven, yes SEVEN, gas stations and he never stopped to get gas.  MAMA WAS PAYING FOR IT!!!  WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?  

His answer was “I thought you were keeping up with it.”  Commander and Chief, also known as the driver in charge, should never ask someone else to check the gauges, and I couldn’t see the gauges from the passenger side anyway.

He walked back to the gas station with a can, we were all hot and miserable, but we finally got to where ever we were going intact. 

Yes, I’ve survived them.  So far…

    

Bess



jack of all trades, Ms. Tuggle has been a Covington resident since the late 70’s. She's been a K-Mart cashier, cabinet builder, vet tech, office manager for a beef cattle ranch and water well company (where she was able to hold benefits for D.A.R.E. and Scouts), a court reporter, business manager, assistant at a private investigation firm, legal assistant, convenience store clerk, landscaper and elementary school substitute teacher.  Her greatest pleasure is being a wife, mother and grandmother.  Her stories are all real, and all names will be withheld to protect the innocent, and also maybe the guilty, depending on the crime & the Statute of Limitations.  


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