The 85 Year Old Dot To Dot Detective is Coming - FREE!

Coming this week! Free! The adventures of the 85 Year Old Dot to Dot Detective, Rick Bates. Rick spends his winters at Sloppy Joe's in Key West and his Summers on Cape Cod. Even at 85, he is a one man stone wall against the waves of crime. In Chapter One, he solves the case of the NAME GAME MURDERS. Mrs. Blade was killed with a knife. Mr. Gunn died from a wound caused by a pistol. And John Roper? He was found hanging from a rope tied to a beam in his cellar!. Cape Cod was scared stiff. When the Town Administrator, Martin Hammer was clubbed to death with a wooden mallet; they summoned the old chief from his bar stool at Sloppy Joe's. The Chief didn't start drinking until he was 75. He's making up for lost time. LOOK for the book by Halloween night. It will be free on Kindle..

Which Breed of Dog is the Smartest?

Having owned both a poodle and a Shepherd Rotweiller mix, I cannot say that I agree, but the Poodle is commonly acknowledged to be the most wisely intelligent of all members of the canine population.

 There is a general belief that he is a 'dandy', whose time is largely occupied in personal embellishment, and that he requires a great deal of individual attention in the matter of his toilet. It may be true that to keep him in exhibition order and perfect cleanliness his owner needs to devote more consideration to him than is necessary in the case of many breeds; but in other respects he gives very little trouble, and all who are attached to him are consistent in their opinion that there is no dog so intensely interesting and responsive as a companion.

His qualities of mind and his acute powers of reasoning are indeed so great that there is something almost human in his attractiveness and his devotion. His aptitude in learning is never denied, and many are the stories told of his marvellous talent and versatility.

Not merely as a showman's dog has he distinguished himself. He is something more than a mountebank of the booths, trained to walk the tight rope and stand on his head. He is an adept at performing tricks, but it is his alertness of brain that places him apart from other animals.

WHAT'S A CORDED POODLE?

The profuse and long coat of the poodle has the peculiarity that if not kept constantly brushed out it twists up into little cords which increase in length as the new hair grows and clings about it. The unshed old hair and the new growth entwined together thus become distinct rope-like cords. Eventually, if these cords are not cut short, or accidentally torn off, they drag along the ground, and so prevent the poor animal from moving with any degree of comfort or freedom.

Corded Poodles are very showy, and from the remarkable appearance of the coat, attract a great deal of public attention when exhibited at shows; but they have lost popularity among most fanciers, and have become few in number owing to the obvious fact that it is impossible to make pets of them or keep them in the house. The reason of this is that the coat must, from time to time, be oiled in order to keep the cords supple and prevent them from snapping, and, of course, as their coats cannot be brushed, the only way of keeping the dog clean is to wash him, which with a corded Poodle is a lengthy and laborious process. Further, the coat takes hours to dry, and unless the newly washed dog be kept in a warm room he is very liable to catch cold. The result is, that the coats of corded Poodles are almost invariably dirty, and somewhat smelly.

I myself, never had a corded poodle, but sometimes if I let too much time elapse between groomings, my dog did bear a resemblance to those described above.  It was not really a pretty sight, so I usually had the groomer visit at regular intervals.

As to my poodle's intelligence, I would say that she was bright, but far less intelligent than the Shepherd mix that was my best friend for ten years.  That said, both dogs were fabulous and my life was made  much richer by having them.

Would you like a Shrimp or a Prawn?

The humble shrimp by any other name? Is it still a shrimp?

There’s barbecue shrimp, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp soup, and fried shrimp. The list is almost endless. And while there are certainly a large number of ways to cook shrimp, there is actually a fair amount of confusion as to what exactly a shrimp really is.

In England and a number of other places, what would be called shrimp in the United States, is actually referred to as prawn.

If you were to look at a prawn and a shrimp side by side, it would be virtually impossible to distinguish which was which. Technically speaking, however, a prawn truly is not a shrimp.

To the naked eye, the two may appear identical but they are biologically different. On the abdomen of a shrimp or prawn are flaps. Without going into too much detail and causing everyone to go running for a Biology book, let’s just say that the there is a very subtle difference between the first abdomen flap on a shrimp and a prawn. But essentially, these are the same creature.

As far as the Americans are concerned, a shrimp is any crustacean that is part of the Natantia family of crustaceans. It doesn’t matter how big the shrimp is or where it is found—so long as it is a Nantantia crustacean—it’s a shrimp! However, there is a rather peculiar phenomenon among American shrimp that does have to do with size.

On the West Coast of the United States, the typical size of a shrimp is about ½ inch in length. For some reason, the Pacific Ocean just is not a great place for jumbo shrimp to grow. But elsewhere, it is nothing for shrimp to be 12 inches in length or more.

Shrimp, like any species, comes in a wide assortment of variety. There are rock, brine, royal red, white, brown, and even pink shrimp to choose from.

Each offers a unique flavor and consistency but all are absolutely delicious when prepared properly. And you can make shrimp just about any way your imagination will let you!

So whether you want to call it prawn or just plain old shrimp—the truth is that it tastes great no matter how you make it!

Want Christmas Money? Get it Online!

By Bill Russo

As Billrrrrr on Ebay,  I have a Red Star and 1507 transactions with a very high feedback score. But I do not regularly sell or buy on Ebay. There are times however, when I get the bug and will work at it for three or four months straight before returning to in-active status.  

A few years ago during the Christmas season I teamed up with a friend and we listed books, hundreds of books.  This was pre kindle when book sales were probably a lot stronger than they are now.  At our peak, working an hour or two a day,  we were generating over $500 in sales every week.  We made a nice little pile of cash and then stopped.  

Recently I have started to get the itch to do a little more book selling....with no fear of Kindle.  Books are not going away - at least not for the next 30 years or so.  

I have done a little research and have found that the category that I wish to sell in, is still vibrant for physical products.  So I'm in.  I desire to make a little extra pile of money for the holidays.  

In that spirit, I researched some elementary tips for successful Ebay sales.   It's basic, but sometimes it is good to go back and look at the tried and true tactics.  Here they are................................

10 Steps On How To Work From Home On eBay

 Follow the information outlined here in order to successfully sell your items and start making a profit. It is easier than you think to have a profitable eBay business.

Step One:
Get started the right way. Accurately describe your item. If it is new say so, if it is not also state that. An accurate description will ensure that the buyer knows what they are getting.

Step Two:
Have great keywords in your title. Look for an item just like yours in an eBay search. See what comes up. Using great keywords will get your item further up on the search listings. People can only purchase your item if they can find it.

Step Three:
Use pictures. Now that the gallery is free, there is no reason not to use pictures. A digital camera is all you need in order to take a really great photograph. This is what will tell your buyers about your product. Get this right and your item has a much better chance of selling.

Step Four:
Accurately list your shipping and handling charges. Buyers are turned off when listings are obviously padding their shipping. You are entitled to have the buyer pay for the actual shipping plus reasonable handling charges. Another option may be to have a buy it now option with free shipping. This marketing tool really works well.

Step Five:
Use an online payment service like PayPal. Many buyers do not want to bother with a check or money order. They want to make an online payment. PayPal is safe and you can start with a personal account and move up to a premier or business account at a later date. It is difficult to work from home on eBay without an online payment solution.

Step Six:
Promptly ship your items after you receive payment. A delay in shipping will result in unhappy buyers. This is very important. Make sure you list all shipping options. It is always a good idea to offer an expedited service as well as standard. Always ship your item with a form of delivery confirmation. Require insurance on fragile items.

Step Seven:
Keep good communication with your buyer. Email them to let them know payment was received. Contact them to let them know their item has shipped. Send them a follow-up email to be sure they were happy with their purchase and ask them if you can put them on your email list.

Step Eight:
Create an email listing of your customers, with their permission. Let them know when a similar item is for sale. For example if you sold a customer a Limoges box, let them know when you have similar items for sale. Developing a list of happy customers is a great way to get repeat business.

Step Nine:
Stay informed. Use the eBay Forums and community links to stay on top of what is going on in the eBay community. You will know when specials are offered to buyers and when there are events. Workshops are a great way to learn more about eBay. The more you know the better you can run your business.

Step 10:
Know what is hot on eBay. Visit the What's Hot page daily. Make sure you know what is selling well in your category of items. Developing a niche market is important. You cannot cover every category. Choose an area of expertise. Write an FAQ or an informative article and post it to eBay. All of these tips will help keep you profitable.


Best of luck building a little holiday business. P.S.  If you need any books look for Billrrrrr on Ebay...I will have some great classic Westerns.

And I also am on Amazon Kindle.  Get my "The Creature from the Bridgewater Triangle" ebook for $2.99

Free Kindle for PC

By Bill Russo

I was one of the millions who vowed never to own a Kindle.  But I did like the idea of the convenience of one.   I also liked the concept of being able to have free access to thousands of classics from Arthur Conan Doyle to Shakespeare.

So I cheated.

I took advantage of Google's offer to put a free Kindle app on my PC.  I quickly found some blazing Westerns from authors like Zane Grey and Max Brand.  I followed those up with some Sherlock Holmes.  All free.

I was hooked.  I still loved my real books.  But I had room in my heart for a little Kindle reading as well. I truly liked the Kindle app for my computer, but after a time, I did feel the need of actually buying a Kindle.

So, it was off  to the Barnes and Noble store to try their version of an Ebook reader.  It seemed too much like a 'wannabe' mini PC so I did not buy one.

Cruising through E Bay, I spotted a Kindle Fire in good shape for $20.00.  I bought it and truthfully I love it.

On a normal day, I still have two or three 'real' books that in progress, switching back and forth on whims; but now the mix also includes a couple E books as well.

Kindle has some sort of a Whispersync feature that keeps track of your last page read and co- ordinates your books between your PC, Android, and Kindle.
It works fine if you only read one book at a time (and I guess that does cover most people) but not so good if you are trying to ready four or five simultaneously!!!!!!!!


p.s.  I have been in two of the scariest places in the world: The Bridgewater Triangle and Bisbee, Arizona.  Each has a chapter in my Kindle Book - The Creature from the Bridgewater Triangle.  It's just $2.99 in the Kindle Store.

The Creature from the Bridgewater Triangle

A few years ago I decided to relate the strange tale of an eerie late night walk with my Dog Samantha. A scary, hairy swamp creature called us over for a chat - or maybe we were on his midnight snack menu.

My blog was read by movie producers Aaron Cadieux and Manny Famolare.  They interviewed me and featured me in their hit documentary, "The Bridgewater Triangle".  An abbreviated version of the film will be shown Friday, November 28 at ten p.m. on the Destination America Channel.  Visit the Bridgewater Triangle Website to purchase the DVD.

I was also interviewed and featured in a segment of Monsters and Mysteries in America, Season two, Episode 2, "Puckwudgies".

In late 2014, after my blog had been read thousands of times, I decided to publish my account on Amazon Kindle.  The resulting book is called "The Creature from the Bridgewater Triangle, and other stories from 'Old' New England."  You can buy it in the Kindle store for just $2.99

There are ten additional chapters besides the Creature section.  I hope you will read it and consider reviewing it.   The reviews of the movie, and my segment have been very positive.  Here's an excerpt from the New England Folklore Blog,  by Peter Muise,

"For me, the creepiest part of the movie was the interview with Bill Russo, which is either a great report of a paranormal encounter or a fantastic campfire story.

In 1990 Russo lived in Raynham and worked the late shift. One night after midnight he took his dog for a walk near some high-tension power lines. As he walked through the deserted area he heard a high-pitched voice wailing the following words:

"Ee wah chu. Ee wah chu. Keer. Keer."

A strange creature stepped into the light cast by a streetlight. It was about three feet high, covered in brown hair, potbellied, and seemed to be old. It continued to cry out "Ee wah chu. Ee wah chu. Keer. Keer" and beckoned to Russo with one hand. It wanted him to join it."

Thanks for reading and please visit my Author's Page on Kindle for some biographical information.  

W.C. Fields: "Never Give A Sucker an Even Break" - Explained

William Claude Fields

 By Bill Russo

Good Guy or Dirty Rat?

Was W.C. Fields the meanest scoundrel on the planet ...... or merely a loveable rascal?

Despite his personality, or maybe because of it, he became one of the wealthiest and most famous entertainers of the early 1900s.

After you read the Fields Philosophy of life, in his own words - you decide.

WOMEN

“People say I hate women. It’s not true. I owe everything I have to a woman. She drove me to drink. I didn’t even bother to thank her. Women are like elephants. They are fun to look at but I wouldn't want to own one."

MARRIAGE.........

WC & Mae West made one great film - but

 she disapproved of his drinking 

and would never work with him again.

"Marriage is a fine institution, although who in their right mind wants to live in an institution. But marriage is better than leprosy - because it’s easier to get rid of. Marriage often leads to children and I never met a kid I liked. In fact, anybody who hates kids and dogs can't be all bad. But I really do like children, provided they are cooked properly."

PREDJUDICE & POLITICS

On the top rated Charlie McCarthy radio 

show, fields got so mad at Charlie he forgot 

that he was arguing with a wooden dummy!

"I am often accused of prejudice. It's not true. I hate everyone equally. As for politics...I never vote FOR anyone. I just vote AGAINST someone".

OUTER SPACE

"With all the talk of space travel, I'm often queried if I think there is intelligent life on other planets. All I can tell you is ... I hope so because there certainly isn't any on this planet!"

NEVER GIVE A SUCKER AN EVEN BREAK!

"A thing worth having is a thing worth cheating for....but I am not a crook. It's just the opposite, because it is morally wrong to allow a sucker to keep his money. Never give a sucker an even break. Smarten up a chump....and by the way, you cannot cheat an honest man".

BOOZE

"They say you can't swear off drinking. It's a lie. Why Godfrey Daniels, I've done it a thousand times.

I do drink at work, but I disguise it by putting my whiskey in a lemonade container. One time a smartass took out my booze and substituted lemonade for it. I took a swig and almost choked to death. I screamed out...what damn fool put lemonade in my lemonade?

Once I was on safari in the deepest part of Africa. Some idiot forgot to bring a corkscrew. For days I had to exist on nothing but food and water.

I would drink water except for the disgusting things fish do in it. Another bad thing I heard about water is that it could become habit forming.

I always keep a flask of whiskey around in case of snakebite and I always keep a little snake around too.

A man has to believe in something. I believe I'll have another drink.. It’s my nerves you see. I think the best thing for a case of nerves is a case of Scotch.

When I got back to America after my trip overseas, the first thing I did was turn into a bar. Oh that I could! What a great trick that would be. Yes Indeed. Turn into a bar! If I could live my life over....I would live over a saloon.

When the Japanese struck Pearl Harbor, I brought a hand truck to a liquor store and bought 6 cases of gin. When a friend saw me returning, he asked why I bought 6 cases.I replied. "I think it's going to be a short war."

PHILADELPHIA

I spent a year in Philadelphia one weekend. That's not true. I was not able to stay there because I went to Philadelphia once but it was closed."

And with that line, so closes a few quotes from the mouth of William Claude Dukenfield...better known in film and Vaudeville, on network radio and Broadway...asW.C. Fields.

Were his caustic words proof of his sour nature? Or were they just for entertainment?

His last days may provide some clue to his real nature. He had been ill for several months and was confined to a hospital. Friends visiting would find him reading a Bible. This was totally out of character for the lifelong atheist. When questioned about his study of the Bible, he always answered...."I'm just looking for loopholes!"

Another thing he did shortly before he died was to toss a little bit of an Olive Branch to Philadelphia, the city he had scorned so many times. Fields told friends that he wanted his tombstone to read..."All things considered, I'd rather be living in Philadelphia."