Alert From Writer Beware
Posted: February 27, 2011 Filed under: BLOG 1 Comment »NEW ALERT FROM WRITER BEWARE: Writers’ Literary Agency & Marketing Company (formerly The Literary Agency Group)
The Literary Agency Group, a business owned or controlled by Robert M. Fletcher of Boca Raton, Florida, changed its name in February 2007 to Writers’ Literary Agency & Marketing Company (a.k.a. WL Writers’ Literary Agency).
This umbrella group includes or has included the following agencies:
Christian Literary Agency
New York Literary Agency
Stylus Literary Agency (formerly ST Literary Agency, formerly Sydra-Techniques)
WL Children’s Agency (a.k.a. Children’s Literary Agency)
WL Poet’s Agency (a.k.a. Poet’s Literary Agency)
WL Screenplay Agency (a.k.a. The Screenplay Agency)
Writers’ Literary & Publishing Services Company (the editing arm of the above-mentioned agencies)
Since this company began operating in 2001 under the name Sydra-Techniques, Writer Beware has received hundreds of complaints and advisories of fee-charging, editing referrals, and other questionable practices. We’re not aware that the company has a significant track record of commercial book sales under any of its names, despite its claims to the contrary.
Writers who have had trouble with Robert M. Fletcher or any of the above-named companies, and who are or were residents of the state of Florida, please get in touch with Ann Crispin at anncrispin@aol.com (or beware@sfwa.org, if the AOL address bounces), even if you have previously contacted her. Please provide complete contact information.
Thanks for your cooperation!
For more information, you can take a look at what the Attorney General says about this issue.
Scams And Scammers
Posted: February 20, 2011 Filed under: BLOG | Tags: Advance Fee Fraud, Confidence trick, Facebook, Fraud, scam, Skype, Western Union, Zynga Leave a comment »Scams are always around and with the burgeoning or the burgeoned online world still expanding, more and more scammers have sprung to life. Recently, a good friend of the editor purchased a kit and as you may already know, she just wasted a few bucks to get a useless kit with useless information.
In your quest to make money online, you may have already experienced being scammed or fallen under the trap of an online job that does not pay. It is sad that such things happen because even our company have fallen trap to such scams. No these are not the kits that scream SCAM on them but people who ask for writing jobs to be done, make the first payment which is very minimal by the way and then runs off with all the articles. This is not to crucify anyone but writers should always make sure that their clients are reliable and that you have met them in person.
Our company has been victimized a few years ago and it has affected a lot of our writers. This is something that we did not see coming even with our experience on the web.
This is a message to everyone. Do not entertain people who send you email messages. If possible, meet them first, discuss what they want to be written and when you are satisfied, go ahead with the project.
Getting To Know CWN
Posted: October 28, 2010 Filed under: BLOG | Tags: Arts, Content Management, Content Web Content, Search engine optimization, SEO, Site Management, Web Applications, web content, Website, Writers Resources Leave a comment »
The Content Writers Network is a team of experts that provide web content. We write about anything (and everything) under the sun at the fastest possible time without compromising quality. We always write well-researched, unique, and fun to read articles. We take pride in the quality of the content we provide and our main aim is to be among the best in the world when it comes to web content solutions.
For more information on our services, you may send us a quick message through our Contact Us page. For sample articles, you can click on any of the categories on the right.
If you own a website that targets travelers, you may checkout sample articles at www.traveldelirium.com.
Lem Garcellano’s Tin-Tin, 15
Posted: June 12, 2010 Filed under: NEWS | Tags: Lem Garcellano, Tin-Tin 15 Leave a comment »
If you are tired of the usual love story bull crap you see on television these days, here is a fix for you. Tin-Tin, 15 -an independent film focusing on child trafficking in the Philippines is one of Lem Garcellano’s greatest works ever. A new director in the independent movie scene, Garcellano is an artist to watch out for. The story in Tin-Tin, 15 revolves around a 15 year old girl from the Philippines who struggles to make a better life for herself in an impoverished environment.
Find it quite fetching? Click here to watch the trailer.
Nigerian Scams and the Relay Service
Posted: June 8, 2010 Filed under: NEWS | Tags: Nigerian Scams Leave a comment »Working as an interpreter for the Relay Service is no easy feat since interpreters or operators always encounter Nigerian scammers. With these scams occurring on a daily basis, many interpreters quit their jobs. This happens mainly because of the FCC not being able to screen these calls and operators are prohibited to inform the receiver of the call that the person they are talking to is a scammer. What many do not know is that it is against federal law for an interpreter to involve himself or herself in a conversation making relaying a really difficult job.
The Relay Service is paid for by the Federal Government and is used as a free portal for deaf people to make regular phone calls. Through the help of an interpreter, the service voices out TTY and online messages from the caller (the deaf party) to the receiver of the call (the non-deaf party) making conversation possible through a regular phone.
The said online service however has been hacked by Nigerian scammers and these scammers are now using the relay service as an avenue for extortion and scam activities.
The FCC has been informed about the said scams, and these reports have been followed by criminal investigations by district attorneys and the FBI itself. There is very little success in tracking down these scammers though and today, their activities ensue.
What are the different types of Nigerian Scams?
The no.1 in the list is the Puppy Call where a Nigerian or an African pretends to be a deaf caller from the US who is interested in buying a dog. The scammer would then pay the seller an outrageous amount of money through a check or a money order and then have the seller deduct the price tag of the puppy and have the seller send the rest of the money to the scammer’s bank account in Nigeria.
The checks are of course no good and they are usually tagged as fraudulent. If they get through however, the scammers will then have a big amount of money deposited in their bank account in return. And this is done without having to involve themselves in handing the check to a teller. Scammers will usually tell you there was a mistake when they wrote the check and if in case you cannot cash it out, they will accuse you of stealing their money. It would be best to not entertain such calls anymore and just report it to the authorities. Most of the time, the interpreter would usually pull the plug and disconnect the call but he or she will not be able to control the caller to request yet another call to your phone number. Some interpreters break federal law and warn receivers of the call about the scammer but this happens rarely because interpreters are always being monitored by their managers.
Another Nigerian Scam is the Restaurant or Order Scam where the caller will pretend to be a deaf person making arrangements for a party. He or she will then order large amounts of food to be delivered to a bogus address and the said order will be paid with a fraudulent check. The check will of course be worth more than the payment needed for the food, requiring the restaurant owner to give back the rest of the money to the caller.
What should you do if the Relay Service calls?
There are many different Nigerian scams that use the Relay Service as a medium. If you receive a call from the Relay Service and you do not have a deaf friend or relative, it would be best to decline the call. This will then give the interpreter the cue to hang up. It is your prerogative however if you would like to entertain the call but be sure to hang up when you think you are already talking to a scammer.
Goodbye Rue McClanahan
Posted: June 3, 2010 Filed under: NEWS | Tags: golden girls, rue mcclanahan Leave a comment »
Photo Via Probertencyclopaedia.com
Only Betty White is left from the Golden Girls since her co-star Rue McClanahan just passed away. This is a sad day indeed but let us all look back who the Golden Girls were (and still are).
Long before the reign of the 4 girls from Manhattan (Sex and the City), there were the Golden Girls. Some say that Sex and the City’s Samantha Jones does not compare with the Golden Girls’ Blanche, Rue McClanahan’s character in the TV show. Rue McClanahan sure captured the audience and got as much laughs as Betty White.
The Beginning of the Golden Girls
The Golden Girls series started in a fashionable home in Miami, Blanche Devereaux’s house was rented out to Rose Nylund and Dorothy Zbornak. Nylund was played by Betty White and Zbornak was played by Bea Arthur.
The show was an immediate hit and the Golden Girls became a staple in NBC. The series won many awards when it was still running.
Rue McClanahan
Rue McClanahan appeared in many TV shows but according to fans, she will be best remembered as Blanche Deveraux.
The Golden Girls’ Southern Belle died today due to a massive stroke. She passed away at 1 in the morning today according to People Magazine and her family said she went in peace.
How To Become A Professional Writer
Posted: June 2, 2010 Filed under: Writing | Tags: Redlands University, University of Redlands, writing Leave a comment »
Writing is an art -a craft that follows a set of rules and literally techniques that you can either learn over time or by going to school.
Anyone can write a novel but not every novel can be published which makes writing as a profession a rough road to tread.
If you would really like to become a professional writer though, you should get a degree in Creative Writing or any other writing course available in your area.
There are many schools you can go to but if you would like to attend a top university that will provide you with all the tools you need to succeed in your chosen field, going to the University of Redlands is recommended. For those living in the Southern California area, it would be best if you searched for an Inland Empire college near you. Those living in other places can take a look at the top 10 universities in your area that offer the best creative writing courses.
If you already have a degree in creative writing, the next step is taking a look at the options available to you. Ask yourself: Should I be writing a novel? Or do I stick to writing articles for magazines? Spending some time thinking about what you really want to do to is an important step.
Many professional writers advise budding writers to not think about the money and concentrate on giving it their best because if money is your main concern, you will be losing the passion for writing which is an important ingredient for every book.
Experts say that you should stick with what you do best even if there is a lot of competition and eventually, you’ll succeed.
Banishing Justin Bieber
Posted: May 27, 2010 Filed under: BLOG, The Limelight | Tags: Justin Bieber, Shaved Bieber Leave a comment »
Photo Courtesy of ZenyangXuangou.com
If you are tired of the Canadian pop sensation and do not want to hear or read about him anymore, you can banish the Bieber by getting a downloadable app called Shaved Bieber. This app works with any website and screens, blocks and gets rid of any mention of the boy.
If you do not know who Justin Bieber is, the pop star became an instant hit when his mother posted his performance on YouTube. He later on signed a contract with Usher and Scooter Braun followed by another contract from L.A. Reid and Island Records. His first album is a chart topper and shows like TMZ are always following the kid around. He is not only dominating TV and radio programs though, he is always in the news and has dominated social media in the past few months as well leading to the annoyance of those who do not think Bieber deserves the attention.
Photo Courtesy of Socialbutterflies.com
Although the 16 year old boy has thousands of teenage fans both in the US and in Canada thanks to his chart topper One Time, the older generation including college students have waged war against the overly publicized teen. It seems that the internet, the very medium that made Justin Bieber a popstar will about to break him. According to non-Justin Bieber fans, overselling the kid did not do him any good, he only gained bad publicity but publicity is still publicity though. With the Shaved Bieber app however, folks who do not like Bieber will never have to hear about the teen star ever again no matter how many blogs are buzzing about him or how many hit songs he makes.
If you are wondering who invented the application Shaved Bieber, you should google Greg Leuch right now and find out why he just had to make the said app. According to Shaved Bieber’s creator, everyone has the right to personal censorship where you can screen the things or the people you do not really want to see, hear about or read about. The said application is perfect for Bieber haters to finally banish the Canadian from their browsers.
Photo Courtesy of MyTwitter.dk
Born on March 1, 1994 in Ontario, Justin is just a regular kid. His mom gave birth to him when she was 18 and had to work low paying jobs to raise her son. Bieber is an only child, her parents however are not married although he maintains a very close relationship with his dad. What many Bieber haters do not know is that the kid learned to play drums, piano, guitar and the trumpet on his own. His discovery was by accident though because Scott Braun, his manager, was actually looking for a different video when he came across Bieber’s channel.
How Do Horse Racing Odds Work?
Posted: March 2, 2010 Filed under: Equestrian, Sports | Tags: horse racing odds Leave a comment »
Horse racing is a popular equestrian sport. An early example of the sport is the Roman chariot races done by men of rank. Today, horse racing consists of jockeys riding thoroughbred horses around a track. The sport infamously associated with gambling has many forms such as thoroughbred racing, endurance racing for Arabian horses and harness racing for non-thoroughbreds or standard bred horses.
Wagering or betting money on the horses is popular all over the world, from North America to Europe to Asia and the Middle East. The most common ways of betting money on a horse race are bet to place, bet to show and bet to win. If you are betting to win, this means that you have money at stake and if the horse you have placed your money on wins first place, you win a certain amount of money depending on the odds. In betting to place, you just have to select which horses will go first, second and third. This is easier on the bettor. Bet to show is selecting the horse that you think will come first in the race. The payoffs for bet to show are much lower compared to win payoffs but it is not as risky as betting to win. If you bet to win, the rewards are of course much higher.
Betting to show is not commonplace in Europe since payout places vary depending on the track’s size. In most countries “Each-Way” bets are commonly used. An E/W splits your bet into two where half is placed on the win and the other on the place. So if you are betting $500, $250 is placed on the win and the other $250 on the place.
Traditional betting is done with a bookmaker or what we commonly known as the bookie. Betting exchanges are done by a bookmaker and the odds of your bet are dependent on the market conditions of the exchange. The betting exchange is determined by members’ activity.
In popular horse racing where people can place a bet by going to a booth, watching the race is just part of the excitement –another exciting part is how the odds change on the boards because this is where you can actually see how much money you will be getting after the race. But how are horse racing odds determined?
Horse racing odds are put on view on a large board. This large board is also known as the tote board. The tote board presents the odds according to the amount of money you will get or collect relative to how much money you wager. For example, if you are given 4:1 on the tote board for a particular horse, if that horse wins first place you will get four times the amount of what you wagered. If you put on the table $1 for example, you will get $4 after the race provided the horse you bet on wins.
The minimum bet in most tracks is $2, this is the standard in all horse racing tracks all over the globe. The tote board usually includes a number that shows you how much money you will collect on your $2 bet.
But this still does not answer the question on the odds are determined. Horse racing odds displayed on the boards i.e. 4:1, 3:1 or 2:1 are established by the total bet on a given horse. This total is then compared to the total bet for all horses involved in the race -this is where the proportions come from. The total percentage however is decreased by a certain amount to cover for the tracks since the tracks have to make money out of the race as well. The amount charged is usually 10% to 20 % of the total amount.
To explain further on how racing odds work let us try to do a calculation – if $1, 100 is the total bet for all horses and we bet $375 on a horse called “Lightning”, we have to deduct from the total bet the 15% for the track. After doing that, we then we calculate using these steps:
- Deduct the track’s percentage by doing simple multiplication. That would be $1, 100 x 0.85. We wind up with $935.
- Take Lightning’s total by subtracting our bet from the result we got from Step 1. That would be $935 minus $375. We end up with $560.
- Divide the total bet remaining by how much money we have placed on Lightning. That would be $560 divided by $375; we wind up with $1.49. Round that up and we get $1.50. From this we will get our racing odds: 1:5:1 or 3:2.
Understanding Supply-Side Economics
Posted: January 26, 2010 Filed under: Economics 2 Comments »
In understanding Supply-Side Economics, one should know its history. Better known as Reagonomics since it was espoused by Ronald Reagan, trickle-down economics or supply-side economics is the main reason why governments give large tax cuts to investors and corporations. According to Supply-Side Economics, to pump prime the economy, one has to give tax cuts since the money saved by these companies or these investors will eventually “trickle down” to the people and the people will have more buying power.
This macroeconomic theory has three pillars, one is tax policy, the second is regulatory policy and the third is monetary policy. The idea behind these pillars is supply of either goods or services. Supply, being the most important determining factor for economic growth, according to this theory, should be increased instead of increasing demand first. This theory somehow contradicts the law of supply and demand and the exact contradiction of the Keynesian theory which focuses itself on the demand in the market.
According to the Keynesian Theory, the biggest economic driver is demand and not supply. Supply-siders however would say that those who produce goods or render services and their willingness to create these goods and services are key determinants in how the market works. But isn’t it that the price of goods usually go down when there is too much supply? According to supply-siders, supply-side economics can set the pace for a country’s economic growth. Period. For those who really want to understand the crux of this theory, one should read more books about it.
