Pyramid scheme warning !!

I received an e mail today with a video touting a pyramid scheme.

Red Flags: 

1) The man in the video claimed to live in the mountains of Costa Rica.

2) Was he forced to Costa Rica because of the business illegalities?

3) Or was he trying to impress me? All that was shown was a leafy backdrop. He could have been in Kunkle for all I know.

4) He NEVER stated what he was selling... just that I should be motivated. This was the dead give-away that it was a pyramid scheme.  Examples:  Amway, Quixtar, Nikken, Nu Skin, Herbalife

10 MYTHS about MLM (from author who just published 300 page book)

Myth #1: MLM is a business offering better opportunities for making large sums of money than all other conventional business and professional models.

Truth: For almost everyone who invests MLM turns out to be a losing financial

proposition. This is not an opinion, but a historical fact. Consider some notable examples

from among the largest MLMs.

In the largest of all MLMs, Amway, only 1/2 of one percent of all distributors make it to the

basic level of "direct" distributor, and the average income of all Amway distributors is

about $40 a month. That is gross income before taxes and expenses. When costs are

factored, it is obvious that nearly all suffer a loss. Making it to "direct", however, is not a

ticket to profitability, but to greater losses. When the Wisconsin Attorney General filed

charges against Amway, tax returns from all distributors in the state revealed an average

net loss of $918 for that state's "direct" distributors.

Myth #2: Network marketing is the most popular and effective new way to bring products to market. Consumers like to buy products on a one-to-one basis in the MLM model.

Truth: If you strip MLM of its hallmark activity of continuously reselling distributorships and examine its foundation, the one-to-one retailing of products to customers, you encounter an unproductive and impractical system of sales upon which the entire structure is supposed to rest. Personal retailing is a thing of the past, not the wave of the future.

Retailing directly to friends on a one-to-one basis requires people to drastically change

their buying habits. They must restrict their choices, often pay more for goods, buy

inconveniently, and awkwardly engage in business transactions with close friends and

relatives. The unfeasibility of door-to-door retailing is why MLM is, in reality, a business that just keeps reselling the opportunity to sign up more distributors.

Myth #3: Eventually all products will be sold by MLM, a new form of marketing. Retail stores, shopping malls, catalogues and most forms of advertising will soon be rendered obsolete by MLM.

Truth: MLM is not new. It has been around since the late 1960's. Yet, today it still

represents about 1/3rd of one percent of annual retail sales... and most

of this sales volume is accounted for by the purchases of hopeful new distributors who are actually paying the price of admission to a business they will soon abandon.

Myth #4: MLM is a new way of life that offers happiness and fulfillment. It is a means to attain all the good things in life.

Truth: The most prominent motivating appeal of the MLM industry as shown in industry

literature and presented at recruitment meetings is the crassest form of materialism.

Fortune 100 companies would blush at the excess of promises of wealth and luxury put

forth by MLM solicitors.

Myth #5: MLM is a spiritual movement.

Truth: The use of spiritual concepts like prosperity consciousness and creative

visualization to promote MLM enrollment, the use of words like 'communion' to describe a

sales organization, and claims that MLM is a fulfillment of Christian principles or Scriptural prophecies are great distortions of these spiritual practices. Those who focus their hopes and dreams upon wealth as the answer to their prayers lose sight of genuine spirituality as taught by all the great religions and faiths of humankind. The misuse of these spiritual principles should be a signal that the investment opportunity is deceptive. When a product is wrapped in the flag or in religion, Buyer beware!

Myth #6: Success in MLM is easy. Friends and relatives are the natural prospects. Those who love and support you will become your lifetime customers.

Truth: The commercialization of family and friendship relations or the use of 'warm leads',

which is required in the MLM marketing program, is a destructive element in the

community and very unhealthy for individuals involved. Capitalizing upon family ties and

loyalties of friendships in order to build a business can destroy ones social foundation.

Myth #7:  You can do MLM in your spare time. As a business, it offers the greatest flexibility and personal freedom of time. A few hours a week can earn a significant supplemental income and may grow to a very large income making other work unnecessary.

Truth: Decades of experience involving millions of people have proven that making

money in MLM requires extraordinary time commitment as well as considerable personal willingness, persistence and deception. Beyond the sheer hard work and special aptitude required, the business model inherently consumes more areas of one’s life and greater segments of time.

   In MLM, everyone is a prospect. Every waking moment is a potential time for marketing. There are no off-limit places, people or times for selling. Consequently, there is no free space or free time once a person enrolls in MLM system. Under the guise of creating money independently and in your free time, the system gains control and dominance over people's entire lives and requires rigid conformity to the program.

Myth #8:  MLM is a positive, supportive new business that affirms the human spirit and personal freedom.

Truth:  MLM marketing materials reveal that much of the message is fear-driven and

based upon outright deception about income potential. Solicitations frequently include dire predictions about the impending collapse of other forms of distribution, the disintegration or insensitivity of corporate America, and the lack of opportunity in other professions or services. Conventional professions, trades and business are routinely demeaned and ridiculed for not offering 'unlimited income.'

    Employment is cast as wage enslavement for 'losers.' MLM is presented as the last best hope for many people. This approach, in addition to being deceptive, frequently has a discouraging effect on people who otherwisewould pursue their own unique visions of success and happiness. A sound business opportunity does not have to base its worth on negative predictions and warnings.

Myth #9:  MLM is the best option for owning your own business and attaining real economic independence.

Truth: MLM is not self-employment. 'Owning' an MLM distributorship is an illusion. Some MLM companies forbid distributors from carrying additional lines. Most MLM contracts make termination of the distributorship easy and immediate for the company. Short of termination, downlines can be taken away with a variety of means. Participation requires rigid adherence to the 'duplication' model, not independence and individuality. MLMdistributors are not entrepreneurs but joiners in a complex hierarchical system over which they have little control.  

Myth #10: MLM is not a pyramid scheme because products are sold.

Truth: The sale of products is in no way a protection from anti-pyramid scheme statutes or unfair trade practices set forth in federal and state law. MLMs that sell useful, quality

products have been successfully prosecuted under anti-pyramid scheme laws by state and federal officials. MLM is a legal form of business only under certain rigid conditions set forth by the FTC and state Attorneys General. Many MLMs are currently in gross violation of these guidelines and operate only because they have not been prosecuted.

     Federal regulators have used a 70% rule to determine an MLM's legality. At least 70% of all goods sold by the MLM company must be purchased by non-distributors. This standard would place most MLM companies outside the law. The largest of all MLMs acknowledges that only 18% of its sales are made to non-distributors.

The message is spreading

Thank you readers as I come upon 36,000 views.

Thank you for your kind words.

The message must be controlled by the people and not crooked politicians.

The growth off this blog has been phenomenal as I routinely have "1,000 hit" days.

                            Let's keep the momentum!!!

WB TRUTH      Your source for the real truth… the raw truth.

            No ass kissing here. I am beholden to nobody.    

                                                

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Local African-Americans... good reason for concern

I attended the MLK celebration at King’s. I am not in the shoes of an African-American, but if I was I would have a number of concerns.

I scanned the audience multiple times for public officials. I especially scanned the front five rows. I recognized only Eddie Day Pashinski. No one else. If I missed somebody, please message me.

It is obvious that Gerard Dessoye and Mayor Leighton don’t care about “trivial” matters such as racial equality. Perhaps they figured that since the fruit punch bowl wasn’t spiked they had better places to be. But you would think that they could at least appear as though they cared.

Are there any African-American attorneys in Luzerne County?

There is one African-American WB school board member.

How about city officials? County Officials? Magistrates? Judges?

There is one WB cop. Any others? What about firemen?

I give credit for those African-Americans who showed and were enthusiastic. But really… isn’t there miles of ground to be made up? Are you actually happy with the status quo?

The choice of King’s College was interesting. I wonder how many African- Americans and Hispanics know what King’s College has viewed as “the wrong crowd” in the recent past. Do they also know that Joe Noone, James Noone, JJ Murphy, Drew McLaughlin, Gerard Dessoye, and Thomas Leighton are all alumni of King’s? Based on perhaps the biggest civil rights lawsuit in NEPA history… here are some allegations from a current lawsuit based on occurrences from four years ago regarding “The Mines” nightclub (only open 3 days per week).

Let me begin by saying that this night club had a perfect safety record. No violations whatsoever. Defendants in the case are four King’s employees (some of whom may have retired) and Chief Dessoye and Mayor Leighton and others. Here are some allegations taken from legal documents.

-         The Mines’ patrons were approximately 30 – 40 % African-American and Hispanic.

-         WB police Chief Gerard Dessoye advised “The Mines’” owner Thom Greco that the clientele of “The Mines” was not a “good mix” with King’s College

and it was the “wrong crowd.”

-         Father O’Hara of King’s College advised Greco that the clientele was not a “good mix” with King’s. He said he would try and have them shut down.

-         King’s College claimed that parents were going to pull their kids from school because of “The Mines?” (my note: Really? No problems with Senuna’s, Gonda’s, Beer Boy’s, Liam’s, and the Hardware Bar? Parents targeted just the Mines. Hard to believe.)

Slash and Burn

-         Robert McGonicle (VP of student affairs) and John McAndrew (Dean of Students) sent an e-mail inviting students to a forum on how to file LCB complaints against “The Mines.”

-         Paul Lindenmuth (Chair of Criminal Justice and Sociology) falsely told students that there had been drug busts at “The Mines” and that the nightclub had lost its licenses.

-         The city began harassment by falsifying police reports to make it appear as though crimes were being committed.

Engaged were 30 law enforcement agencies, 3 LCB agents, a WB Swat Team, 8 police vehicles, a motorcycle, and two K-9 dogs. A “shock and awe” campaign against “The Mines” was launched and it was shut down.

My hope is that King’s College and its alumni have had a spiritual and racial awakening. The words above represent allegations from legal documents. I felt it necessary to inform the public of this incredible story. 

Complaint filed against Chief Dessoye

To ACLU:

I am filing a complaint against the city of Wilkes-Barre, the WBPD, police chief Gerard Dessoye, and Officer Brian Gist. Even though I “beat” the (trespassing behind police station) citation since it was dismissed by Judge Vough– this does not change the fact that my civil rights were violated and I was forced to pay $1,000 for an attorney.  Initially Magistrate Marty Kane found me guilty when he refused to allow me to make a Constitutional argument (I have the transcripts). I appealed to Judge Vough.

POLICE BULLYING    This civil rights case is important to fight because a thunderous message needs to be sent that the police cannot bully and file bogus charges against somebody because they don’t like them. My only “infraction” (tongue in cheek) was accusing the police chief and Mayor and other officers of being a party to the “Cars for Cash” scam involving Leo Glodzik. I stand fully behind these accusations. I was behind the police station that night to take pictures of illegal tags and a truck driven by an officer that served as a bribe.

RT stands for Repair Towing (illegal tags for police officer)

Before I go further... please try not to laugh or cry when you see these responses to realizations that there had been many "bribe cars."
LEIGHTON: It is not illegal (to take a bribe).
G DESSOYE: There is nothing I can do about it (oh really?  ...as police chief?)

Then why did Officer Collins return the Merecedes back to Glodzik? Unreal.

Bribe vehicle from LAG

VIOLATIONS of 14^th AMENDMENT

1)    SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT    I was given a ticket for trespassing by Brian Gist behind the police station Easter night. This infraction was selectively enforced because of why I was there. I was there to expose corruption. A “Right-to-know” request has revealed that I was the ONLY person ever to be cited for Trespassing behind the police station. Tens of thousands have passed through there since the station was upgraded.

2)    SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT    Other news reporters (Joe Holden, Terrie Morgan-Besecker) were cited and then had the citations withdrawn. Dessoye selectively enforced the “Authorized vehicles only” sign only against me. As it turned out, the corruption I uncovered (bribe cars) led to headlines in the papers and was the lead story on WBRE for four consecutive nights.

3)    SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT    All four entrances to police station have “authorized vehicles only” signs and they are ignored every single day of the year. For example, everybody who attends city council meetings is in violation.

4)    SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT    Officer Brian Gist yelled repeatedly “I know exactly what you are doing here!” And he was right. The question becomes:

-         Why wasn’t he reporting the illegal tags on John Majikes’s Dodge Ram?

-         Why wasn’t he reporting the bribe (the truck) that Majikes took from Leo Glodzik?

OTHER CRIMES COVERED UP

          - Free loaner cars to many other cops from LAG   

- Buying stolen property from LAG at bargain prices

- Selling cars on consignment (A1 Auto and Captain Bob Hughes)

- Free tows for cops and their families (gifts/bribes)

- Champagne bribes on the holidays (acceptance rate here must be near 100%)

- Even girly shows at Leo Glodzik’s home

.        

CRIMES COMMITTED 

1)    Aid and Abetting     To assist or facilitate the commission of a crime, or to promote its accomplishment.

2)    Dereliction of Duty    No law enforcement officer shall negligently do the following… Fail to prevent or halt the commission of an offense or to apprehend an offender, when it is in the law enforcement officer's power to do so alone or with available assistance.

3)    Malfeasance    A wrongful or unlawful act; esp. wrongdoing or misconduct by a public official (such as a police officer)

4)    Obstruction of Justice    To proscribe every willful act of corruption, intimidation, or force which tends in any way to distort or impede the administration of law. This applies to me via unequal protection under law and selective enforcement. I was one of tens of thousands who passed through the alley without receiving a ticket.

5)    CHAPTER 53   ABUSE OF OFFICE

Sec. 5301.  Official oppression.  A person acting or purporting to act in an official capacity or taking advantage of such actual or purported capacity commits a misdemeanor of the second degree if, knowing that his conduct is illegal, he:

(1)  subjects another to arrest, detention, search, seizure, mistreatment, dispossession, assessment, lien or other infringement of personal or property rights; or

(2)  denies or impedes another in the exercise or enjoyment of any right, privilege, power or immunity.

I had the right to be where I was free from interference… like the thousands before me who received no citation. I was there for the public good. I was there to expose police corruption. I was authorized to be there for that reason.

           

6)        §  903.  Criminal Conspiracy.

(a)  Definition of conspiracy.--A person is guilty of conspiracy with another person or persons to commit a crime if with the intent of promoting or facilitating its commission he:

(1)  agrees with such other person or persons that they or one or more of them will engage in conduct which constitutes such crime or an attempt or solicitation to commit such crime; or

(2)  agrees to aid such other person or persons in the planning or commission of such crime or of an attempt or solicitation to commit such crime.

5302.                    

3 scintillating upcoming articles

WB Truth to partner with W-B Independent Gazette   See upcoming articles below.

I am offering my “WB Truth” blog to be published under the W-B Independent Gazette name. It will also appear separately as you now find it. It makes sense to synergize with this paper to reach as many people as possible. I have made my blog available to all the public. Despite 33,000 views after starting this summer… I have not earned a dime.

I will also be working on feature articles to include:

1)    Payments to Judges    Nearly all of the Judges have taken campaign contributions from attorneys. Some have said they would disclose any conflicts in court.

A)  Are they disclosing? Or were these empty promises?

B)   Can they give us lists of contributors (attorneys)

C)  Would they now be willing to disclose contributors going forward?

Folks, this is a monumental issue. How would you feel if you felt you unfairly lost a case only to find out the opposing attorney gave the Judge $5,000? And what if your attorney gave money to a “rival” Judge in the election?

Judges need money for re-election. You don’t think they are going to favor the attorney who has given money in the past. The system is completely biased. It is rigged.

2)    Drug testing for officials and Judges. Don’t you think it is extremely naïve to drug test only those people who work at Best Buy, Turkey Hill, or Lowe’s? Does holding a higher office somehow make you immune to the addictions and temptations of everyone else? Remember, a Judge is only an attorney that won votes.

Should citizens be forced to have a Mayor, chief, and Magistrate who have been actively addicted not just for years… but likely decades? This is insanity. For evidence to the carnage I submit to you the current state of Wilkes-Barre.

Drug testing can only help people. It isolates a problem quickly so that person can get help (and save their job, family etc.). Seen clearly, there is no downside. A bill needs to be introduced.

3)    Gay Conversion therapy and the church    About five years ago a Minister at a local church was worried about “hate crimes legislation” because it would take away the right to talk against gays. “Exodus International” had been the standard bearer for gay conversion therapy. Since then its leader has claimed that one’s sexual orientation cannot be changed and trying to do so is harmful. Alan Chambers has since apologized to those he hurt.

Yes, homosexuality is considered a sin in the Bible (it is really there). But so is lust for a woman, lying, and even coveting. When is the last time you heard a Minister rail against those who “covet?” (in fact capitalism itself is based on coveting).

I would like to do an article on where many churches stand on the issue.

Shout out to PSC (Petroleum Service Company)

Wilkes-Barre City Hall… when it comes to customer service… take a cue from PSC (Petroleum Service Company)   

SHOUT OUT       PSC Gas Station & Repair Shop in Forty Fort

The help I recently received from PSC represents the best experience I have ever had with an auto repair shop. My car had to go to the dealership (Motor world). They took care of everything! They had it towed and promised me a ride. Then… even better… they allowed me free use of a loaner car. I interfaced mostly with Mark and Joe at the shop. I honestly felt like I was treated as family. 

As it turns out Motorworld received all my cash… but PSC earned a customer for life.

Perhaps this type of service is what makes the Simms family (and Ricky Rose; husband of Virginia) so successful. PSC… Mountain Productions… Lewith and Freeman. I give my best to Ron, Rhea, Margie, Ginny, and Emma (and David Kluger).

One incident report changed local history

First, WB Officer Joe Sereyka, thank you for trying to save the lives of the little girls on Saturday.  Thanks to others who were on the scene as well.

Captain Joe Coffay and Phil Myers and others… excellent work with new web site. This is a great first step towards open books and transparency. Next step? How about (the city) scanning the Falzone’s Towing contract and making it available on line.

http://wakeupwilkesbarre.blogspot.com/2013/08/wbpd-now-on-facebook.html

Talk about irony… I see you (WB police) are posting incident (or event) reports on your facebook page.

LAG lot filled to capacity

 Glodzik next to car he stole from Senta Boyer

 











The ONLY REASON I “stood my ground” on 06/01/11 at LAG Towing was to obtain an incident report. I simply wanted to document damage to my car.

 Kenneth Jones in car, his partner, Dana Cope, and college student. William Harden arrived later to scream at me.

If given a report… I would have been on my way and the “Cars for Cash” would be humming along at industrial strength speed. Now… hopefully people will spend time in prison.

As it was… I left that day knowing there was some very important work to be done. I was right.

 Resident is ripped off for $400

 

 My choice to fight injustice has had results far greater than I could have imagined. One Person. One Day. One Decision.