Things Aren't Always What They Seem

BOGO? NO!😮

At first glance, it appears you can get 2 ( because of the picture) and save $2.50 (in bright red print) BUT, in smaller, gray(barely there) print we see, "on any SIX(6) SMART ONES Products"

Not  saving if each one costs $2.50

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. 

In today's competitive world there are more businesses and people wanting to be king/queen of the hill instead of displaying  transparency and honesty.
Media entices our attention with catchy slugs that beg for our attention.

It took me a while to catch on but I finally did. Notice the titles below. In the lower right hand corner each one has a tiny logo. 
More often than not the ones listed as Ad have an alluring title but you may have to wade through a host of pop up ads, or a page so full of ads you can't focus on why you came there in the first place. And, that is what they're hoping you do. The owner of the site makes money when you click on the ads.

If you're not plagued by ads, you'll probably have to constantly click NEXT in order to read what you started out to see.  You know you want to know Pat Sajak's salary. Instead of the hassle, just Google what you want to know..

I see this sign outside of an empty office every time I go to a favorite donut shop, Pop Donuts for those who live in Center Point Alabama. I've wanted to circle the word with a red Sharpie every time I pass it.  No, I'm not perfect. I make mistakes.  I hope their math is better than their spelling.

Is this an invitation to ID thieves to empty your bank account?   You may say, "Employees of your own bank could do the same thing."  Yes they could. But I can go to a brick and mortar structure to handle it.  Who do I contact if I order from an unknown company? 

Examine it even closer.

But wait, there's more!

No thanks, I prefer to get screwed over by local people.

When was the last time you went to a movie?  I know. The prices can put a person off.  I recently saw The Good Liar with Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen. It was great. I enjoyed it  to the hilt. 

  I decided to check on the discounts I could get using my AARP and AAA discount cards before going to the movie.
AAA

😕 Oops, I left out the word "is." See, not perfect.

But there are restrictions

 AARP

At the box office and asking the attendant for a senior discount. (  I am shameless. )

A friend pointed out this last one. Can you spot the mistake? Commenters feel that Paul McCartney was photoshopped into the shirt. 

I went to the site that sells these and it says;

"This Campaign has been closed and is no longer available."

Hmm, wonder why?

That's it***

Modern Day Slavery

You can't engage in any form of  media today without seeing something about missing people. Most often it's a child.   Hope for safe return is always at the forefront. Most often than not, it's not the case. 

A section of the  National Underground Railroad Freedom Center- Cincinnati, Ohio displays various forms of this heinous practice.

Rumors flourish as to what happens to those never found.

Below  is Margo's story

When Margo's dad stopped fondling her because he'd collapsed into a drunken  stupor, it was her chance to escape. She ran away with no place to go and no plan beyond getting away from the constant abuse.

Lenny, the guy buying cigarettes at the convenience store, saw that she was looking for something to eat, and he offered to buy her some snacks. Crying, she told him about home and he cared.

"Margo, he said soothingly, "I can give you a place to stay until you sort things out at home."

BELOW is how Lenny helped Margo.

Inside the circular  window above is a soiled mattress. It states, "After 16 her (Margo) new life had begun." 

Above.  Salila is riding to the city for her first day on a new job. Salila is unaware of what type of job awaits her.

A replica  maze of beds as depicted in sex slave operation.

The boxes indicate people being taken and moved around the same as  one would pack personal inanimate belongings. 

These unfortunate people are not seen as human beings but as chattel to be done with by the owner as he or she wishes.

The text on the boxes indicate numerous ways the uninformed and desperate become victims. 

•        parents who sell their children so that they (the remaining       family) can survive,
•  child soldiers, 
• parents who are told their child will receive an education in a nearby city or a different country never to be seen again,
•  farm laborers. 
• kidnapping and abduction

The very young are most vulnerable because of their innocence, lack of knowledge of life and they are not as strong.

There were other displays on this subject but I'd seen enough.

That's it ***

🎬 Movie Screening -Eye for an Eye

I had the opportunity to attend the screening of a movie done by the son of a high school classmate.   The high school alumni meet once a month for lunch.  Contact is kept  through email or Facebook.
Attached to the email regarding the screening was a link to a  15 minute trailer. I'll list it below toward the end of this post.

After seeing the trailer I knew I HAD TO SEE THE REST OF THE MOVIE. It grabbed me from the very beginning and left me wondering how it would end. I'm not a movie critic but, it was professionally done. It was as good or better than what I'd see at a movie theater, HBO, T.V. or Netflix. 

Taking a selfie with Kevin "Krispy" Key (Producer)

It is their goal to shop the movie to Netflix or Hollywood as a series. This isn't the producer's first rodeo. He has been in the business for a while and has done other movies and media. 

Birmingham has a Sidewalk Cinema Film Festival  each year which  presents films of various genres to audiences.

The film Center is housed in what was once Pizitz Department Store. With the revitalization of downtown Birmingham many of the older buildings have been upgraded and modernized for new uses.

Being of a certain age I remember this building and others in their original state. I'm glad to see they're no longer empty but are being renovated and preserved for new services.

After the movie there was a Q and A with one of the actors and the producer. This actor is the one you see in the marquee picture above wearing the cap.

Eye for an Eye was well received by the audience. You could hear gasps and soft murmurings during the movie. There was thunderous applause afterwards.

Standing with some of my former classmates outside of the theater.

It is my hope that Kevin "Krispy" Key  and his company will be able to sell this project because I would definitely like to see more.

   To see the trailer click the title. An Eye for an Eye

WARNING: Some scenes may be graphic.

That's it***

Blog challenge ended

October 30th was the last day of my self- imposed challenge which was to blog once a week for six months. Because of computer ills I failed to post a last entry. As I stated previously, my reason for this challenge was to accomplish the goal of sticking with something once I've vowed to do it.  

Over this six month period there were maybe two times I didn't meet the challenge.  No one is perfect.

 I want to thank those who supported me. Knowing that some people were expecting me to post kept me going. Thank you.

Below are some of the photos and videos I didn't place on past posts

Ark Encounter...9/25/2019

An article I found in an AARP magazine that I thought

was humorous since I'd be going to the Ark

Gospel singers in the auditorium of The Ark or it may have been at

the Creation Museum

Live burro 

Creation Museum  9/25/2019

Display inside the

Creation museum depicting the fall of Adam and Eve.

Street Fair, Tailgating 10-23-2019

Mural at the street fair

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center- Cincinnati, Ohio

10-2-2019

Below is a short video of the quilt

That's it***

Street Fair, Tailgating

In addition to coffee ⛾ I enjoy street fairs.
The Woodlawn Market takes place about four times a year. It has become a popular place because of the revitalization that is and has taken place in the area. Rehabbing of desolate buildings into updated homes or into new uses such as businesses, clinics, child care and growth initiatives.

Booths at the Woodlawn Street Market

On market days vendor tents abound.  Food, produce stand, artisan clothing, art, jewelry, human interest groups. There may even be a few freestyle dancers.

I always accept the business cards of the various booths I visit. Here are just a few. Many of the artists dislike having their work photographed and so I never do unless I ask first. 

Below are some of the items I did buy

I was told that the green tops of radishes are edible. I found a recipe online, cooking them the same way as turnip greens are cooked. They have a little more bite than turnips greens. I remedied that by adding a little sugar.  They were good but unpleasantly aromatic. I also took some of the bottoms and baked them in the oven the same way I've done other root vegetables in the past. Make sure you wash  everything well because they were pretty gritty.    

Radishes before cleaning

Radishes before baking

Cooked radishes and radish green

The bowl cozy comes in handy when removing hot foods from the microwave .

Next day tailgating

A friend invited me to her church for their annual tailgating event. Church service is first held inside. Afterwards congregants flood the church grounds where tents, food and activities abound.

There were car  and motorcycle exhibits .

Children enjoyed the whirly car rides

Train rides around the property were enjoyed. There were other 

attractions also. Inside there was even a Cake Walk.

Line dancers (I don't remember the name of the group.)😞

This will be my first attempt at trying to upload a video on Windows 10😐 I've got a feeling it's not going to show. 

That's it***

Trick or Treat

I haven't passed out Halloween candy in about 23 years. Most times I keep the outside lights off which deters trick-or-treaters from ringing the bell.
Many go to churches, businesses or  homes of friends for their Halloween treats.
A lot more children live on my street than what once did. So this year I put out decorations (for the first time in my adult life) to let them know I'm on board with the holiday tradition.

I bought this gauzy pumpkin  spirit at Dollar General for $4.00 But

I wish I'd waited and gotten something very similar from the Dollar Store.

It looked pretty plain just hanging on the tree so I decided to add some things.

I got empty water bottles and sprayed them black. There's also a

plastic cup I painted purple. 

Those "potion" bottles needed labels so I had these printed at Office Depot. 

You'll see down below what was done with the RAID.

Here are the potion bottles with their labels. You probably

have some of these in your pantry.😊

You can't mix your potions any old way. You need the correct recipe.

Broomstick Fleas won't always work in place of Brain Juice. That's why

you need a books of SPELLS.

After mixing the concoction  you need something to drink it from.

These plastic chains were dabbed with red and silver paint.

They'll hang from the tree limbs with the potion bottles attached.

No longer a plain pumpkin with no personality. Purple cup in right hand

chains of potions hanging from the tree and in one hand. Book of SPELLS

at the tree base in case you need that special spell for someone special.

Another $1 diddy. It too was lacking personality so you see what I did.

Couldn't let the door go undressed. Made the bats from heavy weight black paper. Dotted on the eyes and mouth.

Added eyeballs and blood at the mouth of the skeleton.

Spider in one hand and a can of RAID in the other. Anything could happen.

I enjoyed making these and setting them out. I made sure I bought candy that kids like but I don't. Anything leftover will be given away.

That's it***🦇