Board Games...Remember Them?

  Board Games...Remember Them? 

Over the past few years I have tried several online games. I find them relaxing and addicting. I’m not sure if the addiction is to the games themselves or the de-stressing factor they have on me. When I am playing, I concentrate so much on the game I forget whatever is causing me stress. I’m sure it has the same affect on many and that’s why it’s so hard to stop. Right now I am hooked on Bubble Witch Saga and stuck at level 55. I suppose if I don’t succeed in passing that level, at some point my frustration will cause me to give it up. But, remember the old board games?

I woke up thinking about board games today, for no special reason. I was thinking of how some of them kind of prepared us for life. The game Life was one of my favorites. You could go around the whole board getting an education, a job, a spouse, kids. Adding kids was my favorite part. You could live a while lifetime in one game and I think it taught us a few things we would have to face in the future. Another of my favorites was Scrabble. I loved word games and I have a knack of being able to look at random letters and see words just out at me. It makes me great at the Jumble in the newspaper. Sometimes I get the answer without figuring out all the words. I got so good at playing Scrabble that eventually no one would play with me. And who could forget Monopoly? All that nice colored money and real estate! Houses and hotels, railroads, rent, the old community chest, jail, and the bank! It was great being the bank! Playing that game makes everyone feel a little like Donald Trump. Other games like Password, Trivial Pursuit, Concentration, Clue were also among the games I enjoyed playing. I wonder how many kids play those games today? There’s probably an online version of all of them, but it’s just not the same.

Board games were great for more reasons than one. They not only taught us a few things about life in general, but they brought people together to interact. Whether for a family game night or to play with friends, these games gave us an opportunity for social interactions. Maybe they weren’t as calming as online games. I’ve seen many a fight break out when someone had to pay rent and was out of money; or someone got nothing but vowels and could make any words, but there was also plenty of conversation and fun.

Even games designed for very young children, like Candy Land, teach turn taking and social skills. I got them for my kids before they even started school. It help them to learn how to be more gracious losers too as we taught them games are not really about who wins, but about having fun playing them. Over the years we have collected a ton of games and have gotten many a laugh out of them.

Maybe it’s time to dust off a few game boxes and bring them out again? It could be great fun to make a night of it with some special snacks. I think I will try to plan a family game night soon. It’ll be fin, especially if I win!

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Dr. Phil Has Irked Me Again…

 

Dr. Phil Has Irked Me Again… 

 

Self promotion and exploitation are the basic motivators for Dr. Phil’s show. I am not the only one who feels that way, just check out his show’s Facebook page to see complaint after complaint. What’s up now? For those of you who don’t tune in I’ll explain. This year Robin, Dr. Phil’s wife, has “created” a skin care line (and I use the word “created” very loosely). On top of that, Dr. Phil and his son Jay have created a new app called, “Doctor on Demand,” that allows you to connect with a real doctor, who will diagnose you over your smart phone and give you a prescription for whatever ails you for a mere $40, the cost of a co-pay, in the comfort of your home. That is what is on the agenda for this season. Two money making schemes to add to the riches of Dr. Phil’s pockets. That is after all Dr. Phil’s forte, bilking people out of money under the guise of helping them when, in actuality, he is helping himself.

Let me explain why this irks me. I was watching a show about an abused woman. She had little self esteem, the husband was a real jerk who verbally assaulted her every chance he got. He doesn't find her attractive, blah, blah blah. So they are telling their story and half way into the show (or less) Dr. Phil announces that Robin is going to help the wife by giving her a “make-over.” I’m thinking fine, the wife and Robin will go backstage together while Dr. Phil lays into the jerk of a husband and straightens him out. But no, that’s not what happens. Instead, we get to see the entire make-over from start to finish, focusing on Robin’s skin care line which is going to make all the difference in this woman’s life. Insert eye-roll. All the while Dr. Phil and the jerk of a husband are sitting out on stage waiting for the miraculous transformation that is going to save this marriage. The make-over takes about 30 minutes and is basically a self-serving “infomercial” within the show. There is no other way around it. Promoting Robin’s products and the fact she will be appearing on a cable channel after the show to hawk her goods some more. I was disgusted. Many people of the Dr. Phil page were disgusted. Instead of taking care of the problem “husband” they put a Band-Aid on the wife and sent her home with skin cream. In the meantime you can hear the “chi-ching” for orders being placed all over America and maybe even the world. After this show aired, it wasn’t the end of the shameless promotion of this skin care line. Every female guest appearing after that show needed to be treated with more of the same. They didn’t waste as much time, but managed to beat a dead horse promoting their products when they should be helping the guest.

Moving on to the Doctor on Demand App. How long has Dr. Phil been “treating” people on his show? Over ten years I would guess. Never before has he had the need for an medical doctor to define every illness and it’s consequences. Up until now, he has ben able to tell guests the what will happened if they continue to do drugs or alcohol. This isn’t his first rodeo after all. He knows his stuff and what he doesn’t know he can easily find out. But now he is all of a sudden playing dumb. Every guest that is harming themselves with drugs or alcohol needs to hear what a doctor on demand has to say about it. Midway through his interview the will tell us he and his son Jay have created an app that allows you to speak to a doctor about any medical issue. Dr. Phil will whip out his smart phone, that has already connected itself to a doctor from his app, and start asking the doctor questions about the guests condition. He will hand the phone over to the guest as he asks basic questions and then thank the highly qualified doctor for answering. Then he encourages everyone to download the app and gets back to his guest. It really is unethical to use the show in this way. Doesn’t Dr. Phil have enough money without taking time away from guests who have come to him seeking his help? And we all know that he combs through all potential guests to find those who will bring him the highest ratings because this show is a cash cow for Dr. Phil and all his products. He even promotes his son, Jay's, show The Docotrs and his son's publishing company that published the good old doc's lasst book.

He may have started out a tiny bit sincere about trying to help people overcome problems, but now (and for a long long time) his guests have become a means to an end. A way to help his empire grow. Who cares if that woman’s husband, the jerk, continues to verbally abuse her? They gave her skin care products and let her be on the show to exploit her problem as a means to launch Robin’s line. And who better to subscribe to his app Doctor’s on demand than hypochondriacs? They can call in every day! Yes, he did have a woman on there who suffered from hypochrondria and he suggested she use his app. Cha-ching.

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Once upon a time, Russell Stover has no plastic tray and more candy...

  Once upon a time, Russell Stover has no plastic tray and more candy...

 

 

I have been buying and eating Russell Stover chocolates for about 40 years if not longer.  In fact, when my husband and I were dating, I already had a strong preference for Russell Stover candy for quite a few years.  So when he bought me Whitman’s chocolates for Valentine‘s Day, I made it clear that I only eat Russell Stover.  The next time Valentine’s day rolled around and he forgot and bought Whitman’s chocolate again. I told him to give them to his mother because I only eat Russell Stover.  Eventually he caught on.

A couple of years ago Russell Stover joined the incredibly shrinking products era.  They shrunk their one pound box of chocolates to 12 ounces, but the price remained the same.  You would be surprised at how a loss of 3 ounces affected the number of chocolates in the box and the variety.  It was a big difference!  I was annoyed and complained and vented about the change.  I would rather they had kept the size the same and raised the price.  The size of the box actually remained the same, even with less chocolate because they devised a plastic tray to fit inside for the 12 ounces of candy so that the missing space was filled by the tray.  I felt like they were making a fool out of me.

Why am I complaining about this now?  Well this Thanksgiving, as my brother does for every holiday, he bought me a box of Russell Stover.  My brother knows how much I love their chocolate. So after dinner and doing the dishes, I sat down and picked out my favorite pieces.  There were two maple filled chocolates in the box.  I ate the first one and thought, something is not quite right.  I ate the second one and thought something is definitely not right with the taste.  It was inferior to what I remembered the last 40 years.  I decided to have one last piece, a coconut candy, how could they ruin coconut?  Well they did.  The have done something to the recipes.  The quality is noticeably inferior to what it has always been.  I commented out loud about my feelings.  My brothers responds that he thought the taste wasn’t quite right either.  Again, the price did not go down, just the quality.

I just got done writing to Russell Stover voicing my complaints about the size of the box and the inferior taste.  Now I will add them to my pet peeves and I can say that I will not buy or eat any more Russell Stover.  If I want a piece of chocolate, I will have an Almond Joy, a Hershey with almonds, Raisinettes, or some peanut M&Ms.  They still have the same taste and quality and satisfy my craving for chocolate quite well.  

This is very disappointing to me. Nothing changes for the better, only the worse.  Companies are only interested in profits and the hell with customer satisfaction and product quality.  Oh well, it was good while it lasted.  Good bye Russell Stover!

 

 

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Family Trees..

  In 1977 Alex Haley’s “Roots” became a miniseries on television. My brother and I watched every episode and loved it. But even after watching it, we could not shake the value of finding the roots of our own family. Someday I would have children and I would want them to know where they came from, the relatives who might be long gone before their arrival, and those who they might meet but would never remember as they got older.

My brother started asking questions and information from our parents. He got the names of our ancestors for as far back as they could remember, which was a little easier for us since our parents were first cousins and our tree was a little one sided. He got the names of all the relatives they could remember, including dates of birth, marriage and death and when they came to this country from Sicily. He put everything on charts and it looked quite impressive. But, he didn’t stop there. He sent away for birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates and passenger lists of the ships that brought our grandparents and their children here. We didn’t computers back then so he really did a great job collecting documents. He even wrote to the church in Sicily to get some of these documents from there. My father was born there and our parents married there.

By the time I married in 1983, he had a very impressive collection of facts and documents and he had made copies of everything for me. It was then that I decided to record all the oral history we had heard for years at family get-togethers and holidays. So many things had been discussed over the years and would be lost if not written down. I started with a list of all the family members and ancestors I had heard anything and those I knew personally while growing up. It was a labor of love. I wrote every night for days and included every little detail of every story I could remember. If I forgot something or needed my memory refreshed, my mother was only too happy to fill in the blanks. But, I didn’t forget much. These stories lived inside of me and just poured out on the blank page like water from a pitcher. When I was done, my words added flesh to the body of information my brother had collected.

We got two family tree books from Barnes & Noble. They were very inexpensive. We entered all our information on the new, crisp pages of our books. I typed up our oral history. It was quite and impressive piece of work. My husband saw and heard us working on this project and he decided to try to document his family tree for our children as well. He sent for documents here and in Europe. He wrote to Malta for information on his mother and her side of the family, because they were born there. He wrote to Austria to try to get information on his father’s side. He got passenger lists for when his mother and her family came to this country. And, he asked his parents questions and got as much information as he could on names and dates. It was very exciting for him to see the wealth of information he collected and he transferred all his information onto charts too.

In third grade, my daughter was assigned a project for the year, to create her family tree! We took out all the documents and oral history. We found pictures of the relatives mentioned. We took pictures of her grandfather’s medals from WWII and her grandmother’s jewelry that had become family heirlooms that she would one day inherit. She made up questions and interviewed all four of her grandparents to included in her album. The project was fun, she learned a lot about her family that year and I have to say her project was the best. They had a year-end luncheon at the school and displayed the class’ work for all the parents to see.
I always say we are a product of our experiences, and we are. But, we are also a product of those who came before us. I am so glad my brother and I decided to act on our impulses and went out to gather and record all this information. We will now leave my girls, their children and all future generations a legacy of family history that would have surely been lost.

It’s a new year, a time for new beginnings. Maybe there will be time to search out “old” beginnings of your family?  You will never be sorry you did, it’s a rich and rewarding experience. And, when your children get older, they will thank you.

*****

 

Since I last wrote this, my older daughter has picked up where I left off researching our family tree. She is journaling her experience in her own bog, "Tracking Them Down" at http://trackingthemdown.wordpress.com/

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Hanging Up The Phone On Someone…

 Hanging Up The Phone On Someone…

 I received a special request to blog about phone hang ups so I will do my best. I have rarely been hung up on, but I know that it is infuriating when it happens, no matter who is on the other end. It is about as rude as one can be using the telephone, as far as I am concerned. I think my mother hung up on me once or twice, but she was allowed to be rude, she was my mother and that excuses her bad behavior. Mothers can get away with things that other people can’t, that is one of the ten commandments. In my mother’s case, she always felt that I provoke her bad behavior by my choice of words, tone or attitude. In any case there would be no winning that argument.

If someone, other than my mother, were to hang up on me, that might be the last time I talk to them. If someone has the audacity to hang up in the middle of a conversation, without allowing me the consideration to have my say or respond, then there is nothing left to say. Chances are that is it a heated conversation to begin with if it ends in a hang up. It leaves the person hung up on angry about the conversation, as well as, the abrupt, rude, disrespectful, ending to it. There is really no excuse for such behavior and if someone thinks so little of you as to hang up, you better re-examine that relationship more closely.

There may be times when hanging up is excusable, in my opinion. One exception to the rule are telemarketers who will not take no for an answer and just keep talking. We all know they like to call at dinner time, when they are sure people are home. On top of that, I don’t recall ever saying yes to any offer a telemarketer has made to me, and I have had plenty of these calls. So, when they start talking, and you’ve heard it all before, and you say sorry I am not interested once or twice, then it is perfectly ok to hang up on them. I have registered all my phone number with the DO NOT CALL registry so that I will not get many if at all and they will be fined if reported. I will post the link below if you haven’t done it.

Also, if someone is screaming in your ear about something they are pissed off about and you can’t get a word in edge-wise, then say you are going to hang up one or twice, as a warning, then do it. You don’t not have to subject yourself to verbal abuse.

Most serious conversations would be better had in person anyway. Body language plays a big role in communication and might set a different tone for the conversation. On the other hand, if the person has violent tendencies, then the phone would be much better.

Personally, I would find it very hard to hang up on someone. But if you ever want to get someone really pissed off, this would be one fool proof way to do it. Many people will write you off after that, so if you want to end a relationship give it a try.

 

 

 

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Dr. Phil Has Irked Me Again… 2023

  Dr. Phil Has Irked Me Again… 2023

 

 Self promotion and exploitation are the basic motivators for Dr. Phil’s show. I am not the only one who feels that way, just check out his show’s Facebook page to see complaint after complaint. What’s up now? For those of you who don’t tune in I’ll explain. This year Robin, Dr. Phil’s wife, has “created” a skin care line (and I use the word “created” very loosely). On top of that, Dr. Phil and his son Jay have created a new app called, “Doctor on Demand,” that allows you to connect with a real doctor, who will diagnose you over your smart phone and give you a prescription for whatever ails you for a mere $40, the cost of a co-pay, in the comfort of your home. That is what is on the agenda for this season. Two money making schemes to add to the riches of Dr. Phil’s pockets. That is after all Dr. Phil’s forte, bilking people out of money under the guise of helping them when, in actuality, he is helping himself.

Let me explain why this irks me. I was watching a show about an abused woman. She had little self esteem, the husband was a real jerk who verbally assaulted her every chance he got. He doesn't find her attractive, blah, blah blah. So they are telling their story and half way into the show (or less) Dr. Phil announces that Robin is going to help the wife by giving her a “make-over.” I’m thinking fine, the wife and Robin will go backstage together while Dr. Phil lays into the jerk of a husband and straightens him out. But no, that’s not what happens. Instead, we get to see the entire make-over from start to finish, focusing on Robin’s skin care line which is going to make all the difference in this woman’s life. Insert eye-roll. All the while Dr. Phil and the jerk of a husband are sitting out on stage waiting for the miraculous transformation that is going to save this marriage. The make-over takes about 30 minutes and is basically a self-serving “infomercial” within the show. There is no other way around it. Promoting Robin’s products and the fact she will be appearing on a cable channel after the show to hawk her goods some more. I was disgusted. Many people of the Dr. Phil page were disgusted. Instead of taking care of the problem “husband” they put a Band-Aid on the wife and sent her home with skin cream. In the meantime you can hear the “chi-ching” for orders being placed all over America and maybe even the world. After this show aired, it wasn’t the end of the shameless promotion of this skin care line. Every female guest appearing after that show needed to be treated with more of the same. They didn’t waste as much time, but managed to beat a dead horse promoting their products when they should be helping the guest.

Moving on to the Doctor on Demand App. How long has Dr. Phil been “treating” people on his show? Over ten years I would guess. Never before has he had the need for an medical doctor to define every illness and it’s consequences. Up until now, he has ben able to tell guests the what will happened if they continue to do drugs or alcohol. This isn’t his first rodeo after all. He knows his stuff and what he doesn’t know he can easily find out. But now he is all of a sudden playing dumb. Every guest that is harming themselves with drugs or alcohol needs to hear what a doctor on demand has to say about it. Midway through his interview the will tell us he and his son Jay have created an app that allows you to speak to a doctor about any medical issue. Dr. Phil will whip out his smart phone, that has already connected itself to a doctor from his app, and start asking the doctor questions about the guests condition. He will hand the phone over to the guest as he asks basic questions and then thank the highly qualified doctor for answering. Then he encourages everyone to download the app and gets back to his guest. It really is unethical to use the show in this way. Doesn’t Dr. Phil have enough money without taking time away from guests who have come to him seeking his help? And we all know that he combs through all potential guests to find those who will bring him the highest ratings because this show is a cash cow for Dr. Phil and all his products. He even promotes his son, Jay's, show The Docotrs and his son's publishing company that published the good old doc's lasst book.

He may have started out a tiny bit sincere about trying to help people overcome problems, but now (and for a long long time) his guests have become a means to an end. A way to help his empire grow. Who cares if that woman’s husband, the jerk, continues to verbally abuse her? They gave her skin care products and let her be on the show to exploit her problem as a means to launch Robin’s line. And who better to subscribe to his app Doctor’s on demand than hypochondriacs? They can call in every day! Yes, he did have a woman on there who suffered from hypochrondria and he suggested she use his app. Cha-ching.

 

 

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Dr. Phil May 14 2023 & Weekly Schedule Lineup

 Dr. Phil May 14 2023 & Weekly Schedule Lineup

 

 

PreviousNext

Date	Episode Info	New / Repeat
Friday, 12 May 2023	Artificial Intelligence is a subject that's been capturing our imaginations for decades, and now, as technology continues to evolve, AI is becoming more prevalent in our everyday lives. But, that’s not Dr. Phil’s opinion -- that was written with the use of artificial intelligence. So, why is everyone talking about this? Artificial intelligence has the potential to improve our daily lives, but it also raises ethical and societal concerns about its impact on employment, privacy, and the future of humanity. Will AI go too far and one day replace the skills and contributions of human beings? Or, will it make our lives easier? Dr. Phil discusses this technology with leading experts. He also receives a special delivery from Serve Robotics. What is it? Tune in and find out!	New
Thursday, 11 May 2023	Dr. Phil and Robin answer burning questions and address rumors from their fans, like, have you ever wondered if Dr. Phil is a real doctor? Where does Robin get her beautiful wardrobe? And, is Robin paid to sit in the audience? Tune in today for answers straight from the sources themselves -- nothing is off limits! Plus, questions and tributes from some of Dr. Phil and Robin’s celebrity friends, including Bishop T.D. Jakes, Entertainment Tonight hosts Kevin Frazier and Nischelle Turner, David Foster and Katharine McPhee Foster, Ronnie Dunn, Marcia Gay Harden, Skylar Astin and Madeline Wise who star in the hit show So Help Me Todd, and the Jonas Brothers.	New
Wednesday, 10 May 2023	John Kinsel has been locked up for more than 26 years for a crime he says he did not commit -- raping, choking and threatening to kill a child. About 30 years ago, Kinsel, 22 at the time, says he met and fell in love with a single mother of three, Adrienne, and then got the chance to play dad to her three children. Some claim that didn’t sit too well with Adrienne’s 9-year-old middle child, Alyssa, who said Kinsel was strict and demanding, and she didn’t like him. Alyssa now says she devised a plan to get rid of Kinsel; she says she told a lie, accusing him of sexually abusing her for years. Kinsel was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole based on Alyssa’s testimony. Nine years later, 18-year-old Alyssa walked into the District Attorney’s office and said she wanted to recant her testimony -- why? Adrienne, Alyssa, and Kinsel’s attorney, Justin Bonus, recently appeared on Dr. Phil, and Alyssa told Dr. Phil she regrets telling this lie that put an innocent man behind bars for life. Now, Dr. Phil heads to a courthouse in New Orleans for a new evidentiary hearing for Kinsel. Cameras were not allowed in the courtroom, so afterward, Dr. Phil sits down with Adrienne, Alyssa, John’s sister, Mary, Adrienne’s niece, Georgette, and John’s attorneys, Justin Bonus, Marty Tankleff, and Max Demers, to find out what happened behind closed doors. Is there new evidence? Did Kinsel get any good news about his case? And, is Kinsel any closer to freedom?	New
Tuesday, 9 May 2023	The debate about Critical Race Theory (CRT) being included in K-12 school curriculum has intensified. One side fears that CRT admonishes all white people for being oppressors while classifying all Black people as hopelessly oppressed victims. Dr. Luke Wood, a university professor who teaches Critical Race Theory, explains its importance to understand the history of racism in American society. High school teacher Kali says she left the state of California and moved to Florida because she refused to be forced to teach CRT in her classroom. Alma is a parent who says ever since the Governor of California passed ethnic studies as a graduation requirement for high school students, her children have been impacted in a negative way. Toccara and Lauren are both mothers who say they wished their children would be taught CRT, and future generations could be hurt without these teachings. Are kids too young to learn about CRT? Should it be forced, or should it be an elective?	New
Monday, 8 May 2023	If there were ever a time for disruptive thinking, it’s now! We need new methods for these volatile times, and T.D. Jakes has a life-altering message that he has created in his new book, “Disruptive Thinking.” This movement is calling for an alternate way to change the systems that no longer serve the health of our families, no longer serve our professional interests or how we communicate with others who think or vote differently than us. Disruptive thinking has led to some of the world’s most innovative and necessary movements; every period of chaos brings an opportunity to disrupt by providing an unexpected alliance or solution. Young entrepreneur Vale and blogger sisters Sammy and Gracie explain how disruptive thinking helped their lives. T.D. Jakes explains disruptive thinking and how it can bring greatness to one’s life.	New
Friday, 5 May 2023	In recent years, Latino hate crimes have become a growing concern in the United States. Some research shows that the rise in hate crimes has coincided with a rise in anti-immigrant sentiment in America. Some of Dr. Phil’s guests argue immigration rhetoric has led to the stigmatization and demonization of Latinos and adversely affects their well-being. Fatima and her husband, Robert, claim that in January 2022, a woman started terrorizing their family by ringing their doorbell and screaming racial slurs. They claim she continued this aggressive behavior on four separate occasions over a year, with most incidents caught on their security camera. Fatima says after posting one incident on TikTok, the video received 5.9 million views in a few days, which caught the attention of police, who arrested the woman. However, Fatima and Robert claim this continued racist harassment traumatized their family. Edin Enamarado says he has been a Latino Activist for over 13 years and believes there is an increase in dangerous and harmful rhetoric stigmatizing Latinos as illegals or undocumented and a massive amount of misinformation spreading, especially on social media. Cheryl Dorsey is a 20-year veteran and former LAPD sergeant who says she believes hostile speech or disrespect may feel like hate speech, but it is not illegal, and these verbal acts only become crimes when they directly incite perpetrators to commit violence against persons or property. Jason Tatenhove says he is a former extremist after being in the group Oath Keepers for one-and-a-half years and serving as their spokesperson. He claims he has been receiving a lot of hate after recently publishing a book about his experience, “The Perils of Extremism: How I Left Oath Keepers and Why We Should Be Concerned About A Future Civil War”.	New
Thursday, 4 May 2023	Mothers who microdose psychedelics to achieve relaxation; experts discuss benefits and dangers.	New
Wednesday, 3 May 2023	Terri says she has been waiting two years for her millionaire boyfriend, Ricardo, to return home from Canada with their Bitcoin investment. Terri says as soon as Ricardo comes home with their money, they will be moving into their condo in Houston, TX, that Ricardo’s CEO purchased for them. However, Terri’s sister, Tammy, says everything Ricardo has told Terri is a lie. Is Ricardo being honest about anything, including his identity, and if not, who is Ricardo? Plus, see updates on some former Dr. Phil guests who were scammed. After being scammed once – and in some cases, twice – have they learned anything?	New
Tuesday, 2 May 2023	Two years ago, Terri says she met her millionaire boyfriend, Ricardo, who she plans to marry. But, there was just one problem: They have never met in person. Terri says shortly after they met, Ricardo moved to Canada for work and asked Terri to invest $10,000 in Bitcoin, with promises that it would make her at least $1 million in six months. Terri continued to send money for two years, totaling nearly $80,000! Terri says not only has she not met her boyfriend, but she also hasn’t seen a penny of her investment. Terri’s sister, Tammy, says she believes Ricardo is nothing but a scammer who is using an innocent man’s photos and sweet-talking Terri out of her hard-earned money.	New
Monday, 1 May 2023	Dr. Phil delves into the psychology of how James Addie, a husband of 23 years and father, was living a double life, which eventually led to the murder of his fiancée, Molly Watson, 48 hours before their wedding day. In November 2022, a Missouri state appeals court upheld the murder verdict for the former Missouri prison guard. Now, in the aftermath of this man's selfish desires, two families – Addie’s ex-wife, Melanie, and daughter, Emma, and Watson’s brother, Tim, and cousin, Jodi -- meet to pick up the broken pieces of their lives. In an exclusive interview, Emma shares her struggle reconciling the dad she loved with the murderer she helped put behind bars.

Doreen and Yvette have never met, but they have a lot in common; both say their lives are consumed fighting for freedom in a broken justice system. Doreen’s son, John Giuca, and Yvette’s brother, Billie Allen, have spent half their lives in prison for crimes they say they did not commit. John was convicted of murder and sentenced to 25 years to life. Billie was convicted of murder and robbery and sentenced to death. Both women say they will stop at nothing to get their loved one out of prison. Doreen even went undercover and transformed herself from an everyday mother into a sexy blond 30-something in order to befriend a juror from John’s murder trial. Find out what she says she uncovered. John and Billie’s attorneys, Mark Bederow, Marty Tankleff, and Marc Howard, and “Wrongful Convictions” podcaster Jason Flom explain to Dr. Phil why there are flaws in our justice system that need changing. And, meet college graduate Jaye, who took part in a class called “Making an Exoneree.” She tells Dr. Phil what it was like to meet Billie in person. Plus, actor Gbenga Akinnagbe and activist Whitney Meilan Yang share why they joined Billie’s campaign.	New
Tuesday, 16 May 2023	Richard Glossip was convicted of first-degree murder in 1998 for the beating death of his boss, Barry Van Treese. The conviction was based largely on the testimony of Justin Sneed, who admitted to killing Van Treese but claimed Glossip hired him to carry out the murder. Glossip’s case was featured on Dr. Phil in 2015. Then, in 2021, Dr. Phil interviewed Glossip from death row. Now, Dr. Phil learns the newest details of Glossip's case. On April 24, 2023, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond wrote the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board respectfully urging to recommend clemency for Glossip. On May 5, 2023, 60-year-old Glossip was granted another stay of execution after the Supreme Court blocked his execution which was planned for May 18. Dr. Phil joins lawmakers, including Rep. Kevin McDugle and Rep. Justin Humphrey, Glossip's attorney, Don Knight, Sister Prejean, Glossip’s wife, Lea Glossip, and Oklahoma politician Justin Jackson, in Oklahoma City for a rally and press conference at the Oklahoma State Capitol to speak out against the state's conviction of Glossip. See Dr. Phil’s exclusive interview with Lea after she recently spoke to Robin McGraw. What did they share during the conversation “wife to wife?” What happens next for Glossip after this most recent stay of execution?	New
Wednesday, 17 May 2023	Andrew Tate is known for his misogynistic social media posts and videos claiming to be helping young men acquire lots of money, drive luxury cars, and pick up hot women. Tate is fighting a legal battle in Romania right now, but should parents worry about his influence on their sons? Before Tate was detained, Dr. Phil spoke with Richard Reeves, senior fellow at the Brookings Institute and author “Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male is Struggling, Why it Matters, and What to Do about It”; Marilyn York, a men’s rights attorney; Imran Ahmed, CEO and founder of the Center for Countering Digital Hate; and blogger and author Rollo Tomassi. Plus, hear from a group of teenage boys who surprise their mothers when they share what they think about Tate. And, Robin joins the conversation.	New
Thursday, 18 May 2023	Dr. Phil follows up with some of his most talked about guests to find out what happened when they left his stage and returned home. Karen says she was in love with a man she had never met or even video chatted with! Her daughter, Mindy, insisted she was being catfished. Has Karen stopped speaking with the man who claimed to be stuck at sea? Then, Renatta turned to food to cope with the loss of several family members. You won't believe her incredible weight loss transformation! Are Lori and Bob still trapped in a house full of clutter and buried by their belongings? Next, a former guest gets the surprise of her life – a proposal from her boyfriend! Plus, find out how Lydia, the 80-year-old champagne toasting "Glamma," is doing now. And finally, philanthropist Nancy Davis discusses her foundation, Cure Addiction Now, and how she is dedicated to changing the addiction treatment landscape to save lives.	New
Friday, 19 May 2023	Dr. Phil continues to share amazing updates and transformations about the guests viewers ask about most. Did Stuart, who had a 50-year addiction to marijuana, put down his pipe and get sober? Then, find out what happened after Dr. Phil and Robin made a surprise house call to a couple who were battling over chores. Also, Pepper and Pearson were contemplating divorce when they first appeared. Did Dr. Phil and Robin’s advice keep them from ending their over 40-year marriage? Plus, Dr. Phil speaks with Debbie, whose son, Brandon, once battled drug addiction. And, catch up with Erin, who wanted to drop out of college to become a social media influencer. Lastly, hear from Aileen, who survived an abduction that resulted in her husband being executed in front of her, and how she says Dr. Phil viewers came to her rescue.	New

 

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All 8 CBS-Owned The CW Affiliates Are Going Indy

 All 8 CBS-Owned The CW Affiliates Are Going Indy 

The eight The CW affiliates in the CBS-owned group will become independent stations in September. They are WPSG Philadelphia, WUPA Atlanta, KBCW San Francisco, KSTW Seattle, WTOT Tampa, WKBD Detroit, KMAX Sacramento and WPCW Pittsburgh. 

The stations will continue airing The CW programming through August. As of September, CBS Stations will have 13 independent stations alongside the 14 CBS stations.  

“We look forward to reimagining these stations as independents while leveraging the considerable value of their primetime real estate in each of the markets,” said Wendy McMahon, president and co-head, CBS News and Stations. “It’s an exciting time to look at new opportunities to add local programming, including live sports, and shows from across the Paramount Global brands. We are also grateful to have been part of The CW for 17 memorable years and wish our partners at Nexstar continued success.”

More and more live sports are moving back to broadcast TV as cable regional sports networks hit tough times. 

In October, Nexstar Media Group completed its acquisition of 75% of The CW. Dennis Miller was named network president, succeeding Mark Pedowitz. Nexstar said in a statement, “Since our acquisition of The CW Network last October, we have known that Paramount Global might transition the network affiliations of eight of its company-owned stations later this year. We are prepared for this possibility and confident that The CW Network will continue reaching 100% of U.S. television households without interruption.”

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Report: Tucker Carlson To Torch Fox News

 Report: Tucker Carlson To Torch Fox News

 

 Tucker Carlson is preparing to unleash allies to attack Fox News in an effort to bully the network into letting him work for — or start — a right-wing rival, sources close to him tell Axios.

Bryan Freedman, the high-powered Hollywood lawyer Carlson retained for the contract dispute, told Axios: "The idea that anyone is going to silence Tucker and prevent him from speaking to his audience is beyond preposterous."

Why it matters: Tucker vs. Fox could reshape the conservative news world. Fox, which has seen its ratings plunge in Carlson's slot since he was let go 13 days ago, wants to sideline him by paying him $20 million a year not to work.

The intrigue: Axios has learned Carlson is busy plotting a media empire of his own. But he needs Fox to let him out of his contract, which expires in January 2025 — after the presidential election.

Behind the scenes: Axios has learned that Carlson and Elon Musk had a conversation about working together, but didn't discuss specifics.

Carlson confidants say he also is contemplating building a direct-to-consumer media outlet where his millions of fans could pay to watch him. Carlson's predecessor in his Fox slot, Bill O'Reilly, created a blueprint for this.

State of play: The ousted host "knows where a lot of bodies are buried, and is ready to start drawing a map," said a Carlson source who wasn't authorized to speak publicly. Carlson allies with big platforms are prepared to attack Fox for trying to keep him on the shelf.

In a sign of what could be coming, Megyn Kelly hit her former employer for its post-Carlson ratings by tweeting a reference to conservative attacks on Bud Light: "My audience is calling them #Foxweiser."

 

 

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CNBC Anchor Also Had Relationship With Buyout Tycoon

 The TV anchor who brought down NBC Universal CEO Jeff Shell also had a romantic entanglement with a married Texas buyout tycoon who treated her to a luxurious, jet-setting lifestyle, The NY Post reports.

Hadley Gamble — a CNBC correspondent who was revealed to be the woman who had an “inappropriate relationship” with Shell for more than a decade until 2019 — was also tied during the same period to David Bonderman, the billionaire chairman of private equity firm TPG, according to a whistleblower complaint reviewed by The Post.

Bonderman — the 80-year-old co-owner of the NHL’s Seattle Kraken, with an estimated net worth of $6.6 billion, according to Forbes — has been renowned for his extravagant lifestyle, hiring bands like the Rolling Stones to play at his lavish parties. 

According to an explosive whistleblower complaint filed by a former TPG executive in 2015, Bonderman counted Gamble among his “female companions” and treated her to frequent trips on the firm’s private jet.

“TPG’s founder, David Bonderman, is known within the company to have regular female companions on which he lavishes gifts or to whom he otherwise provides benefits,” former TPG executive Adam Levine alleged in his complaint filed with the SEC on March 2, 2015.

“Mr. Bonderman is rumored to pay most, if not all, of the living expenses for these women, and often brings them with him on business trips,” according to the complaint.

“Ms. Gamble, especially, is known to fly with him regularly on TPG’s planes.”

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Boston Radio: WRKO's Howie Carr Passes-Out During Live Show 2023

 Boston Radio: WRKO's Howie Carr Passes-Out During Live Show 2023

 

 WRKO 680 AM host Howie Carr was hospitalized Monday after collapsing on the air live during his afternoon drivetime show.

Carr, who said he was not feeling well at the beginning of his show, due to a medical procedure, was interviewing a sponsor.  The pair were about to offer $50 gift certificates to a restaurant for half-price.

Carr began to mumble and then drifted off, slumping onto his mic. The sponsor appeared shocked, continued to speak for about 30 seconds before staffers came in to remove him from his chair.

iHeartMedia's talk station WRKO played commercials and bumpers through the rest of the hour.

Just before 5 p.m., Grace Curley, another host on Carr’s network, came on the air to brief listeners saying Carr caught a virus from his grandson and has been checked into the hospital.

Carr, who is in his early 70s, has been a journalist for nearly five decades, with most of the last 40-plus years, mainly for the Boston Herald and WRKO 680 AM but also WHDH-TV and NewsMax TV. He was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame, the highest honor bestowed on broadcasters, in 2008. Carr formed his own radio network about nine years ago.

 

 

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Dr. Phil Talk Show To End 2023

  Dr. Phil Talk Show To End 2023

 

“Dr. Phil” is coming to an end this spring after 21 seasons, CBS Media Ventures announced Tuesday, emphasizing it was Dr. Phil McGraw’s decision to stop making new episodes.

The NY Post reports the media company aims to repackage and rerun old episodes of the daytime show for the 2023-2024 season and beyond. The repurposed episodes would feature new content such as “wrap-arounds and intros by McGraw,” 72, as well as “guest updates,” per the announcement.

“I have been blessed with over 25 wonderful years in daytime television,” McGraw said in a statement. “With this show, we have helped thousands of guests and millions of viewers through everything from addiction and marriage to mental wellness and raising children. This has been an incredible chapter of my life and career, but while I’m moving on from daytime, there is so much more I wish to do.”

McGraw said he will shift his focus to prime-time programming with new partnerships due to launch in early 2024.

“I am compelled to engage with a broader audience because I have grave concerns for the American family, and I am determined to help restore a clarity of purpose as well as our core values,” McGraw added.

 

 

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Rural mom says 'The Dr. Phil Show' tricked, ambushed, manipulated and misrepresented her

 A rural Kentucky family that was featured on "The Dr. Phil Show" told their local newspaper that they felt tricked, ambushed, manipulated and misrepresented by the producers. After the show appeared Dec. 2, Willie and Laura Essex (in photo with host Phil McGraw) told their experience to The Lebanon Enterprise, which published a story about it this week.

Laura Essex said the episode, titled "Brat-proof your child," made it appear that she often yells at her triplets when she does not. She said the producers made the yelling appear worse by increasing the audio volume on home video she made for the show; told her husband to sit in the audience after telling them that they would be on the set together; and told them to say that they asked to be on the show, though they were recruited online by a show staff member. She had other complaints, including that McGraw revised some of his comments after the Aug. 23 taping and made it appear that they were made during the taping. "I think that was unfair," Essex told the Enterprise. "We couldn't change what we said."

The story has no comment from the show's producers, or any mention of an attempt to contact them. Writer Jeff Moreland, editor of The Springfield Sun, another Landmark Community Newspapers weekly, told us in an e-mail that he "tried but got no response." The story ends with this quote from Essex: "I have nothing to hide, but I think they really made me out to be a monstrous mom. My kids are well taken care of and loved, and I don't think they portrayed any of that on the show.

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Off-again, on-again Dr. Phil suddenly back on SABC2 again - although it's anybody's guess whether viewers even care anymore.

 

Off-again, on-again Dr. Phil suddenly back on SABC2 again - although it's anybody's guess whether viewers even care anymore. 

 

 The then-there, then-pulled, then-back, then gone-without-a trace Dr. Phil is back again (for now) on SABC2 although it's anybody's guess whether SABC2 still has any audience left bothering, or knowing to tune in again to watch Phil McGraw dispense pop psychology in his talk show.

The SABC and SABC2's deplorable handling and scheduling disruption of Dr. Phil the past year and a half during which it actually completely lost the rights to the show and the lack of continuous - or any - communication about it to keep viewers informed has seen interest and the audience who knew and who tuned in on weekdays at 12:00 completely evaporate.

 Since Monday this week Dr. Phil is back in the 12:00 timeslot on SABC2 but viewers haven't returned.

After the long, yet again absence of the American weekday talk show which is now suddenly back at a random date, nobody cares anymore.

It is as much a result of viewers no longer willing to invest in a show that might again just suddenly disappear, as well as the erosion legacy in viewer loyalty the SABC and SABC2 caused by constantly starting and stopping the show without saying what's going on.

"SABC2 is pleased to announce to our viewers that after a lengthy absence from the TV screens, Dr. Phil returns on Monday 28 April," SABC2 said in a statement. "The show retains its longtime slot of 12:00 from Mondays to Thursdays," the channel said.

SABC2 however didn't explain why Dr. Phil is back now, why it erratically comes and goes, and no promises that Dr. Phil won't just disappear without any notice or explanation again. SABC2 didn't give any clear reason in response to a media enquiry asking why the show is back and why it was gone "for a lengthy absence".

Dr. Phil saw another two fake starts - a fake late 2013 schedule insertion which didn't pan out, as well as again empty promises in 2014 which then also came and went.

The SABC and SABC2's problems with Dr. Phil stems from contractual problems which the SABC caused and remained the cause of, according to insiders.

Payment issues delayed new episodes and a new season, and the SABC also didn't keep records of episodes played and failed to provide detailed records to the international distributor regarding playout of episodes, making them reluctant to continue offering the show to the SABC - at least not until the SABC got its shoddy books in order.

 

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Mandy Murphey & Girls Mandy Murphey & Girls

  Mandy Murphey & Girls  Mandy Murphey & Girls

 Over the weekend I got to hang out with my favorite news anchor and her beautiful girls.  Last time I spent time with this family Lacey was a newborn.  Mandy is one of the sweetest, warmest folks I've ever met.   Get her talking off the air and you can still hear a hint of her Kentucky twang ;)    Her girls, Natalie and Lacey, are the most perfect mix of poise and sass, I was so excited to catch up with her for some new family photos, enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

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Hold my Pineapple, we have SWINGERS in the studio.

 Hold my Pineapple, we have SWINGERS in the studio. 

Hang on to your pineapples, guys and maybe send your kids outside for this one because we welcome three SWINGERS into the studio today! Jenny and Josh are a married couple who are in 'the lifestyle' and Jessica is what's known as a 'unicorn' and they're all here to answer our questions about being a swinger - where they go, how they meet people and literally anything else we can dream up to ask them. Find out the connection to pineapples, what a 'blue fish' is and even the neighborhood in the St. Louis area with a reputation for Swingers. 

You guys do NOT want to miss this episode! Listen in and let us know if there are any unusual careers (or lifestyles) you want to hear about. We love interviewing interesting people - and we love you guys for listening!! 

Don't forget, if you LIKE the show, SHARE the show - until next time!

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So this one time, I was on Dr Phil...

 So this one time, I was on Dr Phil...

Okay quick back-story...back in my radio days I was part of an elaborate prank to get on the Dr. Phil show. Our morning show had worked with him on a project and he was a big jerk so we wanted to get him back. Myself and our stunt guy "Honkey" set up this story line and wrote into the show. They let us on, we pulled it off, Dr Phil found out, got pissed, they swore the show would never air again and we almost got sued by paramount.

I still have the whole episode on tape somewhere but I haven't watched it in years, but my friend Honkey posted the lead in tease on his myspace page and watching it again made me laugh.

So if your bored click on his page below, it will start playing automatically you have to scroll down to see it, enjoy :)

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Important announcement at the end of this post 2016

 On July 17, 2014, my sisters Sydney & Dani Wolferts ran away after we tried to take our dad to court for abuse. They were found on January 3, 2016. On March 17, 2016 the judge ordered for them to be sent back to Kansas. After our dad has refused and delayed many orders, we finally have trial set at the end of April 2018 to have the abuse petition heard.

I have the deepest respect and love for the amazing life that Ellie Wiesel lived. He passed away today at the age of 87. For those of you who don't recognize his name, this man not only survived the absolute terror of the Nazi camps but then dedicated his whole life to making sure that the world would never forget. I will never forget his legacy.

It was both intriguing and shocking to me that Ellie had to spend so much time convincing others of what was going on. Even while his friends, family and neighbors were being rounded up into very small communities and started being put onto trains, nobody wanted to believe that they were being sent to labor camps where they would be exterminated. They wanted to believe what they were being told by the Nazi soldiers--that they were going to a less crowded and wonderful new place to live. He begged and pleaded many times with his friends but they didn't want to believe that things could be so awful...

It is absolutely appalling to me that even today, there are many who do not believe that the Holocaust ever happened. Many times, I've thought about why this could be and it is apparent to me that those people do not want to believe that something SO horrific took place in our history--very similarly to how Ellie's Jewish community didn't believe him as he begged them not to step foot on the trains which led them to their deaths.

The reason why I have pondered this topic so much is largely because of what I've been through. I have seen many abused children receive responses of disbelief from outside adults and peers when they try to speak out about what is happening to them. When I first publicly announced that my father abused me and my sisters (to shed light on the truth due to the other theories floating around of why they ran), there was so much controversy, confusion and even disbelief--even coming even from those who had known us since we were young children. It was like people did not want to believe that a member of their family, community and/or church could ever be abusive children--because that thought would be too horrific and would change the way they viewed that person.

One of the most difficult challenges in this case is rallying support from those who's fears are blocking their knowledge of the truth. If you are following this page because of a similar experience in your life, you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about.

Sydney and Dani weren't ever heard, and now they've been with our father for almost 4 months with no contact. 107 days of nothing except for what they said to the GAL on court record: that since being picked up from Slate Canyon, they've been extremely roughed up, traumatized, and STILL want the truth to be heard. They've been put in a program that harms children and have not been allowed to contact us. They have no idea how hard we are fighting, or all of the support they have online.

I believe the public eye has been extremely important, because it has forged a path of transparency on what has been going on in the case, which is something we never had before 2014. However, due to my current criminal case this will be my last post for a little while. Both this blog and my Facebook page are being handed over to a group of supporters, where regular updates will be shared from our newly merged page for Sydney and Dani.

I love you all. My prayers are with you and each of your individual trials. I am so grateful for all of you who have chosen to "like" my Facebook page, follow this blog and proudly show your support for my sisters, these two brave young women who have tried and tried to speak out. Keep their story alive by continuing to participate. Thank you. -Brittany

https://www.facebook.com/WolfertsSistersJustice/

May 21, 2016

Update on Current Hearings

SYDNEY & DANI SPEAK FOR THE FIRST TIME.
[Sorry in advance for the funny spacing.]
I am going to write a very brief summary of what took place during the May 4th & 5th phone hearings. There have been a lot of things happening over the past month & as soon as I prepare an update, it seems to be overtaken by a new order. I have attached the public audio files of the hearings, which can be found on Utah Family Law TV's YouTube channel. I highly recommend reviewing these audio files if you have ANY question of what went on in the hearings, however if you don't have time then please read the short summary below:

Since it's been a little while--remember that on April 13th Judge Johnson gave my father ONE WEEK to have my sisters placed in a neutral home in Kansas, that the girls should be immediately taken out of the controversial Pruter program, and that they needed an evaluation done by an agreed-upon, legitimate therapist.

Essentially, on May 4th the Court was presented with the information that my mom had neither seen nor heard from Sydney and Dani, despite many attempted supervised phone calls since April 13th. The GAL's document was also given to the court, where she detailed a highly worrisome trail of my father continually blocking her from speaking to her clients, etc. since April 13th. Judge Johnson did not request that Sydney and Dani be removed from his home as she had previously ordered, but she did arrange a time for my sisters to go to their bishop's home that night to have a phone call with their GAL (they would then go back to our dad's home, after speaking to her and knowing it was going to be presented in court and Brian was going to hear it all). It was determined that there would be a hearing the next morning, where the GAL would present what Sydney and Dani said.

On May 5th, the GAL presented what my sisters said, and it greatly concerns me. First of all, they stated multiple times that they wanted to say more, but were afraid of the "negative repercussions". They felt like they couldn't say their truth of how things were going. They said that they had been extremely "roughed up" and "traumatized" when they were taken from Slate Canyon. They said they wanted the "truth to come out" but repeatedly talked about the repercussions if they remained in Brian's home. They said that they didn't want to hurt anyone and wanted our dad and Angie to know they loved them, however they wanted to be taken out of his home NOW. They begged for an evaluation to be done, to prove that they aren't lying (which means many adults must be telling them they're liars). 

They said they also loved me and our mom very much. Sydney told the GAL that the last order that Brian showed her was the 90-day Restraining Order, which hasn't been in affect for months. Sydney had been told (and still believed) that she wasn't allowed to have any contact with her mom or older sister. Syd and Dani believed that they were alone in dealing with this nightmare, and they had no clue that anyone was fighting for them. They are most likely never alone and watched constantly. They even have a counselor at school, who is not a school counselor. They have zero access to the outside world--the only site they can be on is the school website. (In other cases where children are put in this program, the therapists or parents instruct the school that they are not allowed to be on the internet and the school aids in the restriction.)

Jarom Bishop (our father's attorney) made one argument on May 5th: that it is Brian's "constitutional rights" to have Sydney and Dani not be placed (even temporarily) in another home while they're evaluated. Going against the previous order, Judge Johnson ruled that Syd and Dani will still be evaluated, but they will not leave his home.

It gets more horrific: Last week, Jarom Bishop filed to remove the GAL. He and my father succeeded. The only court authority that had met with my sisters, who they trusted, is no longer able to protect them. My father has claimed since the first few hearings that the GAL was biased. This is so far from the truth! He wanted her off of the case because Sydney and Dani's desires do not coincide with his. They are the GAL's clients, and she was doing her job in giving them a voice in court.

My heart is breaking and my head is sorely confused. I have never seen a judge not only do nothing when an order is violated on all accounts, but go back on the order in favor of the parent who committed the violations. Sydney and Dani are now out of school in Topeka, and with our abuser 24/7. We have still heard nothing from them. They were not allowed to call their mother on Mother's Day. I doubt we will be able to wish Sydney a happy birthday in three days. 

I'm disappointed in our legal system and the major lack of hearing children's voices. Yes, it's true that the 4th District Court is more of a divorce court and doesn't typically hear the children's side as much as the Juvenile Court--but we fought and fought in Juvenile, and look what happened. Judge Bartholomew sent them back, without letting them speak or hearing the abuse petition that I've tried to have heard in court since June 2014! The 4th District Court needs to do something before these girls--my sisters--are irreparably harmed.

All of this may be heavy for you to read and soak in. I commend those of you who cared enough to make it to the end. I wish that we had better news to offer. We are not giving up hope and many supporters are sacrificing their lives along with us to search for what can be done. I'm always praying for a better outcome. I know beyond a doubt that Sydney and Dani's case will one day be a great example of how the system fails children. We must continue to pray and work towards a better tomorrow for them!

 

April 27, 2016

Utter, Eerie Silence

I'm appalled and heartbroken. A lot has happened since my last post. Please read on. (This post is taken from my Facebook page.)

COURT ORDER APRIL 13TH:

I'd like to back up for just a second. There was a TRO signed by the 4th District Court at the end of March, a short time after the Juvenile Court ordered them to Kansas. In this TRO, my father had asked for no contact for 90 days between my mom, me and any other family here in Utah. It had also asked for them to be placed in a reunification program or an "educational process" that is extremely controversial; the Pruter program that we've talked about before. This is what the following hearing was about:

In court on Wednesday the 13th, the 4th District Court dismissed the TRO that was previously signed, and ordered the girls to immediately be placed in the care of a different home and immediately be taken out of the Dorcy Pruter program. The TRO was dismissed on the grounds that the court was not given proper information by my father when it was filed (information such as the fact that he has a recent DCFS finding of abuse). Additionally, my father did not follow the plan that was meant to be followed through Utah and Kansas DCFS with the determination in the ICJ case in Juvenile Court and this was also noted.

As I stated before, the court ordered that Sydney and Dani be immediately removed from our father's unsupervised home and placed with a neutral home that has been background checked. The court also ordered that the girls should be removed from this controversial program right away and meet with an agreed upon, legitimate therapist in order to determine if they even need alienation therapy (which should have happened in the beginning). It was ordered that my mom and I should have supervised supervision/phone calls. I was grateful for this order because it showed that the court was looking out for the best interests of the children.

WHAT'S HAPPENED SINCE:

Complete and total silence on our end. We haven't heard one word from my sisters, and my dad is fighting extremely hard to keep it that way. I'm not trying to talk badly about him; the facts speak for themselves:

There was a supervised phone call organized last week for my mom to talk to Syd and Dani, in which my dad's attorney filed a motion to intervene and wouldn't allow it.

My dad is in contempt of court. He has kept them in the Pruter program, refuses to allow the GAL access to my sisters, won't let us talked to them supervised, and has filed a motion to remove the GAL.

Additionally, Sydney and Dani had left certain belongings at Slate Canyon which they specifically informed the workers they wanted to give to my mom. Under no circumstances did they want these items to go to my dad (they included sensitive journal entries). My dad's attorney picked them up and they are in his possession.

Why are children treated as possessions, and not people?? Sydney and Dani are being silenced by their abuser right now. They are 15 and nearly 17. Sometimes I cannot believe how much their voices have been stripped.

 

April 13, 2016

Life Since They Were Found

I posted the following in my personal blog in a post titled "Life in General", and decided it would be applicable/good for Sydney and Dani's supporters to read. I invite you to follow my other blog if you so desire. Most of what I write here is factual, including hard evidence and testimony of our father's abuse that has never been heard in court. My other blog has been (and will continue to be) a place where I collect things that I appreciate and value: family, faith, fitness, lifestyle and inspiration. Sometimes I feel prompted or inclined to write about my family's plight, and yesterday was one of those times:

To tell you the truth, I stopped writing here because of some very harsh judgments and internet bullying. It was getting so horrible that anytime I posted something, I was ridiculed and jeered at by my dad and his supporters. I was also simultaneously being physically stalked and cyber-stalked by some of his supporters to the point where I hated going outside because I knew someone was parked watching me and keeping tabs on our cars. It was a difficult time, to say the least... but I'm back and here to stay.

It's a lot of work to keep up on my sister's blog, Facebook page, and also run my own social media platforms while working multiple jobs, but I need to start focusing on my future. My future involves advocating for children's voices in the legal system, continuing to pursue a career in modeling and fitness, focusing on my husband and family, building my art business, and so much more. And much of my future starts here, with this blog. Today I'm writing about something you all know about. Except this time, I'm writing completely from my emotional aspect instead of mostly factual. I'm writing from a point of view that is raw, exposed, and real.

I don't know where to begin. Life has been insane, intense and incredible all at once. In 2015, the Dr. Phil show aired, I started my teaching and art business, married the love of my life, and took a few months off to breathe. It seemed that there was nothing more I could do legally except prepare and wait. I began to think that Sydney and Dani wouldn't be coming back until they were eighteen. There were still a few people set on stalking and accusing me (the Orem Police Dept. storming my wedding, for example), but for the most part life began to feel more normal than I'd ever expected it could. 

The third day of 2016 began very early and alarming, as my husband and I awoke to a call at 3 A.M. informing us that my sisters and mom had been found. A family member of someone they were staying with had made a call to the police. They ended up being right here in a neighboring city, Pleasant Grove. We sat outside the Orem Police Dept. where they were all being held, after having been mocked by the detective on the case in a very unprofessional and horrible way. He told me there was "no way" he would allow me to see them because "I could have visited them whenever I wanted to". He smirked at me when I told him DCFS needed to be involved, and the girls should not be interrogated (and whatever else he was doing) without an attorney or case worker present. So there we were, sitting in our car for hours outside the building where my mom and sisters were being detained. I called DCFS at about 5 A.M. to make sure they were aware of the situation. The sun rose while we waited, while my heart ached so bad wondering if they were O.K. and how they were being treated. It was time to keep fighting for my sisters.

My husband is Diabetic and we needed to go somewhere to grab food. As we ate, we received a call from the Spanish Fork Prison. It was my mom. It had been so long since I had heard her voice, I didn't recognize it at first. Then the tears came flooding down my face as I realized it was her. I cried in happiness and relief because she was back and alive. I also cried because of the injustices she was suffering. She was in prison, prison because she chose to protect her daughters (I now know that she chose to meet up with them after a month when they contacted her in August 2014).  Through the salty tears and stinging eyes, I heard her tell me that she loved me and that we could visit her. I turned to my husband and said in disbelief, "I get to see my mom. Today." I will never forget that moment.

So much happened in those first 24 hours. I still look back on it and can't believe it's not a crazy dream. Since then, we were able to bail my mom out and I was able to visit my sisters for the first time. They were at Slate Canyon, a juvenile prison, for nearly 90 days. It took nearly a month to set up our visitation, but we were able to see them multiple times during their stay and I'm grateful for that. There is much that happened between January and March, but it is painful to discuss. My sisters and I rode on a roller coaster of hope followed by crushing blows. Every time it seemed things were finally going right, the judge would make an order to bypass their protection. For example, on March 17th DCFS found abuse (for the second time) against our father. On March 18th, after promising my sisters repeatedly to let them speak to him in court, the judge simply wrote an order sending them back to Kansas. Our dad placed them in a program that harms children until they think and act a desired way (do some research on the Dorcy Pruter program if you're interested.) Sydney and Dani have been missing for over two weeks and in the hands of my dad and these people, and my mom and I have been utterly crushed by it.

There are many forms of trials. We all go through life dealing with and learning from consequences for our own decisions, and some of us suffer deeply due to other's decisions. My sisters and I have had to live through immense amounts of trials and pain due to someone else's decision. The thing that gets us through the most is our faith in Jesus Christ and the love and faith that our mother has instilled in us since we were very young. Sydney, Dani and I have deep testimonies rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They are extremely spiritually, emotionally and mentally mature for their ages, and I look up to them so much.

I am so grateful for each one of you. My last Instagram post really pushed me to start blogging again, because I didn't realize how much all of you looked forward to seeing my "deeper" side of life and the things I am passionate about. Thank you for encouraging me! As I continue forward, I am excited to partner and collaborate with some wonderful people and reveal what the future holds.

xoxo
Brittany

April 4, 2016

My Dad Who Terrifies Us

My sisters were released from Slate Canyon more than two weeks ago and presumably (we don't know for certain) sent back to our dad, Brian Wolferts. This was ordered by the same judge who failed to get us a hearing to discuss our abuse petition in 2014, which caused my sisters to run in the first place. 

This is the man that the judge went out of his way to send my sisters to without giving them or me a chance to testify about his abuse. This post contains mature material and I only advise adults 18 and older to continue. The following list contains things my dad has admitted to or been found by authorities to have done up to 2011. I wrote about my sisters and I in third person, in continuation with the direct quotes from therapists. I apologize for the length of this list. It's so long, yet there is so much more that could have been added. (Wouldn't it be nice if none of these applied instead of ALL of them applying to my dad.) 

Brian Wolferts:

• Admitted in a polygraph to a "history of sexual contact with a child".
• Admitted in a polygraph to exposing himself to two young girls when he was 23 (and already married).
• Admitted to masturbating "years later" to thoughts of the older girl (age 11 or 12) as the younger girl (age 6 or 7).
• Was also seen by psychosexual therapist Dr. Ririe who stated "the nature of the potential risk to [Brian's] children being very well emphasized to all of the parties involved, the risk would be considered much lower for his daughters in this situation. Part of this will be as the result of the increased level of vigilance he and others will engage in as well as the fact that his daughters have been well educated and informed on how to potentially report and address any areas of discomfort and in fact have shown a willingness to do so..."
• Has never wanted his daughters to speak to any judge, filing multiple times to deny them testifying about his abuse.
• Was diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder.
• Was diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
• Was diagnosed with Personality Disorder NOS (dependent features).
• Took Zyprexa (a drug for bipolar disorder or schizophrenia) in 2003 as a "mood stabilizer" to try to deal with his sexual addiction.
• Had 3 years of personal therapy with Dr. Randy Hyde, who then recommended he start therapy with a psychosexual therapist Dr. Roby
• voluntarily did 18 months of sexual offender therapy with Dr. Roby because he knew he needed professional help (but did not complete it).
• He lied to the court that he had completed sexual reorientation therapy which Dr. Roby refuted.
• Said to DCFS in 2004 that he had a chemical imbalance and tried 8 different prescriptions to help his condition, saying he was on Paxil for a year at one point, but it seemed to stop working.
• Said in Nov 2002  he stopped taking medications altogether.
• Held 3 month old Sydney by the ankle then threw her across the room, causing Michelle to have to run across the room to catch her before she hit the ground.
• He told DCFS when asked about this incident that "he may have been playing with her or slightly throwing her in the air and catching her" (I include this because what person admits to throwing a 3 month old baby in the air?! This could actually kill a baby that young!)
• Told DCFS that he has difficulties with himself, emotional disturbances, and felt "undeserving of love".
• Admitted to DCFS that he punched and pushed Michelle.
• Admitted to DCFS that he threw Michelle when she was 7 months pregnant. He said he shoved her, causing her to fall.
• Told DCFS the physical violence that happened happened before Brittany was born. Which means he openly admitted to domestic violence.
• Completed an anger management course, which means he had trouble managing his anger.
• Was found by DCFS in 2005 to have abused Brittany by being violent toward Michelle in front of Brittany.
• His only defense against the Domestic Abuse allegations by Michelle to DCFS were that he didn't think Brittany actually saw him push Michelle down the stairs.
• Admitted to having several "agreed upon meetings" where a girl would show him her privates in the bushes outside his apartment when he was 5, and eventually he pulled down his pants and showed the girl his erection.
• Admitted to using a foam rubber simulated vagina at a friend's house at age 13.
• Admitted his "typical" sexual fantasy is "meeting a relative stranger (woman) and disrobing in front of her and having her become aroused at the sight of my body and penis and engaging in intercourse".
• Admitted to C.Y. Roby in 2003 to having had 5 actual affairs.
• Admitted to DCFS in 2004 to "having affairs with "7 or 8" other women" which went on for approximately 5 years.
• Admitted having 30-40 online affairs by 2003 (after he had been married to Michelle for 11 years already).
• Stated to Dr. Roby that he does have a sexual problem.
• Was fired from Enrich in 2000 for a sexual harassment allegation.
• Was unemployed for much of those years thereafter, while Michelle supported him fully by building her piano lessons business.
• Throughout their marriage he did not consistently hold a job. 
• Called himself a "sex addict".
• Is considered a "sexual deviant" by Dr. C.Y. Roby.
• Has trouble differentiating between ages with regard to his arousal patterns.
• Tended to "underreport his deviant arousal throughout the evaluation [penile plethysmograph], indicating a tendency to minimize his pathology."
• Did not complete the recommended sexual reorientation therapy C.Y. Roby said he needed to complete in order for his daughters to be safe with him outside unsupervised visitation.
• "Appears to have a very strong system for excusing himself for these behaviors that he has done."
• Encouraged his daughters to cut off all ties with their mother.
• Shows a pattern of difficulty with interpersonal relationships stemming at least in part from feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem.
• Was found by Dr. Roby likely to have trouble developing and maintaining long-term relationships.
• Was found to "appear to be somewhat hypersexualized."
• Showed a "tendency to take somewhat of a victim stance where he appears to say 'woe is me, I'm so bad'.
• Reported to Dr. Roby that he wasn't ever suicidal but that he has "felt at times that my family would be better off without me."
• Forced Sydney with celiac disease to eat gluten over the course of years.
• Had to be given multiple doctor notes to impress upon him the urgency of keeping Sydney gluten-free.
• Has cameras installed to monitor the perimeter of his home at all times in Utah and Kansas (Angie verified this on Dr. Phil).
• Has been unemployed much of his adult life, relying on his spouses to support him, but being highly critical of their efforts at the same time.
• Has engaged in protracted litigation tactics for years and years.
• Told DCFS that Michelle "almost broke his nose".
• Told Facebook and Dr. Phil that Michelle "broke his nose".
• In addition to the above list, on March 17th, 2016, DCFS found my dad to have been abusive to my sisters in his home!

THIS LIST PROVES WHY MY SISTERS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SENT BACK TO HIM.

In addition to the above list of things he did before, my dad has fought multiple times to keep my sisters and me from speaking in court about his abuse. Can there be any doubt why a man like the one described above by therapists and investigators might wish his victims (including my sisters and I) to be unable to reveal his abuse??

This is who my sisters are afraid of. This is who I'm afraid of. I admit this hesitantly because I'm certain he probably gains satisfaction at my admission. This abuser and sexual deviant is who now has my sisters behind closed doors, secluded, isolated, alone--able to retaliate against them in any way he wants. And judging from the list above, and my memories of the abuse he often inflicted on all of us in his house, I am severely worried for my sisters. They are in mortal danger. My sisters have additional harrowing details of his abuse which they have so far been prevented by Juvenile Court Judge Bartholomew from presenting in court. My dad knows what he's done, and what they are capable of telling. Therefore, he seeks to silence them. As you can see, he has every reason to want to silence my sisters.

It is hard to come to terms with the fact that my dad is unworthy of my esteem, as I value family as the most important thing in this life. But I also know that if someone abuses you--regardless of their position in your life--they fail to earn your respect, honor, and trust. My dad is my abuser. He and his supporters continue to abuse me verbally and emotionally all over social media, and they don't care about the welfare of my sisters.

I beg you to help me with my exorbitant legal fees as I attempt to get the truth of his abuse to the proper authorities to protect my vulnerable sisters. The judge has tried to prevent it so far and has helped get my sisters into the custody of this deviant abuser. Please help me! Thank you so much for your continual support!

 

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