Amazon sales troubles

Amazon was the brain child of Jeff Bezos technology entrepreneur. He has made billions.

Net worth aside, customers in America are beginning to see a pattern of bad sales, poor customer service. And a general feeling of being taken to the financial cleaners. All though you can give sellers feedback. There seems to be little resolution for bad products.

1. Computer logins not functioning

2. Cameras that won't take pictures

3. Piano keyboards malfunctioning


To give Amazon some credit. They have told people who wish to sell with them. You must state if a product is used or refurbished prior to any sales.

With millions of products, Amazon hasn't had much success cutting down the problems. If Amazon wants to be fresh. They must give customers a hot line to resolve issues. And make sure the people who work on it, can speak and understand the language of each the customer.

Otherwise, Amazon will never be able to compete with a similar new startup online business that offers real help.

Customer service  and professionalism are still key. Even in today's global economy. 

One of the best cafe's in Newport Oregon

Driving on highway 101 is exhilarating. The ocean on one side, the forest on the other. Huge sand dunes looming under forested areas. Along the coast of Oregon there are many food places to choose from.

Entering Newport Oregon the sign states, "The friendliest". Going through town North on 101 past Dutch Bros coffee on the left, just past down town. A few blocks away sits a tiny cafe.

Newport cafe, where the food is great. large portions for hungry crowds, and locals. New flooring that looks like wood planks. We walked in after two thirty in the morning. The fresh clean smell. And bright furnishings. The windows were so clear, one could get the idea they weren't there.

Our server was a young man who sorted out what the spouse wanted, by showing her on the menu where she could get it all. A nice large breakfast called the 2 x 2. Gave her all she could want and then some.

If your just coming to Oregon for an ocean visit or town crawl. You and yours just have to try the Newport cafe. Friendly staff, great service and an exciting look inside. Newport can be proud of this cafe.

Kayac disaster

Today was over cast with a few sun breaks on the Oregon coast. My spouse has always had the impulse to go where we haven't gone before. Today was no exception.

As we used our kayak paddles to cross the bay in Newport, she spotted in front of her the first sea lion. Like a child with ice cream she giggled, pointed and continued  on towards the pack laying out on the peer.

Just across from the coast guard station I felt the slack tide hit. In a few minutes I was struggling to paddle. To just keep from going out to sea. My wife hadn't noticed until I began yelling for her.

She realized the seriousness of our situation. She instructed me to paddle side ways. We were headed for the peer by Rogue brewery. We got close enough and she wanted to try to go under the peer and around the short jetty by the boats.

I went under the peer first. The force of the out going tide was tremendous. I told her to be careful we were in trouble. There were a few men and children above us crabbing.

As if we were in a time warp. As I paddled ever closer to shore I heard what sounded like a child screaming. I looked up to see a girl skipping down the peer. The men above were yelling at me. "Your partner is in the water."

I looked to see her kayak floating out to sea, my insides sunk. A great strength rose up as I paddled ever closer to her. Yelling, "I'm coming, don't you give up. Keep going towards the shore." She replied, "It's really cold." Her face was bright red, her hands were all ready bloody.

She was grabbing the boards that had barnacles, and she kept hanging on. I saw her face, she knew she was going to die. The men above tossed a rope in the water for her to hang onto. They called for help. I used my kayak to try to keep her from floating out to sea. The kayak was too small to be very useful.

A young man climbed down and pulled her up. He gave instructions and she followed them. I placed my paddle under her legs. Together we held her in place, while we waited for rescue. Time faded, she was tired, bruised and bloody.

 As if Hades had risen from the grave to sweep my eternal love away. I burned with the knowledge we aren't kids any more. I felt useless at that moment. As my wife clung to a young man whom I want to say thank you to. I told everyone as the scene played out, thank you.

Newport's finest Fire rescue arrived. They through another rope with a big loop just to help keep her in place until the Coast guard could arrive. With in minutes, that seemed like an eternity she was plucked from the water. I paddled as fast as I could to the shore. I waded in the sand that sunk with each step nearly a foot. Pulling the only kayak left. The sea had stolen the other.

I climbed over the rocks and drug that kayak to the top. A young couple came to my rescue. Here was another young soft spoken man whom I wish to give my thanks to. Names were never exchanged. But a hearty thank you was given to all I met.

Newport's finest fire department crew of two men came over and informed me the other kayak was on the other jetty. We rode over to collect it. As we did a pickup truck grabbed it and drove away. We all thought they were stealing it. To our pleasant surprise they took it to the coast guard station.

Finally reunited, my spouse who was exhausted and cold. The love we share, the hugs and kisses waited until we showered and took care of the wounds. She finally let go. Tears fell and we hugged. Scared, tired and alive.

When people tell us to get the free tide tables and read them they aren't kidding. Our lives could have significantly changed in a few minutes. The tides are dangerous. We have learned to respect mother nature the hard way. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED US TODAY.

Today we were shown there are many good folks out there. Living quietly all around. Sometimes it takes a disaster to see all the goodness around us.

Back ground checks gone wrong

The United States about ten to fifteen years ago allowed companies to crop up over the Internet, whose sole purpose was to find out about your neighbor. Millions became excited, they could check on anyone.

Men and women who were accused of sexual misconduct were listed. They were the first in a long line of casualties. Tossed out from rented dwellings, lost jobs, no medical, no way to maintain a home.

Back ground checks were created out of fear and frustration from law suits. Companies had no way of knowing if a person they hired was a criminal or not.
That was the entire process, had applicant A lied or omitted anything on the application that would need to be known, to make a good hiring decision. Legal safety for the corporation must be maintained. The cost of law suits were rising. 

Companies then decided, they needed to check peoples credit worthiness. One would think this would be done only for cash handling positions. However, these same companies decided if they could deny a person for bad credit, who would ever sue.

The federal government wasn't really keeping an eye on the developing catastrophic bad behavior of employers. Law makers were more concerned with how to cash in on all those companies that wanted out of paying for health insurance. That is another story.

Back ground checks have been used to crush anyone who has a low credit score below 600 or less. Back ground checks have been used to stop LGBT folks from working. Men who are overly feminine. Women who are too masculine. Transsexuals who had name changes were cut or harassed so badly they quit their jobs. High numbers of Hispanics and blacks were hit hard due to criminal records, they could no longer omit.

Increasing background checks hit lists, enter the religious extremists. Women who were married more than once, unacceptable. Too many child or family obligations cut. Over weight people have always been easy to say no to or not call back after an interview. American employers have been having a field day using back ground checks on American citizens.

Back ground checks may not currently be illegal. As a future note, they may become illegal since these fly by night companies have taken the stance, there is no right to privacy in America.

Corporations complained they needed more information to make good hiring choices. This statement know longer holds true. American back ground checks gone wrong.

Political stupidity

Telling Americans that China, Singapore, and the free trade acts have taken jobs away from Americans is a lie.

Corporations moved out of the United States. Why, simple economics. The federal government raised corporate taxes.  Corporations had to pay for health insurance, in many other countries employees are covered for medical or there is no requirement for a business to provide any such insurance. Many other countries have less taxes and much better offerings for businesses.

Other nations have invested in their people. With national health systems that work for all. Yes, there are issues. None of them come close to what America has done to it's workers.

Economically Americans are paying more taxes. Americans are now paying for forced health insurance payments, in some cases these payments are nearly $6500.00 a month.

The Affordable care Act cut into the middle class worse than taxes.  Causing the middle class to cut expenses.  Add forced insurance payments to taxes, the middle class once again got taken to the cleaners.

This one act - the Affordable care Act has become the worst financial crisis for Americans. We have turned our bodies into small businesses.

Good health comes from good food and exercise. Not from financially raping Americans.

No matter which side you have taken participating in stupidity is dangerous.

American politics needs a serious change. Not more political stupidity.

America is divided

The new America looks like razor wire and grotesque cement walls surrounding most of this nations shore lines.

The new America isn't about defending anything remotely regarding freedom.

We Americans have given up our right to any kind of privacy, via the Internet and our government spying on us.

The new America has a dictator, instead of a president and congress.

The new America locks up more citizens. The new America begins killing off any one over fifty and any one disabled regardless of age.

The new America has forced life insurance, forced dental insurance, and continued force health insurance. Which all guarantees the wealthy stay that way. While the rest of us give up eighty percent of our paychecks to insurance schemes.

The new America has voted in a prejudice hate filled white man. Whose juvenile behavior and mouth enter us into a world war we will loose. Under this new leader's reign, the new America is flying a Chinese flag, right after he takes America into bankruptcy.

The new America isn't about helping social programs. The new America is about getting rid of dead wood. Those who can't pay, lock em up. Those who can't work, euthanize them. The new America doesn't believe in hand outs.

In the new America, you no longer have choice.  Once we gave up our right to privacy. We gave up our right to bear arms, in the new America.

America is divided. 

American Politics

We listen to every word. Hanging on for the eventual gigantic crowd clap and we're off. Like a bunch of kids after balloons. We are running with our choices up until we cast that vote.

America is just slap happy regarding politics. Rich men and women battling for the one seat that gives them lifelong benefits, for only serving four years. With our recent exception serving eight.  The presidential seat commands an orchestra for the world to see. And at one time to follow.

Now, the candidates speak about what they will do for the country. Lock down, and finally secure the boarders. Bring jobs back from China and Mexico. Give Americans more job offers. Repealing Obama Care, now called, Affordable Care act. Abolishing the IRS.

Most of the candidates employ people from over there. Yet, they speak as if no one gets the issue of immigration. Send everyone back. Cut off welfare. Cut more programs.

Ideas abounding in American politics in 2016.