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What is Trump’s “Fake News” about!

Tuesday, May 9th, 2017

by: Marceline Donaldson

The retaliations have started and will probably get worse as time goes on. Anyone taking on Donald Trump is being put on notice by the firing of FBI Director James Comey. This comes after he fired acting Attorney General Sally Yates. What became clear in the hearings as Sally Yates gave a time table of her actions – she was not fired for refusing to go to court filing for a “Muslim ban”. She was fired because she raised up the problems with Flynn and was very clear, articulate and fact backed in what she brought to the White House – which probably also put Trump in the crosshairs because not only did she point out Flynn’s transgressions, but the door opened for us to see that our President is probably an underling working for Vladimir Putin.

National Security Director – Flynn – was fired, but only after the Washington Post came out with the truth about Flynn, almost three weeks after Yates pointed out the problems and Trump was forced to fire someone who was a close associate of Trump’s, was with him on the campaign trail for months and who seems clearly to have been colluding with the Russians, probably with the knowledge and blessings and collusion of Donald Trump. Why else would the three of them – Trump, Flynn, Putin – have talked together after Sally Yates presented her findings to the White House? After which Yates was fired.

For Trump to have had a meeting and telephone call in the White House with Flynn and Putin after Sally Yates brought the Flynn business front and center is beyond my ability to understand how this man was elected president. A meeting and telephone call about what – about what to do about Sally Yates to keep her from exposing all of them? But then I have to remember what my life has been like and the enormous amounts of racism and sexism I have experienced. That was at the hands of American citizens who are probably the people who voted in Donald Trump – afraid that their hegemony over all is being cut down to size where they have to accept mere equality.

But what about all of this business where every place you turn you hear “Fake News.” The term – put out in public by Donald Trump, that has been picked up by everyone else.

During the campaign, Trump treated the main stream media like crap – except for those representing the Fox Channel, who he singled out for praise and whatever positive comments he could throw their way.

What was that about? Was that Trump having watched and read all of the other media and found the Fox Channel and Fox News totally superior to everyone else? No! That does not even begin to describe what this man has been doing.

It is time to put out there what this is exactly about – and the context in which this is happening. Basically one which screams to all of us that Trump has yet to appoint someone to a substantial office who is not ethically challenged. That seems to be his number one criteria. Flynn is certainly an example of that.

What is “Fake News” about – this concept that Donald Trump keeps holding up in front of us?

It is about Donald Trump’s friendship with Rupert Murdoch. Trump is one of Murdoch’s close friends. It is claimed they talk daily. So what has one friend done for another? Trump has used his new power and exposure to market Fox News and the Fox Channel as being superior to all the others. He has put it out there that this is what he watches and everything else is “Fake News”.

The president of the United States helping to market one particular media outlet – making it possible for major increases in the income of his friend Murdoch and Murdoch’s family. Trump is promoting his friends’ business and dissing the rest of the media putting their representatives in “bull pens” – literal pens during his campaign stops and calling on the people at his rallies to join him in saying horrible things about all of the media – except, of course, Fox News and the Fox Channel. It is strong propaganda Trump has spread all over the rest of us until I feel as though we have been dirtied in a way we can’t come clean and wash all of this away. It is the Fouling of America and it is being done by a champ who has spent his life doing this to many, many others.

“Fake News” is actually what Sean Spicer, Donald Trump, Mike Pence and others in their group are constantly trying to force feed the public. Blaming the Flynn fiasco on Obama when they all knew that was not true. Spicer giving a long soliloquy on how Security Clearances come about when he knew very well what he was saying was a lie. Trump did not vet Flynn – yet claimed he didn’t have to because Obama had just given Flynn the Security Clearance he needed. In fact, however, Obama had fired Flynn – advised Trump personally not to hire him because of the problems now surfacing, and had not given Flynn any Security Clearance. In fact, Flynn was working as head of the NSC without the Security Clearance he needed because Trump allowed him to do that. Given Flynn’s background and activities he probably could not have gotten the necessary Security Clearance so this smoke screen is thrown up so the general public cannot see how this President Trump is flouting all the laws and procedures put into place to keep this country operating on a fairly high and safe level

The terrorist threat to these United States does not come from the Muslims – it comes from Donald Trump who is doing everything he can to ignore the Constitution of the United States – to destroy everything we hold dear as he tries to turn it all into gold for himself and his friends and who seems to be trying to establish himself as a sick and evil dictator.

What amazes me, but shouldn’t, is how all of the men around Trump – and all of the men at Fox are being knocked off one at a time as they are called out for their clear and ugly sexual abuse against women, among other vile mean spirited ways of being. All defended by Donald Trump, who himself should be in jail for his self-admitted sexual abuse of women.

“Fake News” is necessary as a campaign so actual news is either not printed or not believed by Trump supporters who don’t want to believe their idol has clay shoes. He is, after all, the one keeping them above the unwashed minorities of the world.

We have this president who is illegitimate – a pathological liar – a seeker after money, influence, power for himself and his friends – who is going to strip the United States of every shred of decency, good ethical base, make it the laughing stock of the world, and destroy its middle – class citizens as substantially as possible so that it will take decades for them to recover.

To look at the way Trump has constantly thrown around the concept of “Fake News” and used that to promote his friend – Rupert Murdoch’s business and to attempt to destroy all other media outlets is beyond belief.

One shock after another and each one on a lower plane than the last one. When you think Trump can’t go any lower he lets you know there is still space for him to go because with his clear lack of any kind of human decency there is no bottom for him to hit.

A step lower would be to replace Comey as Head of the FBI with Bannon or one of Jess Sessions friends. They do make a clearly compatible couple. As do their associates in the Republican Party. It is amazing to see the lack of an ethical base and just an inability to adhere to basic human decency in today’s Republican Party – once the Party of Lincoln and now the party of Trump – Nixon – Reagan – all who had to face serious criminal charges coming from how they were being President and what they were doing.

Why he is not being stopped is my question! I know he will never be assassinated because the people who do that are all in his camp.

Why we are allowing this man to ruin everything we have all worked so hard for is my ultimate question today. What are you doing to help restore this country to some semblance of a country where mafia ethics are not the rule of the day and people are not meeting behind closed doors to figure out how to turn this country away from its democratic/republic historical founding towards a vicious, mean-spirited, grasping, greedy, whore mongering group of white men run amuck turning their bigotry into the normal way of things in this country and at the same time establishing these United States as a totalitarian state run by a greedy, lying, abusive etc. etc. etc.

Am I angry? You better believe it. And you?

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Everything talked about in this blog and in any other blog in the Bettina Network, inc. is the opinion of the person who wrote the blog and does not necessarily represent the opinions of Bettina Network, inc. It is the property of Bettina Network, inc. and/or the person who wrote the original blog.

Want to join us? Have a home that you want to open to become one of Bettina Network’s Hedge Schools? Call us and lets talk – or email us.

Ed. Note: Members of the Bettina Network Lifestyle Community can contribute to the Bettina Network Blog whenever they have anything they want to say and be heard by this fantastic group of people. Send your blog to bettinanetwork@comcast.net or mail it to us at P. O. Box 380585 Cambridge, MA. 02238 or call us on the telephone at 617-497-9166 to tell us what you want to say and we will write it for you.

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Tags: breakfast table talk, Donald Trump, politics, Racism, Sexism
Posted in Breakfast Table Talk, Donald Trump, Uncategorized | Comments Off on What is Trump’s “Fake News” about!

WHO READ THE BLOG IN OCTOBER!

Tuesday, November 1st, 2016

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In October, 2016

37,836 people

came to the Bettina Network Blog

to read what we had to say

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We hope they were not disappointed and what they read added something good to their lives.

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One of our goals is to add to your base of:

Knowledge – Wisdom – Art – Imagination – Music

Good food – Great Entertainment!

“““““““““““““`

We try to do this

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through Truth Seeking

Good Investigative Journalism

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Sharing with you what is important to those who are members of Bettina Network’s Lifestyle Community in which your wealth, style, class, race, genealogy, job don’t define you

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We hope to share with you

tools we find and hope you can use to reach

a better understanding of our shared humanity

AND

to help you make ever better decisions about WHO

you are and your CHOICES

as you go through life moving ever closer to

that end time we all face!

How can we live this life graciously,

with elegance, kindness, understanding,

incredible style

AND ESPECIALLY

with love of ourselves

and of all those with whom

we share this Universe!

If you are a member of Bettina Network’s Lifestyle Community you are able to add your thoughts, your research, your political commentary, your recipe’s, your life advice or whatever you want to say – report on – have fun with – have art to share – a video to share. The possibilities are only limited by your life and your lifestyle. Bettina does, however, control content. She is generous, but won’t give up that control. Not yet, at least!

We may even be open to publishing a few blogs from those who have gone, but have things to say about their afterlife or may have something to say to those they left behind – who knows what will pop up in Bettina Network’s Blog.

Keep reading!

We finally figured out how to make it possible for you to sign up to have the blog delivered to your email box so you don’t miss anything.

A green box will pop-up and all you have to do is fill it in and you will be subscribed to Bettina Network Blog.

We have to give kudos where they belong. We use BOXZILLA to produce those boxes which allow you to subscribe to our Bettina Network Subscriber List. The support they gave us as we tried to do a simple thing was amazing. We are not accustomed to companies on the internet giving service. Selling you something – fine! But not many have follow through where you can call or email for help and get first class help and immediate response. They go all out to make sure you like and can use their product.

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Everything talked about in this blog and in any other blog in the Bettina Network, inc. is the opinion of the person who wrote the blog and does not necessarily represent the opinions of Bettina Network, inc. It is the property of Bettina Network, inc. and/or the person who wrote the original blog.

Want to join us? Have a home that you want to open to become one of Bettina Network’s Hedge Schools? Call us and lets talk – or email us.

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Tags: bed & breakfast, Bettina Homes, Bettina Network Hedge Schools, Bettina Network's Lifestyle Community, breakfast table talk, Guest Comments
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How To Make Groundnut (Peanut) Soup – Ghanaian Style

Wednesday, September 7th, 2016

by: Abubakari A. Adams copyright for Abu by Bettina Network

Groundnut Soup:

This is basically what I consider one of the best soups favored by most people in Ghana, and some West African countries. In Ghana some people in fact would not mind eating this soup for Lunch and Supper. The main reason this soup is call groundnut (peanut) soup is obviously because groundnut is the most dominant ingredient in the soup. The ground nut is made in the form of paste just like peanut butter but not as smooth as the commercial peanut butter and definitely with no sugar added or any of the other ingredients that come with this commercial peanut butter, – just the ground nut (the ground peanuts). The soup normally comes in different flavors which is mostly defined by the type of protein supplement used in the soup (type of meat, fish, snails, crab etc.)

Ingredients:

The quantity of ingredients in this recipe can be increased or reduced based on how thick or light you like your soup to be, or how much spice you like in your food.

* Groundnut (Peanut); no sugar just the peanuts (roasted)

* 4 relatively large Tomato

* Hot pepper (use your as much as you think you can handle I would normally use like 1 part pepper to 5 part tomato; 1:5 ratio)

* One large sized Onion

* Garlic (optional)

* Medium sized Ginger

* Salt

* 1 medium sized Garden egg (egg-plant)

* Fish (fresh fish will do but preferably smoked fish gives a better turn out), Meat (fresh meat of choice, most people in Ghana use goat meat) or Crabs. It is okay to use a combination of all three types, unless there are people who don’t eat one or more of the trio.

Tools:

Need at least two good sized saucepans

Wooden spoon or spatula

Chopping board

Knife

Blender

2 sources of fire (number is optional, saves cooking time)

Other tools that you may deem necessary

Process:

There are different processes in cooking the groundnut soup. The process outlined is my preferred method.

* First, do the most obvious of all cooking practice, (clean all the ingredients as needed)

* Put meat, fish or crab into reasonable sized saucepan; add water until it is the same level with the meat, fish or crab; add salt as needed and then put the whole tomatoes, ginger, garlic, garden eggs (egg plant) and pepper on top of the meat, fish or crab.

* Cook the combination under slightly high temperature until the vegetable gets softer or gets cooked.

* Take out all the vegetable (tomatoes, onions, garlics, pepper, ginger and egg-plant) and blend them all together into a light puree.

* Put a reasonable-sized saucepan on medium heat and put the groundnut paste (peanut butter) in the saucepan. Stir, while gradually adding a little water until the color turns dark brown and/or you start to see it getting oily.

NOTE; each time you add water, stir until the water is completely absorbed before adding more water.

* Once the paste gets to what I term as the brown stage or the oil zone, add the vegetable puree to the groundnut paste and keep stirring until you get an almost homogeneous mixture.

* Add the partly cooked meat, fish or crab and the stock, stir and add hot water to get the desired thickness.

* Allow to boil on medium heat until the oil starts to surface. This stage will take about 15 to 20 min. on average.

* Check to make sure the salt is okay and add more if necessary. NOTE: you can always add more salt after it is served

Ed. Note:

Abu is a tremendous young man from Ghana. His area of expertise is Mechanical Engineering and he has a diploma from MIT’s Fab Academy in Digital Fabrication (How to Make Almost Anything). Abu speaks six languages and since he is a world traveler and stays in different countries for extended periods of time, he will probably constantly add other languages to this repertoire. One of Abu’s passions is the FabLab. He has worked with others to set up several and will be on his way to South Africa for the next year to help set up yet another FabLab. Cooking is something Abu loves to do and we hope he will share more of his recipes with Bettina Network’s Blog. As he travels the world and picks up different ways of cooking and sometimes how different cultures use the same ingredients, we know he will not forget us and will send recipes, history and updates on how the FabLabs are developing around the world.

He is a very valued member of Bettina Network’s Lifestyle Community.

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Send your event information to be included in Bettina Network’s Menu of Events to: bettina-network@comcast.net

Tags: bed & breakfast, Bettina Cookbook, Bettina Homes, Bettina Network Educational Institute, Bettina Network Hedge Schools, Bettina Network's Lifestyle Community, Recipe
Posted in African American history, Bed & Breakfast, Bettina Homes, Bettina Network Educational Institute, Bettina Network Hedge Schools, Bettina Network's Lifestyle Community, Bettina's Cookbook, Breakfast Table Talk, Uncategorized | Comments Off on How To Make Groundnut (Peanut) Soup – Ghanaian Style

Melania Trump’s Convention Speech

Tuesday, July 19th, 2016

An amazing speech! It had nothing to do with anything except a hollywood script writer planning a movie of pure fiction.

We watched her come on stage and the greeting by her husband was anything but warm. It looked like – don’t touch me, I am made up and dressed and don’t want you to mess me up. The rest of the evening and speech followed that pattern.

What most amazed us were some of the things she said with a somewhat straight face. For example: She emphasized the need to “pass those lessons on to the many generations to follow, because we want our children in this nation to know that the only limit to your achievements is the strength of your dreams and the willingness to work for them.”

We wondered if her life after she left Communist Slovenia and an upbringing which had nothing to do with a democratic election where you supposedly run on your achievements, ability to accomplish, and more, was an example of what we want to pass down to our children as ‘our’ morals and values. Certainly, the way she ‘achieved’ her goals says more about her and the man she married than anything else. It sets their moral values right up front and center for all to see.

She talked about her mother’s elegance instilling in her a love for fashion, etc. During the time she was on her own and had to make her own way, this is how she did it – acting out her morals and values and love for ‘fashion’. That is not how the fashion models we know live their lives and make their money. She was Donald Trump’s ‘hostess’ on his plane before they married. We hear it took her all of two years, after leaving Slovenia to become a billionaire’s mistress, girl friend, fiancé. We don’t know what to call that relationship before their marriage. It was certainly a time of Donald Trump exploiting a woman’s body and the woman allowing him to do that because her value of herself is on her body. An example for our daughters’ to follow?

Half naked with a box full of jewels on a plane represents what kind of moral value? Selling one’s body and showing the results of that sale?

Supporting your husband and his need to get support from the NRA? Passing these values on to our children? Whatever values her parents gave her – when she had to make it on her own she apparently made it by using her body. – and was it for sale to the highest bidder? And once that happened she could become the volunteer, the person giving to others, working for the needy because that supported her husbands goals and put the family in a better light? Seems to us that those values of her husband have been passed on to his children – especially with a son who, rumor has it, only dated models and in the end married one? Is that teaching your children to value people because of their work, accomplishments, because they are human? Or is that valuing women for what their bodies can do for you? Doesn’t bode well for women’s issues. If her husband is elected president, she would be the first First Lady who earned her kept so blatantly using her body.

Supporting her husbands’ support for the NRA? Showing how women can give their support to the NRA for their husbands benefit?

When a campaign has stolen the theme of a previous campaign and was not able to come up with its own campaign theme – is that how he will be President of the United States? Nothing will be sacred. Whatever Trump needs, he will take from whoever, wherever, for whatever reason he needs to take from others? Like the way his campaign has taken the lives of Blacks by stirring up old prejudices and giving strength to groups who are extreme racists? And extreme religious bigots? Did his daughter marrying an Orthodox Jew account for his spreading such hatred around the country in his campaign speeches and in other ways for Muslims? Is he using divide and conquer to become president? Use the old animosities and pit one group against another. So far he has been able to widen the gap between White and Black; Jew and Muslim; and who knows what groups are next as fodder for his power grab?

These are the values to pass on to your children? Use your body to get what you want? Melania talked about her interest in fashion. We know several models, none of whom earned their money using their bodies in this way! It did help her get a rich husband, however, who puts no value on women except to satisfy his ego and prurient needs.

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The traditional photo of a nude woman on a bear rug is acted out here and destroys everything woman – trying to reach equality in this system based on their brains, accomplishments, etc. instead of the old standard of their body and how they are willing to use their bodies to succeed. These are the lessons Melania Trump brings to young women and young men. This was certainly her way to success and even today, dressed in more clothes which cost a small fortune, her message is – you are an appendage to “your man” and you live your life through him and his life, never on your own standing on your own two feet. Independence is not in the cards.

I can’t believe the Republican Party has stooped so low. It certainly gives a different meaning to their fight against abortion and all their other fights against the equality for women. This will bring the country back pre-1950’s. This is how women advertise who are looking to earn a living in prostitution. If they make it big and find that wealthy male to support them – fine. If not, they will be prostitutes for life.

These photos came from GQ magazine. We put their entire article on Facebook if you are interested in their narrative which went along with the pictures they published. We found more, but these, we felt, gets the message across. Know who you are voting for. You can excuse anything if you want power badly enough. But don’t you think a little honesty, morals, looking at the choices a person makes when they are on their own tells more than anything else about their morals? It certainly says a lot about Donald Trump and what he is interested in from a woman.

I am sure there were none of the Religious Right in the audience at the Republican Convention. Having seen years of what they are about this would be the ultimate hypocrisy. An act equivalent to Pontius Pilate’s washing his hands in that bowl. If there were members of the Religious Right on the floor and out in the country supporting this Trump campaign, they have gone further than Pontius Pilate did because they have not only agreed to turn Hillary Clinton (a devout Christian all of her life – working for justice, equality and for all of us) over to the most scurrilous comments and ugliest campaign in United States history, because they have agreed to help in that effort and are giving their time and money to achieve that goal. At least Pontius Pilate only washed his hands in that bowl and and then he walked away.

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Tags: bed & breakfast, Bettina Homes, Bettina Network Educational Institute, Bettina Network's Lifestyle Community, breakfast table talk, Donald Trump, Guest Comments, Melania Trump, politics, Racism, Sexism
Posted in Bed & Breakfast, Bettina Homes, Bettina Network Educational Institute, Bettina Network's Lifestyle Community, Bettina's Hall of Shame, Breakfast Table Talk, Donald Trump, Fashion, Guest comments, Hillary Clinton, Historical Homes, Kitchen Table Talk, Melania Trump, politics, racism, sexism, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Melania Trump’s Convention Speech

The Marc Jacobs Collection

Wednesday, June 8th, 2016

We had a wonderful guest who had been to the most recent Marc Jacobs show – collection – for resort wear (I think).

She would not write a blog, so we are taking her comments and passing them along.

At breakfast she brought her lap top to show us what is happening in the design world. It was predictable and the most prevalent comment which went along with those watching around the table was – ‘is this clothes-pedophillia?

That stopped me for a moment because I didn’t know what to make of the comment. It was like another comment I was trying to take in and that was about the Washington Post and its new owner trying to take over the world and using his ownership of the Washington Post to control and get rid of the competition. They were both earth shattering comments. So we picked ourselves up off the floor and tried to understand. When the owner of the Washington Post is also the founder of Amazon.com that should be a conflict of interest and it is time for the government to take a hard look at moving to stop this monopoly that Mr. B is trying to put in place. If they don’t it will be too late, because he will be too powerful – if that hasn’t already happened.

Our worlds were certainly splattered into little pieces. What does this all mean?

As we looked at the Marc Jacobs show on the computer – we began to understand. It looked as though the 13 year old models have become the inspiration and the clothes look as though they are walking through their high school dream sequence. Nothing was there for anyone over 15 years old and even the 13 to 15 year olds that, we thought, this collection was obviously reflecting, were stuck in a class that stopped at ‘lower middle’.

Harsh words, but amazingly accurately reflected the opinion around the table.

What more is there to say. The world is changing and many of us are so busy we are sleeping through changes that are life negating.

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Everything talked about in this blog and in any other blog in the Bettina Network, inc. is the opinion of the person who wrote the blog and does not necessarily represent the opinions of Bettina Network, inc. It is the property of Bettina Network, inc. and/or the person who wrote the original blog.

Want to join us? Have a home that you want to open to become one of Bettina Network’s Hedge Schools? Call us and lets talk – or email us.

Ed. Note: Members of the Bettina Network Lifestyle Community can contribute to the Bettina Network Blog whenever they have anything they want to say and be heard by this fantastic group of people. Send your blog to bettinanetwork@comcast.net or mail it to us at P. O. Box 380585 Cambridge, MA. 02238 or call us on the telephone at 617-497-9166 to tell us what you want to say and we will write it for you.

Send your event information to be included in Bettina Network’s Menu of Events to: bettina-network@comcast.net

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The ‘Sharing’ Community????

Friday, April 29th, 2016

The first thing we note in that name – which has become attached to several kinds of businesses – is the fact that it is an extreme misnomer. There is nothing “sharing” about that group of businesses. Unless you call the lower to middle classes sharing their small assets and ideas in ways to make the upper entrepreneurial class extremely wealthy, a “Sharing Community.”

The business titans of the next generation will all come from this extremely wealthy group. They take into their rather exclusive club those they have identified as ‘like them’. And we all know our own.

A more accurate name would be the Greedy/ Grasping/ Exclusive and Excluding/ Racist and Sexist Community!

Wow! That sounds angry! – It is most definitely not a happy frame of mind.

Let’s take a look. Is it angry or is it accurate.

The ‘Sharing’ Community is the group of entrepreneurs who have taken a funnel; poured into the top all the assets they could not touch and do not own; taken the lions share of those assets – without buying them or putting upfront any kind of money in exchange for those assets; and have come out with multi-billions of dollars while the people who own the assets being used are given a dream that turns into a nightmare as they look at the fact that only a very few realize that dream. Those that realize the dream are the few used to disprove the rule.

The ‘Sharing Community’ is bringing in racism and classism like no other corporate structure has been able to create, maintain or enforce. They do it by painting pictures of this wonderful society – the beloved society – which will bring us all together in a very loving and sharing way.

Most of the folks, who have had this imitation stardust thrown into their eyes and who cannot see what is in front of them, but subscribe to the mythology, are the ones who will be hurt the most.

Take a look at the companies who have been most exposed by the media. The others won’t be far behind. Not totally exposed, however, because the media realize that while they must tell – at least part of the truth – their owners have to survive and they do that surviving through the advertising dollars of those new “Sharing Community” groups. It would be so easy if we all took on the responsibility of thinking – carefully thinking of what is presented to us so beautifully gift wrapped.

Take Amazon. There have been articles written, exposing the warehouse slavery which happens at Amazon – exposing how they treat their employees – not the ones at the top who are now multi-billionaires; nor the ones in the middle who are multi-millionaires; but the ones at the bottom making all of that possible for those top executives and investors.

Amazon has been talked and written about describing its racism and sexism, but we were too busy dreaming to listen. They have just recently shown clearly, not only their extreme racism but the very arrogant way they assume it is their right to act it out and expect the larger society to not notice and/or to approve. They don’t notice their own racism because it is totally ingrained in their structure and their corporate culture.

In Boston, they announced one day delivery to all except those who live in Roxbury. How is that racist? Roxbury is where most of the African Americans and other minorities live.

They were preceded almost a generation ago by the first company giving you access to the internet with your own personal account. If you were African American and/or other minorities deemed less than by this society you could not get such an internet account. It was set up so that you had to have a credit card to have an internet account and your credit card had to be rated above a certain level. We worked with many minorities who were denied access to the internet. Not until everything was running smoothly and the majority society was very skilled at the internet; saw its possibilities; started building companies to take advantage of the internet were those barriers relaxed – and other internet companies started to join in the picture. And at that point groups took on the job of trying to bring the ‘disadvantaged’ into the fold. Not as equals, but as those less than who didn’t know enough to join this revolution. Now, the rest of us would have to do our ‘nobles oblige’ and work to bring them up to speed, because they couldn’t do it themselves. Not totally up to speed, but just enough to maintain our superiority and show what looks like our compassion.

The story given out was that you had to have this kind of credit card because your monthly fee – which at the time was around $12/month – had to be taken out of your credit card each month. They had to know the money would be there when they automatically withdrew their fee – and other minor embroideries to attempt to justify this racist exclusion. One of the exclusions was – if you were divorced – and female – you had to be one year out of your divorce before you could get an internet account. How quickly we forget.

As we worked with people trying to get an internet account – they offered to pay their fees one year in advance to avoid the ‘guideline’ set up which excluded them – they had no credit card, couldn’t get a credit card, and the few that had credit cards did not have a high enough rating in their cards to qualify – our ‘forgetfulness’ also extends to the role of the credit cards in the continuing oppression structured into this society. That offer of cash or check in advance for one years fees was immediately declined by the company. So much for what the internet provider considered a necessary policy.

If you look closely at the policies and practices of Amazon you will find them riddled with racism and sexism. We are too far away from the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s and 1970’s to think and parallel and see how grossly minorities are treated – and – we are too busy scrambling for something that we feel is important, to stop and take a serious look at what these companies are doing and how they are structuring into our present a more rigid racism and sexism for our children’s generation than that which we have had to face and fight.

Their control will be complete by the time what they are doing is recognized and addressed. Didn’t Amazon feel free enough to eliminate Roxbury from their one day delivery without expecting any blow back from such a policy and without even realizing the racism of the policy? Or did they put the policy in place knowing it would negatively affect African Americans and other minorities in the neighborhood and that was the reason for the policy in the first place, but it went into place anyway because their goal is to benefit their “own” and to eliminate anything they feel might be a ‘danger’ to the development of their business? And, is that ‘danger’ minorities and women?

A corporate structure reflects the times in which it was created and the people who did the creating of the structure. The racism and sexism of the original founders would be intricately incorporated into the structure they put into place. Their fears, their identity, their needs would be very much woven into the structure of what they found. I meant “found” because most of the ideas about which we are discussing were stolen from others without any need to do otherwise. That spirit would be all through their creation. They would take someone else’s idea and add their own racism, sexism, insecurities into what they created and continue to create.

And then there is Airbnb! Found to have racist policies by Harvard Business School Harvard Gazette Article they are still free to exercise them. HBS Article . By the time the rest of us catch up and understand what they have structured, they will have taken us back to the days when African Americans had their own b and b listing of places they could stay because they were closed out completely from the accommodations others could use. This time, the close-out will be complete because it will be hidden and not many will take on the deconstruction necessary to lay that bare.

Once upon a time during the Civil Rights Movement, colleges and universities used a discrete kind of racism and sexism. A way to discriminate without saying we have rejected your application because you are too dark; too non-American; too, etc.

One huge way they put in place to enforce that discrimination was to require a picture with your application.

Those minorities who did not have the tell-tale entries in their application – their name; their address; the schools they went to before applying; etc. would be caught in the net of the picture requirement and the schools could then – and they did – reject the applications based on the recognized basis of racism and sexism rather than allowing the application to go ahead and be considered on its merits. Some colleges and universities didn’t totally reject all minorities, but they had a quota. Once that quota was reached, all others were rejected and the picture requirement made that possible.

Airbnb started without a picture requirement unless you had an African American sounding name or your application to use their services was picked up with something being not quite right. What was that? A possible minority, you say?

To correct that, they have apparently started to require a picture from almost everyone. Does that sound familiar? A policy which does the same thing and allows the same kind of discrimination practiced by colleges and universities a generation ago.

Take a look at other companies which are a part of this ‘sharing community’. Basically, you are allowed to use assets you struggled to acquire for your family, etc. to ‘share’ with others. You use them sometimes and you rent them out to others at other times. What happens through this process? You generally rent them out at a lower rate than an established business offering the same services. The fact that the people in these other businesses have struggled for more than one generation to get their reimbursement up to a fairly decent amount and are still struggling for things like health insurance, etc. means nothing to those renting out their similar assets for less. They are thinking of how rich they are going to become and maybe even be able to buy more than one of the same kind of asset or something similar to expand the services offered and they and their friends are going to walk into the very rich sunset together.

Instead, they find they are increasingly pushed against the wall and deprived of much because the reason the other services cost more begins to push into their lives. The assets experiences wear and tear; they have expenses which were not included in their initial calculation of how much they were going to profit; they gradually start down that slippery slope and lose even that with which they started. What is also enmeshed into this corporate revolution is the all out hunt for and stealing of the ideas and businesses of others, who do not have access to the investors in this Sharing Community. I have met more people whose corporations are viable and struggling who have been swamped and destroyed by the greedy grabbing and stealing of their ideas and their decades of work developing a business which is then stolen and put in place as though it came full blown out of the minds and experiences of those claiming it as a part of the “Sharing Community.” That kind of theft is no less criminal than the kind against which this society has definite criminal laws.

Who is profiting from the use of their assets – the investors in the overarching business which has set itself up to allow this asset use. They are multi-billionaires in record time – like a few years, if that long. Where did all of that money come from? The backs and lives of those who see what is being offered as some pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and the marketing and advertising of the overarching businesses who are very good at painting that picture.

It is time to take a good look at what this society is becoming and how the masses are moving into an indentured servant class while their lives are being taken to make a greedy group wealthy beyond their wildest imaginings. And they are ‘sharing’ this wealth with who? Certainly not the people who made it possible. They are still struggling to just get back to where they were before they took their assets into this conglomeration.

It is time to tell the truth and give correct names to what is around us. “The Community Indulging in Massive Greed”: “The Community using the assets of the masses in the process of using the Masses to Acquire Billions of dollars without Sharing”. “The Community of the Greed which has discovered the way to maintain and grow its outsized Male Ego by insuring the survival of racism and sexism in a virulent form, masked from the society until that society is enmeshed and unable to extricate itself from the tentacles which enslave them and benefit the investors who created what they call “A Sharing Community.”

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Posted in Bed & Breakfast, Bettina Homes, Bettina's Box of Shame, Bettina's Hall of Shame, Breakfast Table Talk, Class in America and the World, Guest comments, Kitchen Table Talk, Making Connections, racism, sexism, Uncategorized, Wealth Creation | Comments Off on The ‘Sharing’ Community????

Several responses to “Donald Trump”

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2015

Wow! You call it like it is – may you live long and prosper.
I have been waiting for someone to say why all these folks are claiming America is failing and needs to be ‘restored’ to greatness by someone like Trump. We aren’t failing, a more diverse group of people are now Americans, that is what folks claim as a failure. Keep those other folks out of the top ranks of this country. Keep them as the underbelly so we can pull them out and mistreat them when we need more people to keep our economy from heating up too fast.
Why do you folks always pick on Mr. Trump. I think he is a very nice man who is going to be president one day. And since I believe that I have updated my passport and am trying to decide where I am going until his presidency ends.

4. How come Mr. Trump, who is so against immigrants, married TWO? His marriage most plagued with ugliness and troubles was the one to a born and bred American.

5. How come you said nothing about Mr. Trump’s hair? Everyone is talking about whether it is real or not. No one is talking about how it comes out of a bottle. No one his age has hair that color without help from that bottle of dye.

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Sexism 101 – Father Figure Problems

Monday, September 28th, 2015

One guest brought a problem to the breakfast table.

She was late arriving and most people were ready to leave.

Her agitated state made all of us stay and the resulting conversation, we felt, belonged on your blog.

We deal with sexism in all ways and places. Mostly, we talk and write about it in the workplace because that is where your income and vocation come into play. This breakfast table talk was about sexism in the family. Particularly with daughters who have father issues they don’t think about, recognize, work on or see as anything having to do with them.

Many women – especially those above 30 – have father figure issues and work them out in their lives. Most particularly in their romantic lives and in relationship to their mothers. Have a problematic relationship with your father and your mother gets trashed.

Sexual abuse has come into play now more than ever. In those above 30 it was not the issue it has become today. Men with ego problems work out their issues by using women, usually their wives and their daughters are the ones who suffer.

This woman was trying to talk with her daughters about their choice of male companion – husband, boy friend, fiancé, etc. She noticed that the male companion they chose was always one who was sexually abusive – and – we were not talking about beating or being physically abusive. We were talking about the male who pursued them being their teacher, boss, someone who was over them in a father-like position. The young women were protesting to their mother that she was being “hyper” and didn’t understand, paranoid with a chip on her shoulder, etc.. We thought she understood only too well because her own history reflected the same abuse, only at a time when to marry a male above you was looked upon as your having made quite a “catch”. The woman making that “catch” was looked up to, but in real time, on a day-to-day basis paid a heavy price in her personal life. As she talked we realized she basically hid this side of her life from everyone and presented a great looking marriage to the world. She couldn’t hide it from her children, but they saw her life through a child’s eyes and interpreted it through their own veils – through which she didn’t come out very well.

A woman in that position, so the table conversation went, would probably be very angry most or all of her married life. Basically, because she would not have recognized the sexual abuse she experienced during the courtship process, the marriage and the rearing of family.

Such a spouse needed the ego boost of having made a ‘conquest’ and would expect that ‘conquest’ to be in an inferior place to him. When that didn’t line up with the reality of the relationship, the woman suffered as the man tried constantly to pull the rug out from under anything she did to fulfill her life. She thought he did that even if the cost was to him, her, the marriage and the children. The things she did and contributions she made, if they were not according to her ‘stereotype’ he did not want them to succeed and did what he could to kill all of her initiatives and hard work.

He was her fulfillment and that is what she was limited to. He was her fulfillment according to his judgment and expectations. Whenever she tried to live her life on her own path she would find herself mired in mess. If she hadn’t dealt with what was happening and could or would not look at the reality of her life with this spouse then anger, frustration, explosions would follow. The children, witnessing this anger and those explosions put the blame exactly where it did not belong – on their mother, who then shouldered the negativity of her children and the abuse of her spouse. The abuse was never – in the family being discussed – physical, it was always on a very different, totally accepted level.

With her children now grown and having walked away from her to their father, what does she do!

Her agitation and unhappiness at breakfast, we thought, was coming from the fact that she either hadn’t seen her life as it was and how she had lived it during this marriage or the truth of that marriage was trying to come out and she wasn’t ready to deal with it. She was concentrating on her children and the pain of their rejection.

I reflected on how many older women with children I knew, whose children were now alienated from their mother and all in the bosom of their father. Most of the fathers I knew were divorced and in ‘new’ marriages where their ‘new’ wives were mightily puffing up that male ego.

We did a lot of talking, but didn’t know where to go with this or how to help. We skipped our morning appointments because this topic drew all of us – wonder why it had such a strong draw. I suspect it is something we all have inside and have not allowed to come out because it is not such an accepted, commonly discussed topic. I don’t even know how to write about it for this blog, but feel it is important enough to at least make the attempt.

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Tags: bed & breakfast, Bettina Homes, Bettina Network's Lifestyle Community, breakfast table talk, Sexism
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Back To Buying Penny Stocks

Tuesday, August 11th, 2015

We’ve been very serious about all kind of civil rights. Along comes a breakfast which brings us back to making money – we hope!

It was a very exciting morning – so much so that I decided to splurge and bought National Bank of Greece stock. Paid $.79/share for it and all because of a breakfast conversation.

We had a wonderful guest from Greece who talked about the situation with the credit and whatever else was happening in Greece. His concern was that the banks had closed and he wasn’t sure for how long or what to do about his travels – cut them short and go home or hold out and hope everything worked itself out so he could continue his quest for knowledge.

A few days later the banks opened – about August 3rd and we were very excited to follow what was happening.

One guest was buying National Bank of Greece stock (NBG) so we followed suit. I remember my lessons on stock buying – buy when things look hopeless, sell when they look as though the stock is going through the roof. This looked sort of hopeless, but not quite, so we bought and so did everyone around the table. What incredible fun and what trouble we could get into if this Bank closes.

Today, the stock is selling at about $ .86/share so we are ahead of the game.

Greece has always had a secret place in my heart so it was great to be able to participate in this. Hopefully, I will become an almost instant millionaire. But since I only bought 2,000 shares, the stock would have to move dramatically for that to happen. As it is, I have a nice little profit and so do my breakfast mates.

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We are a part of Bettina Network Hedge Schools and buying and selling stock is our specialty. We love it, talk about it all the time, buy and sell -sometimes responsibly, but sometimes just for fun. When you visit with us the conversations are always about the stock market and most people come to learn more, to do a bit of trading on their own and to spend a few days with like minded people from all over the world.

Ed. Note: Members of the Bettina Network Lifestyle Community can contribute to the Bettina Network blog whenever they have anything they want to say and be heard by this fantastic group of people. Send your blog to bettinanetwork@comcast.net or mail it to us at P. O. Box 380585 Cambridge, MA. 02238 or call us on the telephone at 617-497-9166 to tell us what you want to say and we will write it for you.

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Response to “Strange Fruit” – Sandra Bland

Saturday, July 25th, 2015

Wow, Cookie! Every time I look away from your blog you have taken it to a new height. What a prophetic voice. Who knew!

Thank you for this blog. It says everything I wanted to say in ways I hadn’t even thought about. The parallel to Billie Holiday singing “Strange Fruit” is awesome.

I don’t think this stuff will ever stop. There are more African Americans being lynched today than in the 1920′ and 1930’s and none of us knows how to stop it. The majority society has given this their blessing, it seems. Their day is coming and it isn’t going to be pleasant.

Keep writing. I will keep reading.

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Sandra Bland – Strange Fruit

Friday, July 24th, 2015

Once upon a time, the “Strange Fruit, hanging from the trees” used to be from trees with green leaves, a trunk and branches growing up from the ground splattered with red.

Today, the “Strange Fruit, hanging from the trees” is hanging from man-made trees with blue reflected all around.

But look! Isn’t that the old white cloth under the blue?

And aren’t those tall pointy white hats pushing out from under the official issued uniform?

Really strange and awful fruit, rapidly spreading the disease of racism all across the country.

Being covered up by fear – that fear keeping those who could act from doing so.

Why! Oh God, Why!

This strange fruit is is Black and female –

the fear is that riots will invade those lovely, green, middle-class communities.

Rather let the strange fruit multiply and just hang there in silence. Much better than to act. The sacrifice of the few for the many.

But doesn’t that spread? isn’t it happening more rapidly?

Terrorism?

Not from the Middle East!

White – Male – Conservative – with strings into the groups of old

The Klan, the Citizens Council, the neoNazi …………………….why bother with a list, you know the names

This isn’t simply racism – this is Racism and Sexism.

Life is becoming ever more strange and silent.

The silent majority is back and in control!

Let the media slip in little bits and pieces to make it sound less awful; less threatening; let us not place blame where it belongs, but obfuscate.

Won’t that protect those of us who count?

Homicide, murder, reduced to a paid vacation, sometimes called Administrative leave – which happens before exoneration.

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Want to join us? Have a home that you want to open to become one of Bettina Network’s Hedge Schools? Call us and lets talk – or email us.

Ed. Note: Members of the Bettina Network Lifestyle Community can contribute to the Bettina Network Blog whenever they have anything they want to say and be heard by this fantastic group of people. Send your blog to bettinanetwork@comcast.net or mail it to us at P. O. Box 380585 Cambridge, MA. 02238 or call us on the telephone at 617-497-9166 to tell us what you want to say and we will write it for you.

Volunteer with Bettina Network Foundation, inc. to work estate sales; to help move items from one home to another; to contribute your ideas on how we can better use our resources in this effort to relieve and eliminate homelessness and poverty. We also need photographers; designers; and more. However much or little time you have, we are grateful.

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Tags: African American history, bed & breakfast, Bettina Homes, Bettina Network's Lifestyle Community, breakfast table talk, Making Connections, Racism, Sandra Bland, Sexism
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A Bettina Moving Sale!

Friday, July 17th, 2015

6 Gray Circle – Arlington, MA. 02476 Saturday, July 18, 2015 from 10am-4pm

All Bettina Network Sales accept cash, checks, credit cards (American Express, Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club).

There is a Bettina Network Game of Skill with this moving sale. See the rules of the game at the end of this blog post.

We are working with this family to help move their 92 year old father to assisted living. He has lived in this home for 60 plus years.

He and/or his daughter will be at the sale to talk with anyone who wants to know some history of what they are purchasing.

Always look for the Bettina Flag waving in the breeze to know you are in the right place.

You will find a collection of many different things including: tools which are ancient; sleighs for enjoying winter on a small hill and more.

We will have a pot of organic Bob Marley coffee – this time, featuring “One Love” – for those who would like to spend a few minutes getting into the history of the items in this home and a kitchen table where you can talk comfortably.

This is a great opportunity to buy something and get to know its provenance and/or to begin to put together a provenance for whatever you purchase.

Take part in a game of skill for a beautiful hand-made porcelain village. For only $3 you could take home this village which appraises at $130.00) . All you have to do is write the winning essay on what you would do with such a village. Beautifully made by the mother of this family who died in 1977 and before that, she made several very lovely porcelain pieces. This village, with many houses could be a Christmas village, a Swiss village tucked into a snowy place, houses around or on the side of a train set to enhance the train set-up, or – what are your ideas? The winning essay will be chosen by three independent judges.

beautiful lace curtains for the window that needs a life.

Lovely candle holder and sun figure for over the fireplace or anyplace else you choose.

What a lovely stand to hold your very valuable collection of small items.

Multi-million dollar items have provenances, but so does that lamp you like; the sofa that attracts your attention; the dining room table and chairs which are beautifully made. Don’t cheat your family’s history. When you buy for your home and your estate make sure you have as much information about the items you purchase as possible – no matter how small. You never know what you buy today will be worth tomorrow. Be Prepared.

Very comfortable chair for the desk or computer table with a small handmade table to hold your coffee and sandwich.

All of our invoices – which you take home – have a short story on the back telling you a bit about the family and circumstances of the items you purchase.

AND,

be a part of helping to bring closure to someone who has enjoyed the items you are purchasing. It is nice to know where the items you cherished over your lifetime are going to reside in the future. Of course, that means, if the owner doesn’t like you, we can’t sell you the items you may like and want to buy, no matter how much you are willing to pay.

A Game of Skill*

Rules of the Game

The prize for the winner of this test of skill is the hand-made porcelain village with lights.

The winner will have written the two paragraphs suggesting a use for this village and the winning essay will be the one with the most imaginative suggestion.

The Game of Skill will begin at 10am on Saturday July 18th and end at 4pm on Saturday, July 18th. All who visit the estate sale at 6 Gray Circle, Arlington, MA. are eligible to enter.

The primary consideration in judging the essay will be IMAGINATION - not the English, nor how well or poorly written is the essay. There will be nothing subtracted from the writers score for poor spelling, or poorly constructed sentences.

The cost to enter is $3.00 per entry. One can enter as many times as you have individual essays at $3.00 per entry. There is no lower limit to the number of essays nor is there a limit to themost number of essays that will be accepted. If only one essay is submitted Bettina Network,incwill backstop the cost of the village to the Santora family to the maximum amount of $95.00

You can use the kitchen table on which to write your essay.

Three people - independent judges - will judge the winning essay and the winner will be notified on Sunday May 19, 2015 that they can pick up their newly acquired village.

The Judges are - Ms. Trudi Van Slyck, co-founder of the New School of Music
Mr. Eric Huenneke, organist, First Parish Church in Concord, MA.
Ms. Judy Huenneke, Mary Baker Eddy Library, Archivist.

Any complaints, disagreements, etc. with the Game of Skill will be settled by Marceline Donaldson. May 18, 2015

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Trump, Thurmond, Duke

Saturday, July 11th, 2015

Thank you for the blog on Donald Trump. I am amazed at how edited the press reporting is on this man and his political machinations.

Too many people are calling this a “Republican” phenomenon. I want to remind them that Strom Thurmond, in whose shoes Trump is walking politically and otherwise, was a Democrat – remember the famous Dixiecrates? They found a weak spot in the Republican Party and have been trying to take it over every since only this time with a new name. Don’t they remind you of the Tea Party? When groups disguise themselves, good investigative reporting would put the story out for all of us to read – an accurate version.

Trump’s politics are the politics of the old South which demanded the raising of the confederate flag and kept it flying for some 50 years under a false guise. It is also the politics of the early rise of Hitler. Too stringent for you? Check out your history and see the parallels.

His is the politics of race and it is becoming race that even Thurmond and Duke didn’t promote. His racism is taking an issue with emotional appeal and laced with much bigotry and is using that to promote himself. He may have lost some 500 million, but what is that to a billionaire who is probably going to turn this campaign into lots of money down the road for himself that will make the $500 million look like peanuts.

Hope you title this – Race Politics revisited by Donald Trump.

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Tags: bed & breakfast, Bettina Homes, Bettina Network's Lifestyle Community, Blog Response, Donald Trump, Guest Comments, politics, Racism, Reader Feedback, Sexism
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A Bettina Network Foundation, inc. UPDATE

Wednesday, July 1st, 2015

We had a really fantastic weekend. So much so that we are all exhausted and using lineaments to ease the muscle pain.

We packed and moved two town houses and delivered the contents to people who needed what was given.

We were going to do this in one day, but thanks to the UHaul people (see below), we had to do all of this over two days, both Saturday and Sunday, making our work harder, but the rewards were still great.

We had a couple problems which we need to resolve as we move into the future and hope you can help us:

1) We need trucks and moving vans which will make these moves easier and less expensive. On Saturday, our first problem happened. We made reservations to pick up a UHaul Truck between 7:30 and 8:30am Saturday morning. When we arrived at the UHaul place – it was closed and would not be open anytime that day. It caused us untold problems and extra money. So even though we had made reservations to pick up a truck at a particular location, the fact that the location would be closed for the day was not communicated to us when we made and they accepted the reservation. Not a good way to do business. Since we do this on a budget, UHaul cost us for reasons we don’t understand and no apology has been forthcoming.

So after calling around, looking on the internet and trying to make reservations for a truck for an immediate pick-up on a day when lots of people were moving, we finally found a Budget truck. It was too small, but all that was available, so we had to make two trips when one should have been sufficient. So hours were spent – as was extra money – thanks to the UHaul Company.

2) We need volunteers who will help us clean the items given to us before we pack and take them to their new home. That would be a big bonus.

Since we have our own special way of cleaning – those who volunteer will find their hands wonderfully soft, moist and wrinkle free at the end of the day. We don’t use petroleum based products to do any cleaning. Nor do we use anything which is harmful to people or the environment.The products we do use are healthy, good for you, and good for what you are cleaning. To peek into our secrets you have to volunteer to help us with these moves.

Once past the above two problems we were back to normal. Which means the party started and we packed, moved, joked, sang, and generally had a good time together.

It was very rewarding at the end of the day to get together to debrief; talk about what the day was like; how we could improve what we do for the next pick up and delivery; and how we were going to put the word out even further to let people know who we are and how they can join the party. We met to hold this debriefing and conversation and planning session on the concrete in the parking lot of the local Whole Foods Store. Folks just walked around us and went about their business. We thought we should have a sign which read something like “Bettina Network Foundation, inc. Debriefing Meeting”, so those passing by could join us if they had something to say or have their curiosity relieved by reading the sign to give them an idea as to what we were doing – and there were the curious stares. We stopped in the Whole Foods parking lot because that is where we were going food shopping at the end of the meeting. Everyone who volunteered, signed up to join The Black Race so we were all thinking about being extra careful with the food we bought and put into our bodies, because it is one of the things we need to be concerned about as members of this Black Race.

We were all colors, ages and conditions. From age 4 through 84. Some of us could get around, lift heavy objects, move stuff and some of us only walked with a cane, but still made a substantial contribution to the effort. If you are handicapped, we still have jobs you can do. In this move you could sit by the front door and keep the inventory as items went into boxes and/or were carried out the door.

We give those who donate a 501 (c ) 3 letter for their contribution so it is important that we keep track of everything donated and what it is worth. One person inventoried everything and one person kept track of value. Where they weren’t sure, they looked it up on the internet or called a knowledgeable friend for input. We keep a wheel chair, a walker and other such things close by in case of need. Although we had to keep a couple of the able bodied people out of the wheel chair.

What was most rewarding was the feeling we were left with – that we reached out to other human beings, like ourselves, who needed a boost to live a little more graciously and we were glowing because we had just come back with the knowledge that our work was appreciated, both by those who gave and by those who received.

3) Going into the future, we need volunteers who will go before us, to the homes we have researched and selected as those we would minister to that day, and help the families get ready to receive these additions to their lives. The volunteers need to be – Designers who can help arrange things with the families input and guidance as to their lifestyles; people willing to help the families clean their homes and organize what they have; future planners who will work with the families on how to best use the items being delivered to them, how to take care of what they have and what they will receive; and those who will talk with the families going forward on what they can do to give back and help others over the next several weeks. We also need those who can bring back to us what else the families need so we can organize the next move incorporating those families once again, if the next house turns up something they can use.

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Want to join us? Have a home that you want to open to become one of Bettina Network’s Hedge Schools? Call us and lets talk – or email us.

Send your event information to be included in Bettina Network’s Menu of Events to: bettina-network@comcast.net

This is a curated blog so you cannot write your responses at the end of each entry. TO RESPOND TO THIS BLOG email bettina-network@comcast.net or info@bettina-network.com

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Martin Luther King Day at Bettina’s

Tuesday, January 20th, 2015

Hate murdered a man, at 39 years of age, who preached love.

It has been amazing and humbling to watch the progress of the Martin Luther King holiday over the years. We watched from the beginning, when there was much conflict, confrontation, opposition, loud voices of angry protest at the very idea that such a man, with his history and achievements should be honored. We watched until today when the determination and love of those who were going to make sure Martin and the work of the Black Civil Rights movement was recognized. This 2015 year we celebrated and recognized a man and a movement with time out of school for our children, to the closing of banks, the post office and some of our corporations. To get even this far, has been a long, hard, painful, but very rewarding journey for many.

How do we treat greatness when discovered or suspected in African Americans?

We attended and participated in events which recognized Martin Luther King and the movement of which he was one of the leaders. The events, their venues, the people participating were a cross section – not only of America – but across parts of the world where the work of the Civil Rights Movement was remembered.

There was much “breakfast table talk” about the history which brought us to this day. We hope it continues throughout the year. I thought we would share some of that conversation with you:

“We had a fantastic breakfast – I would have to call it a ‘breakfast seminar.’ Only one person at the table had been through the Civil Rights Movement which created this holiday. The rest of us were either not yet born or were on the other side. I was one of those on the other side at the time because, to me, what was happening with the protests, the disruptions, the dogs, the hoses aimed at the hurting of even young children was something I couldn’t abide. I didn’t think there was anything wrong with life the way we were living it. My point of view was not that of those who were willing to die for their freedom and were looking to the future at their children’s future, but of someone whose life was being disrupted. Not seriously disrupted, but enough to be inconvenienced and I just wanted it to stop and things to go back to the way they were. I don’t know when God took hold of me to shake me up and to shake those attitudes out of my life, but somehow it happened and I am now a part of the Black Lives Matter demonstrations. My grey hair can be seen among all of those young people and I hope somehow, even though it is a very little and very late, my efforts will matter to those who come behind me.”

Are you listening out there in Simi Valley? How diverse is your neighborhood!

WOW!

“What a history lesson! I remember studying the Civil Rights Movement in school. We learned about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and what that time was all about, but I had never talked to someone who was a part of that history before. This was a very different perspective. I think of history as being about the study of dead people and past times. Here I was in the middle of a conversation with someone who lived that history and those past times are still with us today. I have never been a part of a demonstration of any kind. Never talked to anyone who had. Didn’t intend to talk to anyone who was a part of something like that and here I was in the middle of breakfast deep into a conversation that changed my life. Thank you to my breakfast companions for putting up with me. My responses must have been horrible to you, yet you were so kind – well almost kind, after you got over the shock of my being at the breakfast table. I don’t know what I expected, but certainly not what happened. I have never even thought twice about the Martin Luther King holiday. No different from all those other holidays I don’t celebrate. Maybe it is the newness of this one – with the pain still being felt by those who experienced the events which led up to this being important enough to remember once a year. This is, however, a holiday I am bringing back to my family to celebrate every year by learning something new about that time in history and by trying to be a little better about dealing with my prejudices which have caused so many people pain. But – is ‘celebrate’ really what I want to say. I almost feel as though we should all be in sack cloth and ashes for what we’ve done, but ‘celebrate’ is what I feel.”

A truth the world needs to hear! From the religious aristocrats to the homeless on our streets, none of us is immune from this need! To be accepted by proving that we can discriminate against our brothers and sisters just as good as the next person.

A truth the world needs to hear! From the world’s elite, the corporate billionaires, the religious aristocrats, the homeless on our streets, no one is immune from the need to be silent so we can be accepted. “I am sorry, but I can’t get involved. Only when my earthly masters signal their approval.”

“A small group of us (women all) get together every year on Martin Luther King day to try to continue to work through our conflicting thoughts about the Black Civil Rights Movement. It was a difficult time for us. Women – who were discriminated against, not only by the wider society, but also by the Black Civil Rights Movement. It was very male oriented and some, in the movement, felt embarrassed if women were perceived as being in any leadership position. We withdrew, but still supported what was happening with our money, by marching and by being a part of. At the same time, we gathered together to fight for the equality of women and here was an example where those discriminated against were discriminating against us. That is so the human condition! Flawed, full of sin, dragging our own history and almost blind to that of others. Our time together, each year, is to try to reconcile and acknowledge our being human and to root out our separateness to be able to embrace everyone and not feel victimized as we work with those also fighting for their freedom in a society which seems to need to have a group on top and a group less than and which needs to manage and continue their being on top by playing one ‘less than’ group against another.”

“I love Bettina’s. It is a safe place to be able to express whatever and you never know who is going to be at breakfast. May you all live long and prosper.”

Ed Note: We had a lot more expressions of breakfast at Bettina’s on Martin Luther King Day. We shared just a few. The places where people came from, knowing the history of King and the Movement amazed even us. We could put this all together in a book, but we will stop here. Hope this gives more meaning to your day and information to your life.

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Want to join us? Have a home that you want to open to become one of Bettina Network’s Hedge Schools? Call us and lets talk – or email us.

Send your event information to be included in Bettina Network’s Menu of Events to: bettina-network@comcast.net

This is a curated blog so you cannot write your responses at the end of each entry. TO RESPOND TO THIS BLOG email bettina-network@comcast.net or info@bettina-network.com

TO LEARN MORE about Bettina Network, inc. try www.bettina-network.com

IF YOU ENJOY OUR BLOG, USE OUR SERVICES TO BOOK ACCOMODATIONS WHEN YOU TRAVEL!

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Tags: African American history, bed & breakfast, Bettina Homes, Bettina Network Information, breakfast table talk, Martin Luther King, Racism
Posted in African American history, Bed & Breakfast, Bettina Homes, Bettina Network Educational Institute, Bettina Network Foundation, Bettina's Hall of Fame, Breakfast Table Talk, Guest comments, Historical Support, Holiday Greeting, Jr., Uncategorized | No Comments »

Bettina Network’s Lifestyle Community

Tuesday, January 28th, 2014

We sent out a holiday greeting to those who are members of Bettina Network’s Lifestyle Community. The greeting included a password at the very bottom which allows our members to access Bettina’s Menu of Events. If you have used the services of Bettina Network, inc. and have not received your “Happy Holiday” greeting with its password unique to you, please let us know. Some of the emails sent out have gone astray or wound up in “spam” mail even though we have never sent out spam mail. All of our emails go to those who have used the Bettina Network or have requested to be on our email list. We do not send out emails to the world, but that has not stopped our emails from being sent to the spam pile by the various server companies.

What is Bettina Network’s Lifestyle Community and how does one become a member?

It is and they are a group of people who have used Bettina Network, inc. in the past and who Bettina Network, inc. thinks would be fantastic as givers and receivers of the information, ideas, lifestyle, elegance, graciousness which pervades the Bettina Network Lifestyle Community and who would benefit from coming together to have first and sometimes the exclusive use of the different and interesting services being added to Bettina Network, inc. As members of Bettina Network’s Lifestyle Community they have a password which will allow them deeper and more extensive access into the Bettina Network, inc. web site as well as other always increasing benefits of membership.

There are no costs to the members of being associated with this community. Members have complete privacy since Bettina Network, inc. does not share any of its membership or other information with anyone – neither commercial, private, non-profit nor other organizational structures, groups or individuals. Membership in Bettina Network’s Lifestyle Community comes exclusively from the fact that its members are brilliant, elegant, want to stay close to their human roots and so chose to use the services of Bettina Network, inc. For that vote of confidence, we have chosen to include them in Bettina Network’s Lifestyle Community!!

It is a way for us to move along and expand from Bettina Network’s Blog, which is attracting many readers and to which members of Bettina Network’s Lifestyle Community may make contributions; to Bettina’s Menu of Events; to the next great service offered by Bettina Network to members of Bettina Network’s Lifestyle Community.

As we move along, and with a little help from our friends and members as to what they would like to see and the direction in which they would like to see us develop, you will see other offerings to those who are members of Bettina Network’s Lifestyle Community.

Bettina Network’s Blog will continue as usual. Members of the Bettina Network Lifestyle Community can contribute to the Bettina Network blog whenever they have anything they want to say and be heard by those who follow us. Send your blog to bettinanetwork@comcast.net or mail it to us at P. O. Box 380585 Cambridge, MA. 02238 or call us on the telephone at 617-497-9166 to tell us what you want to say and we will write it for you. We are working on a way for you to be able to add your blog to Bettina Network’s Blog directly, but in the meantime send us your additions and they will appear in the Blog.

In our marketing materials, in our writings, as well as in actual Bettina Homes, you find a Lifestyle which reflects choices we have made as to how we will develop this concept. That is the direction in which we will continue – especially by being careful and thoughtful about the earth on which we live; being careful from birth to death to not leave a trail that could poison or trip up another life; being a giving and caring group; being elegant and gracious in all that we do; being a diverse group ignoring those cultural and racial and religious and economic and all the other ‘differences’ which have traditionally separated us; being careful not to tread on another persons lifestyle, belief system or other choices they may make different from our own; reaching back-down-up-around to help those who need a way to live a more gentle and comfortable life; passing our ideas and actions around for all to see-hear and benefit from.

There are no meetings, elections, membership dues, institutional structures etc. which go along with this Community. This is a way to inquire about living elegantly – to travel efficiently and graciously – to gain ideas about designing your home with many small additions which make life easier and more beautiful – to learn about people from Bettina Network, inc.’s perspective – to continue those interesting breakfast conversations which took place at the Bettina Homes in which you stayed – to grow spiritually and to understand other people, their lifestyles and choices – to open ourselves to people we would not meet otherwise – to be able to go into depth with others as to the why’s and how of their lifestyle choices – and so much more.

Bettina’s Menu of Events, which has been around for quite a few years has been expanded to give access to people in Bettina Network’s Lifestyle Community. With the password you received with your”Happy Holidays” message you are able to search the Bettina Network database for events happening in a particular place, over dates of interest to you. You can also search by category – i.e. early music concerts, organ concerts, plays, symphony concerts, art exhibits, and more. All events have been entered into the database because we feel they reflect that ‘Bettina Lifestyle.”

With the password members of Bettina Network Lifestyle Community received, they are able to enter events into Bettina’s Menu of Events which they would like others in this Lifestyle Community to know about and to patronize.

So much goes on around us that we would like to make sure does not get lost. Ideas, events, places to visit, design possibilities, human interest, people doing things we all want to know about and more including points of view not generally reported by the public media. You will be participants in all of it – it will be your choice as to when and how.

Likewise with what you have to share – use Bettina Network’s Lifestyle Community to bounce your ideas around -= look for people of like minds – share books you are reading whose ideas need to be more widely spread around – stay in a Bettina Home to see how someone else lives and moves and has their being. You set your agenda and influence ours as members of Bettina Network Lifestyle Community.

This is a brief explanation in just a few paragraphs of what has been brewing within the Network for several years. We have had an informal community of people who have traveled Bettina Network, inc. They have called for advice – have shared their lives with us – we have married, buried, celebrated life with many of them – have discussed everything you could think of – ideas have been flowing like pure water from an unadulterated stream. We are just formalizing the process so more of you can share what is happening.

Please don’t hesitate to send us your feedback – your ideas as to where you would like to see us go – what form some of this could take – and currently, especially, use your password to enter the events you know about which are places to go you want others to know about. It will take time for the Menu to cover the globe, but as events are coming from members of Bettina Network Lifestyle Community they are high in quality, many are not otherwise known by the general public and their geographical locations are varied.

If you received a “Happy Holidays” message – your password is at the bottom of the greeting. Keep it in a safe place and use it frequently. It is good for one year from the date you received it. If you have not received a “Happy Holidays” message with its password at the bottom of the email let us know and we will respond to you.

What is in the future? We are currently working on two additions and one expansion to Bettina Network’s Lifestyle Community –

……….1) Estate Sales, Moving Sales, House sales managed by Bettina Network, inc. to which members of Bettina Network Lifestyle Community will have first entrance. We have been involved with such sales for many decades and we have been changing what, who and how these will be handled by Bettina Network, inc. and how Bettina Network’s Lifestyle Community can be involved with first preference in everything

– and –

……….2) Bettina Network Foundation – a pending 501(c)3 corporation.

……….3) We continue to look for Bettina Homes to join Bettina Network, inc. as host families. We are always looking for people who want to share their homes with serendipitous travelers who are thoroughly checked out by Bettina’s.

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Learn More About How We Use Your Donation!

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Want to join us? Have a home that you want to open to become one of Bettina Network’s Hedge Schools? Call us and lets talk – or email us.

Send your event information to be included in Bettina Network’s Menu of Events to: bettina-network@comcast.net

This is a curated blog so you cannot write your responses at the end of each entry. TO RESPOND TO THIS BLOG email bettina-network@comcast.net or info@bettina-network.com

TO LEARN MORE about Bettina Network, inc. try www.bettina-network.com

IF YOU ENJOY OUR BLOG, USE OUR SERVICES TO BOOK ACCOMODATIONS WHEN YOU TRAVEL!

1-800-347-9166 inside the U. S. or 617 497 9166 outside or inside the U. S.

Tags: bed & breakfast, Bettina Network Information, breakfast table talk, Making Connections
Posted in Bettina Network Info, Bettina Network's Lifestyle Community, Press Release from Bettina Network, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Bettina Network’s Lifestyle Community

Bed & Breakfast: Lessons in Etiquette

Friday, August 30th, 2013

LESSON ONE:

Etiquette – “the forms required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be observed in social or official life.” syn. Decorum.

This etiquette monologue is for host families in the Bettina Network as well as guests. We will tell our stories through true anecdotes, but don’t worry, we won’t use your names or even your initials. If you pretend it was someone else, so will we. If you have stories from your guests or if you are a guest and have stories from your stay in a bed and breakfast home, please don’t hesitate to share your wealth of experience.

Assorted Bed & Breakfasts

Today bed and breakfast – as a stay in a private home -has spread around the world and people of many different cultures are opening their homes to bed and breakfast guests. Cultures, which once would have been appalled at the thought of strangers staying in their homes, are fast adapting and enjoying turning their home into the house by the side of the road which welcomes strangers.

An even more common phenomenon is that of people from different countries, cultures, religions etc. staying together in the same house, living in a style close to that of an extended family.

However brief or lengthy the stay might be,
one needs an awareness of social dos and don’ts
during those two, three or more days
under a stranger’s roof,
interacting with other strangers.

A Boor

Who after all, wants to be thought of as a boor and find there are no availabilities when one calls for another reservation – even though it is February and the home in Antarctica in which one wants to stay is totally empty with no guest reservations until July?

—-Even more to the point—-

who wants to remember

and be remembered

as someone who caused another pain that could have been avoided?

to be continued………………

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Want to join us? Have a home that you want to open to become one of Bettina Network’s Hedge Schools? Call us and lets talk – or email us.

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This is a curated blog so you cannot write your responses at the end of each entry. TO RESPOND TO THIS BLOG email bettina-network@comcast.net or info@bettina-network.com

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A Guest Responds – Popcorn and Mosquitos

Sunday, July 28th, 2013

Thank you for the recipe for an exceptional snack. I tried it and it was sensational.

I had to make two tries before I got it right. The main problem was keeping the popcorn crisp while adding the simple syrup and the chocolate. I messed up the first try and had soggy popcorn. The second try it was perfect. I let the syrup cool a bit before pouring it over the popcorn. Hot simple syrup right off the stove is guaranteed to give you a mess. The same thing with the chocolate. I added heavy cream to the chocolate chips while melting them, stirred the pot until it was all blended and when cooled a bit, added it on top of the simple syrup and the popcorn. I think the experience of doing this is actually what made it work the second time. I was too anxious with my first try and thought I knew it all the first time I made this snack. The blog read like it would be a snap. Once you figured out how to keep the popcorn crisp through the entire process and into the eating of this snack, it was a snap. But until then it was a worry.

When I melted the chocolate chips and poured them over the popcorn, it was a bit stiffer then when I added heavy cream to the chocolate while it was melting. The chocolate, with heavy cream added did not harden on top of the popcorn, which added to the texture and taste of this fantastic snack. I suspect whichever way you use the chocolate it will be a matter of personal taste.

The snack lasted about two minutes and I made lots for just three people.

My second comment is about mosquitos. I’ve read lots this season about what to do to fend off mosquito attacks – from staying inside when its dawn and dusk to all kind of remedies.

One I got from a stay in a Bettina home, which I haven’t found on your blog, worked. It has been tremendous for me and my children. Vitamin B1. We take one Vitamin B1 capsule before going out – about 15 minutes to 1/2 hour before going outside and whether its high sun or dawn or dusk we have had no mosquito bites. According to the breakfast where I picked up this tip, your skin would smell like mosquito repellant even though the only thing you did was to take this one Vitamin B1 tablet. Sure enough, my skin smells like mosquito repellant. When I get that odor I know I am good to go outside for several hours.

Hope this helps someone!

Ed. Note: The blog recipe the guest is referring to is: An Incredible Snack – Bettina Style, published May 28, 2013 and can be found categorized in Bettina’s Blog under Bettina’s Cookbook

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Want to join us? Have a home that you want to open to become one of Bettina Network’s Hedge Schools? Call us and lets talk – or email us.

Send your event information to be included in Bettina Network’s Menu of Events to: bettina-network@comcast.net

This is a curated blog so you cannot write your responses at the end of each entry. TO RESPOND TO THIS BLOG email bettina-network@comcast.net or info@bettina-network.com

TO LEARN MORE about Bettina Network, inc. try www.bettina-network.com

IF YOU ENJOY OUR BLOG, USE OUR SERVICES TO BOOK ACCOMODATIONS WHEN YOU TRAVEL!

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Tags: bed & breakfast, Bettina Networks Cookbook, breakfast table talk, Caramel Popcorn with Chocolate Topping, Mosquito Repellant, Mosquitos, Popcorn, Vitamin B1
Posted in Bettina's Cookbook, Breakfast Table Talk, Guest comments, Reader Feedback, Uncategorized | Comments Off on A Guest Responds – Popcorn and Mosquitos

Directions to Dracut, MA.

Sunday, April 28th, 2013

Try Mapquest.com and put in the address from which you are coming.

Basically, the address follows:

Take I-93-N toward Lawrence.Concord. N. H.

Take the Rt.-110/RT-113 exit 46 toward Lawrence/Dracut

Enter next roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto RT-113 W/RT-110 W/Lowell Street

RT-113 W/RT-110 W/Lowell St becomes RT-110W

Turn right onto Wheeler Street

Take the 1st left onto Lowell St

Lowell Street becomes Methuen Street

Turn right onto Presidential Circle

to 8 Presidential Circle.

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This is a curated blog so you cannot write your responses at the end of each entry. TO RESPOND TO THIS BLOG email bettina-network@comcast.net or info@bettina-network.com

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A Bettina Network Moving Sale and Celebration

Friday, April 26th, 2013

Elegant home – beautiful drapes

On Saturday, April 27 from 10am-4pm and Sunday, April 28, 2013 from 2pm – 6pm you are invited to a wonderful Moving Sale with a Celebration at its end.

Come and see and buy from a carefully edited selection of items accumulated by one family over some 7-8 years, so most things are fairly new and very well cared for.

The address for this sale is 8 Presidential Circle, Dracut, MA. 01826.

You will find bark paintings from Kenya which tell of the traditional life of the people of Kenya.

You will see an elegant and very large chandelier for sale – iron and crystal – delicate and perfect for that entrance foyer. And you will see a nice selection of new oriental rugs in a home beautifully cared for so that the rugs look as if they were new.

beautiful iron and crystal chandelier

Some crystal – some gold rimmed china dishes – many lamps – and a room for just sitting and enjoying which could be purchased intact to be removed to your home to create a similar environment. All worked out for you with the right drapes – chairs – lamps – tables – pictures and more. Who could ask for better!

Drapes which will keep you from ordering those custom drapes into five figures – one pair long enough for windows two stories high and still in beautiful condition – in a very neutral color to fit any decor. – Window shades very soft with off white color and horizontal pleats which are not quite pleats, but beautifully rushed shades – wooden windows to fit a contemporary home in condition good enough to be transferred for their windows to your windows. Bring your window measurements. Beautiful custom cornices, well made and also in a condition good enough to just transfer to your windows.

A brown leather sofa, plus other sofas which just might be what you need for that empty space.

And tables to match everything – glass and brass – glass and wood – inlaid wood – marquetry round tables with lamps to upscale any space.

A round mirror for that hard to deal with space, tall vases with some over 3 feet

– and much more for those decorator touches that don’t cost a decorators budget.

And in the basement – start your own business with desks, tables, chairs, filing cabinets, safes, a gurney of all things – conference tables, and much of what is needed in a Nursing School, but which can be transferred to your office or school.

Need furniture for that new space in your office you have looked at but haven’t done anything about? There is a little of everything in that basement. Well kept, clean and ready for use, including chafing dishes and other serving pieces one would use in an office for entertaining.

Endless desks for a school

No Comment!

And at the sales end – on Sunday from 2-6pm broken into two parts- from 2-4pm eveyrthing will be half price and from 4-6pm whatever is left will be given away to those who purchased during the sale. That is a gift of thanks from the home owners. The gift of thanks from the Bettina Network is a concert/recital by Albino Mbie. To learn more about Mr. Mbie check him out at this web site which gives a little preview of his music www.albinombie.com

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Learn More About How We Use Your Donation!

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Want to join us? Have a home that you want to open to become one of Bettina Network’s Hedge Schools? Call us and lets talk – or email us.

Send your event information to be included in Bettina Network’s Menu of Events to: bettina-network@comcast.net

This is a curated blog so you cannot write your responses at the end of each entry. TO RESPOND TO THIS BLOG email bettina-network@comcast.net or info@bettina-network.com

TO LEARN MORE about Bettina Network, inc. try www.bettina-network.com

IF YOU ENJOY OUR BLOG, USE OUR SERVICES TO BOOK ACCOMODATIONS WHEN YOU TRAVEL!

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Tags: Albino Mbie, bed & breakfast, Draperies, estate sale, furniture, guitar, Kenyan Art, Kenyan decorative items, MA, Moving Sale, shopping, shopping in Dracut
Posted in Estate Sale Analysis and Info, Moving Sale, Shopping, Shopping in Dracut, Uncategorized | Comments Off on A Bettina Network Moving Sale and Celebration

Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

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In October, 2016

37,836 people

came to the Bettina Network Blog

to read what we had to say

We hope they were not disappointed and what they read added something good to their lives.

One of our goals is to add to your base of:

Knowledge – Wisdom – Art – Imagination – Music

Good food – Great Entertainment!

We try to do this

through Truth Seeking

Good Investigative Journalism

Sharing with you what is important to those who are members of Bettina Network’s Lifestyle Community in which your wealth, style, class, race, genealogy, job don’t define you

We hope to share with you

tools we find and hope you can use to reach

a better understanding of our shared humanity

AND

to help you make ever better decisions about WHO

you are and your CHOICES

as you go through life moving ever closer to

that end time we all face!

How can we live this life graciously,

with elegance, kindness, understanding,

incredible style

AND ESPECIALLY

with love of ourselves

and of all those with whom

we share this Universe!

We may even be open to publishing a few blogs from those who have gone, but have things to say about their afterlife or may have something to say to those they left behind – who knows what will pop up in Bettina Network’s Blog.

Keep reading!

We finally figured out how to make it possible for you to sign up to have the blog delivered to your email box so you don’t miss anything.

Groundnut Soup:

Ingredients:

Tools:

Process:

A Game of Skill*

Rules of the Game

LESSON ONE:

Blog Search

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