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Deceptive walkie-talkie range claims ripping off buyers

January 25, 2014 • By Dennis Beaver Have you purchased a pair of walkie-talkies which claimed in bold, large print on the package a range of anywhere from 6 to 50 miles, taken them home, charged the batteries and then discovered that these radios barely let you talk a...

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Dedicated drunk drivers will just love this law

June 30, 2012 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver Today’s story will be great news if you are personally facing or know someone dealing with a charge of DUI, or anyone who had a conviction in the past, never got the message and keeps on driving drunk. The...

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Defrauding an innkeeper and fraud

June 24, 2006 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver The restaurant business is difficult on a good day, and frustrating on a bad day. When we walk into an IHOP, Denny's, Sizzler or any of the major chains, most of us leave with a positive feeling, having obtained...

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Did ‘It Can’t Happen Here’ almost occur?

March 19, 2021 • By Dennis Beaver  Following the end of World War II and the collapse of Hitler’s Germany, Americans were convinced that our way of life -- our democracy -- would make it impossible for what happened there to ever occur here.   But take a step back in...

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Did you read the contract?

August 23, 2008 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver Judd Lawrence never thought that he would need to become an expert in glue removal when he phoned San Joaquin Pest Control for help in getting rid of termites which had set up housekeeping in his garage. "All...

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Disability insurance companies avoiding payments owed

March 24, 2021 • By Dennis Beaver  There are people across the country reading today’s story who have a large presence on Facebook and other social media putting them at risk of losing thousands of dollars yearly, as you will see in a moment. But first, let me tell...

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Do college students have too much privacy?

October 1, 2016 • By Dennis Beaver If you are the parent of a son or daughter who is at college, today’s story about privacy will be of special interest. We begin with two extreme examples of what happens when privacy becomes an excuse for tossing common sense out the...

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Do gift certificates expire?

March 8, 2006 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver When Redway, California resident Carolyn Green purchased $75.00 worth of gift certificates from a local market in December, 2004 as a Christmas present for her son, she had no idea that a few months later the...

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Do I have to snitch on my kids?

July 22, 2006 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver I just received a notice from a city in Southern California that my car went through a red light. There is a clear photo of the license number, and it is obviously my car. The only problem is that I was not...

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Do law schools care about right and wrong?

January 10, 2020 • By Dennis Beaver “I am a second year student at a top Chicago law school wondering if I should continue as I’ve heard some of our teachers insist that law is no longer a profession, but a business, and to succeed a lawyer must be ruthless, doing...

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Do not pass ‘Go’, do not collect $200

October 18, 2024 • By Dennis Beaver Anyone who has ever played Monopoly is familiar with those two sentences, which mean: You’ve been caught. There is no appeal. You are not wiggling out this time. Accept your punishment. While Monopoly is considered primarily a game...

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Do school bus drivers have a duty to protect students?

August 24, 2013 • By Dennis Beaver Should a school bus driver do something more than just yell at the attackers to stop and call 911 when a child on their bus has become a victim of an assault by other students? You have probably heard about the Florida school bus...

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Do we have an animal hoarder next door?

September 22, 2017 • By Dennis Beaver   “Our entire family read your article about neighbors who were abusing their animals and what to do about it. I think we have a related problem, two houses from us, and we need some advice,” Shirley’s email began. “About two...

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Do you have a claim against your financial adviser

November 22, 2008 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver Part 1 If your stockbroker sold you improper, excessively risky investments, or-failed to disclose the riskiness of what appeared as an otherwise conservative investment, and as a result you lost your shirt...

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Do you have a legal claim against your stockbroker?

November 29, 2008 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver Part 2 Last week I told you about what happened to Hal and his wife, both 67, retired, and long time readers. From more than a million dollars in their 401K account as of January, 2006, their investments...

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Do you have a structured settlement with Pacific Life?

October 19, 2018 • By Dennis Beaver Later this month, Newport Beach Pacific Life will host a fabulous six-day event halfway around the world for the U.S. structured settlement industry. According to the invitation, the gathering at the Four Seasons Maldives isn’t a...

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Do you have what it takes to be whistle blower?

September 20, 2014   •  By Dennis Beaver Advice from a remarkable Canadian: Are you seeing things on the job which you believe to be illegal, want to report it but are worried about retaliation, possibly losing your job? Have you thought, “If I become a whistle...

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Do you have what it takes to become a lawyer?

February 26, 2021 • By Dennis Beaver If you are in college and about to apply to law school, or have been out in the working world, tired of your job, and considering a legal career, today’s story could help save you from a bad decision, “As there is so much about the...

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Do you know what’s in your gasoline?

December 27, 2008 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver That tank of gas that you just purchased — is there something in it which could cost you hundreds of dollars in repair bills for a damaged fuel system? How would you know? What are the symptoms? Can the...

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Do you own a personal breathalyzer? Important information

July 23, 2021 • By Dennis Beaver  When I was a deputy DA in Kern County in the 1970s – prosecuting DUI cases – I often wondered if these defendants could have kept themselves out of trouble had they known their blood alcohol levels before deciding to drive. But at...

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Do you really need that policy of travel insurance?

September 24, 2011 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver Last week we introduced you to E.J. and his wife Anna, an amazingly energetic young couple, 75 and 74 years of age, respectively, who have been married for more than 56 years. In January, they booked a trip...

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Do You Think You Have a Great Wrongful Termination Lawsuit?

September 3, 2024 • By Dennis Beaver Today’s story will be of special interest to anyone who has been fired and encouraged to sue for wrongful termination. “In our sue-happy society, where the boss is always wrong and employees think they have a right to a job — which...

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Doctor, don’t buy this medical practice

August 29, 2009 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver Being your own boss by going into business for yourself is part of the American Dream. It can also turn into the American nightmare. We've all heard the statistics about 70 percent of new businesses failing...

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Doctor, the California State Bar is not your friend

October 20, 2012 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver Last week we began our look at medical liens — the way in which M.D., chiropractic or other health care services can be obtained where the patient has been injured in an accident, but has no health or auto...

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Doctor, there are limits to trust

October 6, 2023 • By Dennis Beaver If you were to ask any physician, these two questions: (1) “What are the goals of the medical profession?” (2) How important is trust among doctors? No doubt, you would hear: “The prevention of disease, relief of suffering, care of...

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Doctor’s wife may have put his patients at risk

September 19, 2015 • By Dennis Beaver Over 40 years ago, fresh out of his second residency in internal medicine —as he was a foreign medical graduate — Internist “Dr. Lee” and his family traded hot and humid New Orleans for the equally hot, but dry, California Central...

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Does Jenny need a will?

July 23, 2011 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver "Do I really need a will, or is there some other way of leaving money and property to family or friends?" Jenny asked You and the Law, describing herself as follows: "I am 32, single, no children. Both of my...

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Does Nationwide Insurance discriminate against the overweight?

March 10, 2006 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver Does Nationwide Insurance Company have a policy of discriminating against people who are overweight? Do they care about fairly and honestly settling auto accident cases? It seems a very strange turn-around for...

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Doing your own divorce isn’t advisable

December 13, 2014 • By Dennis Beaver Santa Maria family law attorney Bob McDermott has a stern warning for anyone planning on doing their own divorce: “Understand the risks and be aware of your rights and responsibilities. For someone unfamiliar with the law and legal...

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Don’t become the victim of a crooked landlord

June 20, 2009 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver While I'm not a good cook, I do have the perfect recipe for anyone who would like to become the victim of a crooked landlord. This recipe is based on an e-mail received from "Maria" in Southern California....

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Don’t blame the boss for you ignoring all the red flags

December 13, 2019 • By Dennis Beaver “Mike” was an experienced, well-paid plastic surgery practice manager in Atlanta and came across an ad in a trade magazine looking for someone with his background to work in Southern California for a large, multi-office medical...

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Don’t cry wolf after minor auto accident

August 25, 2012 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver Slowing down, about to stop for a red light, perhaps doing one or two miles an hour, Patricia’s 2007 Toyota Camary was rear-ended in December 2011, leaving “the rear bumper scratched and pushed in slightly,”...

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Don’t do this if an employee or loved one is kidnapped

April 19, 2024 • By Dennis Beaver “I am the CEO of an international consulting firm located in the Pacific Northwest. We send our people to every corner of the globe. Recently, a team sent to Turkey failed to respond to our phone calls and texts. We feared that they...

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Don’t Feed the Kitties

August 9, 2019 • By Dennis Beaver “I own a truck repair company that services the very large vehicles that are the backbone of goods transportation across North America.  Recently we found evidence that rodents had been chewing through wiring insulation. Today, much...

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Don’t get burned by solar

February 7, 2020 • By Dennis Beaver “We are considering making the jump into solar for both our home and machine shop which consumes a great deal more electricity than a normal house. But in researching solar in general, I came upon some of your articles which were...

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Don’t let the bedbugs bite

February 14, 2009 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver You've heard the saying, "Sleep Tight and don't let the Bedbugs bite," but have probably never seen a real bedbug. Since the 1950s — and use of DDT with other powerful insecticides — these pests were thought...

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Don’t marry this guy

August 01, 2009 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver "Mr. Beaver, I am 78 and my fiancee is 79," Connie's e-mail began. "He has gotten himself into a legal mess. Can I get some advice for him on saving his house? Finding love and companionship at any age is what...

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Don’t run up needless medical, therapy bills

March 1, 2006 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver I was in an auto accident on our way to visit Lassen Park in Northern California. I admit this was not a major accident, and, frankly, I really felt fine at the time, but two days later saw an ad for a...

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Don’t rush to settle insurance claims

February 14, 2015 • By Dennis Beaver “It does not matter what kind of a claim you have. Always remember that an insurance claims adjuster wants to quickly settle with you for as little as possible, using sneaky tricks, all to save the company money. “Some adjusters...

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Don’t be in a hurry to replace your home air conditioner

August 04, 2012 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver About to replace your home or office air conditioner? Well, don’t be in any hurry, or you could wind up throwing thousands of dollars down the drain, another victim of a multi-billion dollar industry fraud on...

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Don’t become a victim of an insurance scam

August 18, 2012 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver We’ve all seen the excellent University of Farmers Insurance commercials featuring a lovable, yet gruff Professor Nathaniel Burke, played by character actor J.K. Simmons. The professor adds humor and a touch...

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Don’t blame your employees for jumping ship

March 11, 2022 • By Dennis Beaver 
 “The news is filled with stories of employees refusing to come back to work, jumping ship to another employer, or trying their luck at becoming entrepreneurs,” observes Gorick Ng, the Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author of The...

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Don’t fall for these scams


February 16, 2021 • By Dennis Beaver “Mr. Beaver, suffering from bad arthritis in my hands and nighttime leg cramps — charley horses — led me to inventing a battery-operated lime squeezer that I would like to market. “I was turned on to drinking tonic water, which...

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Don’t forget your flashlight for this restaurant

March 26, 2011 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver "Just how dimly lit should a restaurant be? Can it be so dark that it's dangerous, and if someone is injured because of the low light level, the owners would be liable?" Visalia reader David asked. "We were in...

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Don’t ignore the fastest growing market in the world

September 16, 2022 • By Dennis Beaver “There is a huge market – millions of people - that could be a missed opportunity for American business,” says author Susan Golden, who teaches at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and is considered one of the nation’s...

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Don’t let bank accounts become dormant

May 10, 2008 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver Patti Davis is a longtime Hanford reader who almost had a real problem with Bank of America, caused by an incompetent bank representative. What nearly happened to Patti would have easily taken her months to...

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Don’t overspend on noise cancellation headphones

November 19, 2011 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver Last week, we told you about the disappointing experience readers had with active noise cancellation headphones - similar to widely advertised Bose products - purchased a day prior to their three-month trip...

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Driver alert – do not ignore red-light camera tickets

May 4, 2013 • By Dennis Beaver “On our way to San Diego, we stopped for lunch upon reaching Long Beach,” began an email from Alex, who reads this column in his hometown newspaper, the Selma Enterprise, owned by The Sentinel. It would prove to be a very long,...

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Driving and cell phones — what you need to know

July 01, 2008 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver The new cell phone law which went into effect on Tuesday led to an unbelievable number of e-mails and calls from worried parents as well as their teenage children, all asking the same basic question: How can we...

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Drug abuse a gift to life insurance companies

April 6, 2021 • By Dennis Beaver  If you thought that only auto or property insurance companies were out to deny claims that should be paid, today’s story will be a wake-up call for anyone who has a life insurance policy. That’s right. Life insurance companies are no...

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Eight Don’ts to Keep in Mind as You and Your Loved Ones Age

October 24, 2023 • By Dennis Beaver Getting older isn’t for sissies, and the more prepared you are for cognitive decline and the issues that come with it, the better your life will be. Do you worry about a friend or family member who is getting on in years? Perhaps...

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Employers can avoid age discrimination suits

June 11, 2021 • By Dennis Beaver As the concept of age discrimination has become better known, complaints from older American workers — people over 40— have gradually increased. Since COVID-19, agencies that deal with age discrimination have seen a significant ramping...

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Employers can change job duties

April 26, 2024 • By Dennis Beaver “I am CEO of an educational sales organization, and we need our telemarketing staff to go out into the field, make presentations and do lunch-and-learn new product seminars with potential customers. May I legally change their job...

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Entering the dark world of internet scams

February 26, 2006 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver Even after having written this column over 15 years, on occasion what has happened to one of my readers just makes me furious. That was the way I felt after reading an e-mail from Carol, age 69, living in...

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Escape from the planet of the lawyers

March 12, 2021 • By Dennis Beaver  Anne buzzed me: “A 13 year-old reader is calling from Chicago. He is worried about his father who is an attorney.” Seconds later I was speaking with “Timmy.” “Mr. Beaver, my father, Hal, is a lawyer and is so sad all the time. He...

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Ever hear of a drive-by lawsuit?

February 22, 2019 • By Dennis Beaver If you are a landlord–or plan to buy rental property–our story should scare you more than just a little, as the last thing you want is to be sued for a violation of the Americans With Disability Act which no doubt you’ve heard of....

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Examination of lawyers’ billing practices can be a fright

October 14, 2006 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver Part 1 I have a question for you about excessive attorney fees, and the only reason I am able to even discuss this matter is because of a strange coincidence that happened a few days ago in the Fresno...

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Exceptional customer service starts at the top

October 23, 2010 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver "How can I deliver excellent customer service for you today?" "Did I provide you with exceptional customer service and satisfy all of your needs?" How often do we hear this nonsense? If a company has to go...

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Facing foreclosure? Who you speak with is critical

December 11, 2010 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver The real estate crisis has spared no city and few streets. Evidence of homes lost to foreclosure is within a 60-second drive of most people reading this column. Outright con artists have ripped off desperate...

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False alarms can be scarier than you think

April 29, 2006 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver Have you recently purchased — or are you considering — a home or business alarm system? Does the alarm company want you to sign a long-term contract? If you have signed such a contract, can you get out of it if...

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Fancy Attending a home flipping seminar?

October 25, 2014   •  By Dennis Beaver “I have received an invitation to attend a free real estate seminar put on by a company that flips homes but have never had any experience in buying or selling real estate. The TV show makes it look pretty easy to buy a house and...

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Farmers Insurance – the company that gets you sued

October 27, 2017 • By Dennis Beaver     
If you are shopping for homeowners insurance–or about to renew your policy with Farmers–you may wish to reconsider after reading our story. With 138 million dollars spent on television advertising in 2016, who hasn’t seen actor...

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Father bugged by school’s handling of son’s bed bug issue

December 6, 2019 • By Dennis Beaver It might be cute to hear a three-year old sing, “As snug as a bug in a rug,” but there’s nothing cute at all about having your home infested with bed bugs. But that’s what “Rudy” and his family dealt with in July, 2019 when their...

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Feel Free to Disagree, But Here’s How to Bridge Differences

December 24, 2024 • By Dennis Beaver Do you know someone who has forgotten that advice about “burying the hatchet and letting bygones be bygones”? Or who acts as if it’s much more enjoyable to remain angry at the people who didn’t vote the way they did or don’t agree...

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Fight on a school bus: What drivers must do

August 24, 2013 • By Dennis Beaver Just what should a school bus driver do when a fight breaks out on the bus? In July of this year, while three 15-year-old students were viciously assaulting a 13-year-old boy — who wound up with a broken arm, two black eyes and other...

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Fighting traffic tickets

October 3, 2015 • By Dennis Beaver If you received a traffic ticket in California and wanted to challenge it in court, having lots of money helps. That’s because many counties have required that the “bail” is posted before a court date would be set up. But it isn’t...

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Financially handcuffing your children

June 23, 2017 • By Dennis Beaver  It is a conclusion parents never want to reach. “Our son is a failure and will never accomplish a thing. Can I protect him from his laziness and financial incompetence so that he doesn’t wind up homeless?” Earlier this year one of our...

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Finders keepers?

November 01, 2008 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver On Saturday, Sept. 13, at around 10 in the morning, June was purchasing gasoline at a Brookside Market service station close to her home in Bakersfield. Walking back into the store for change, she found a...

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Finding a safe place for mom and dad

March 12, 2016 • By Dennis Beaver The day we discover that our parents are no longer able to care for themselves brings with it one of the greatest challenges in our lives as adult children. Now, we have become parents of our parents, at times needing to protect them...

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Finding your own field of dreams

April 14, 2017 • By Dennis Beaver While you may not have seen the 1989 fantasy-drama sports film, Field of Dreams, staring Kevin Kostner, you’ve certainly heard its message: “If you build it, they will come.” For readers of this column who have wanted to go out on...

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Fire sale of a medical practice

September 26, 2015 • By Dennis Beaver Picture yourself as a family practice physician, employing three doctors and a large support staff. For close to 40 years your life has been defined by medicine, your patients, family and church. And then, you can’t recall dosages...

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First name basis can make everything better

April 7, 2023 • By Dennis Beaver “Hearing our name when said in a friendly, non-sarcastic or negative tone of voice is one of the sweetest sounds as it creates a chemical reaction inside our brain which then releases the feel-good hormones, dopamine and serotonin,...

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Five Things to Notice in Your Lawyer’s Bill

March 5, 2024 • By Dennis Beaver A recent article, Overbilled by Your Lawyer? You’re Not Alone, told the story of a lawyer whose firm touted expertise that she didn’t yet have and billed for time that she didn’t work. That story led to an e-mail captioned “Bravo” from...

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Flawed Mental Accounting Leads to Problems with Neighbors

October 11, 2019 • By Dennis Beaver  “Mr. Beaver, I have read a number of your articles about neighbors refusing to maintain their property–especially trees--in a safe condition, or failing to keep a common fence in good repair. “Of course, most people do not want to...

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For home fire safety, remember the PASS word

April 07, 2012 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver When Costco, Sam’s Club and a few other retailers began to carry fire extinguishers, sales across America skyrocketed. In a minute, we’ll give you some tips on what to look for, but first, an answer to a...

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For victims and potential victims of California’s wildfires

August 2, 2018 • By Dennis Beaver 
 If you or someone close to you has either been the victim of California's wildfires or is facing that threat and has homeowners or renters insurance, today's story will be of special interest. We are going to provide you with...

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Four Big Mistakes to Avoid if You’re Buying a Business

May 14, 2024 • By Dennis Beaver If you’re thinking about becoming an entrepreneur, you may be wondering whether you’d be more successful starting a business or buying an established business. “‘Start your own business, open your own shop’ has always been part of the...

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Four Easy Ways to Get Yourself Fired

December 6, 2023 • By Dennis Beaver One theme in science-fiction is the ability to either “read” others’ thoughts or implant memories or even knowledge. The 1990 film Total Recall, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the 2012 remake, with Colin Farrell in the lead...

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FTC finally does something about fake reviews

October 24, 2024 • By Dennis Beaver How often have you read a glowing online review–about a business, lawyer, physician, you name it, anything–believed the review, bought the product, dined in the restaurant, or hired the person, only to be disappointed? Do you know...

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Get me out of jail! – Part 2

May 08, 2010 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver It is the last type of phone call anyone wants to receive: A family member is in jail. "Please, bail me out!" is their plea. But, should you? Hanford Bail Bondsman Eddie Brieno knows only too well the impact of...

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Get out of my restaurant get out now! – Part 2

May 29, 2010 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver Last week I told you about Karen, the Bakersfield waitress who was a one-person terror squad, repeatedly yelling at customers, smashing down silverware, presenting an inflated bill and frightening elderly guests...

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Get Ready To Be Sued? – Part 2

September 17, 2008 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver Part 2 At one time, going to a job interview meant doing such silly things beforehand as taking a shower, dressing in an appropriate manner, showing up for the interview at the scheduled time and honestly...

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Get taken to the cleaners by your customers

September 22, 2023 • By Dennis Beaver A common complaint — especially from small-business owners — is the failure or refusal of their customers or clients to pay their bills on time, or pay them at all. I submit that a certain amount of this, sadly, is encouraged by...

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Gift or contract?

October 27, 2006 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver In November, I was one of the organizers of a 40th high school reunion from an all girls school I attended when my family lived in Hong Kong. About 30 of us -- now in our late 50's or early 60's -- returned...

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Give me back my gold and silver!

February 11, 2022 • By Dennis Beaver 
 When 70 year-old Scott met 50 year-old Dora, “It was love at first sight, combined with a large dose of humor,” she said. “We were on different teams at a bowling alley, and I still remember the look on his face when he first saw...

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Go back to Costco – look at the Motorola walkie-talkies

September 6, 2014   •  By Dennis Beaver “I cannot tell you who I work for, but if you go to Costco and find a bubble package of Motorola Talkabout 2-Way Radios, flip it over and read the information that describes how far–the range–you can get, I think you will be...

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Going into a Mediation? Here’s what you need to know

July 14, 2017 • By Dennis Beaver  For anyone going through a not-so-friendly divorce – or just about any dispute that promises huge attorney fees - chances are good that someone will suggest giving mediation a try. And, just what is mediation? While you might not be...

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Going to court? What do you know about your judge?

January 27, 2023 • By Dennis Beaver We often hear, “Justice is Blind.” The saying refers to the way judges and juries are required to make decisions based only on the information presented to them, rather than on personal experiences, or who they like most. This...

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Golden rules for a law enforcement marriage

December 27, 2014 • By Dennis Beaver “Getting married to a police officer requires considering realities which apply to no other occupation,” in the view of Santa Maria, California-based private investigator, Riley Parker. You and the Law sat down with the former...

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