Scorched and Burned

About the Book

    Looking back on my very full life I have some regret that I didn't pursue a career in teaching because it had always been my first vocational preference. For more than fifty years I have enjoyed an immense working and travel experience. I have acquired much insight relative to our relationship with others especially with persons living in the thirty-four countries and Island Groups that my wife Elizabeth and I had visited prior to her death in 1991.
    In regard to the above destinations, many of the Countries we visited many more than once. We made twelve visits to Italy prior to 1991 mostly for business. I would buy a few kilos of human hair and other required items. I seized the travel opportunity also as an excuse to visit one of my favorite countries. We also went to other countries in Europe, Mexico, British Columbia and Eastern Canada many more times.
    We were very fortunate to have taken as many trips as we did. It seemed to be as if God had sent me a message to make every effort possible to share as many pleasurable moments with Elizabeth as I could because my moments with her were limited. Apparently he knew. I did not! Many years ago I realized that there are topics that are overlooked or just neglected in our schools. In my opinion there are numerous extremely important subjects that are excluded unintentionally because the subjects are believed by some to be not as important as other subjects selected to be included in the curriculum.
    It is my wish that the following information will assist and make it easier for our children, adults as well as the uninformed of all ages comprehend and become prepared for the pit falls and challenges that they are likely to encounter. When they enter the extremely competitive world of business they will be able to recognize and be suspicious of questionable perpetrators of scams. If they retain and follow my suggestions set forth here in as my advice. Perhaps they will spare themselves the agony and the despair that I caused myself by trusting my friends implicitly and trusting persons that I did not know well. I did no research about their business practices and acted hastily. It will be obvious to you that there is no continuity of story here. That is because there is no fiction interspersed with these true facts. Had I been knowledgeable of my written words here in at the time I loaned and foolishly, invested. I would not have lost more than a half-million dollars ($500,000.) to crooks, con artists, thieves and rip off type scams! I hope the information contained in these pages will help prevent you from making the same very serious errors I made and describe.

    "This book is a lighthouse guiding the naive and the experienced alike, through the treacherous waters of business and deception."

Christopher J. Calabrese, Exq., attorney

    "Joe I think your book is fantastic and I am going to recommend it to all of my clients as required reading!"

David Stern, Esq., attorney

    "As an educator I know that the school curriculum at all levels on the educational continuum is a crowded one. somewhere along that curricular continuum we should take the time to teach the easy way what Joe Roberts had to discover on his own the hard way!"

G. Mancuso

About the Author

    Joseph Roberts is a complex, fascinating guy composed of many facets. The last time he was employed full-time was from 1946 through 1949 when he was honorably discharged from S-2 division of military intelligence, U.S. Army.
    He applied to attend the Rochester Institute of Technology to pursue his interests in photography but there was a two year back log of attendees after WWII. His alternate choice was to attend Culver Academy of Advanced Cosmetology and then the Monsieur Louis Advanced School of Hair Design in New York City. He owned three Styling Salons during 1951 to 1989. He later sold his largest, sixteen operator Salon of Roberts of New York. Simultaneously he operated Artistry from Around the World. A full service hair goods wholesale and retail manufacturing business catering to male and female clientele. He mastered his trade by studying under talented "old world masters" he found in his international search for knowledge. He is one of the few world wide undisputed masters of his trade. Designing, manufacturing and fitting, undetectable hairpieces for clients world wide.
    Technically retired many years ago these special clients still fly in to be accommodated by Mr. Roberts because his knowledge and talents are not duplicated elsewhere.
    Since 1948 he has either owned his businesses or affiliated as an independent contractor.
    In 1964 he became licensed by National Association of Securities Dealers (N.A.S.D.) where he sold securities to many associates/clients.He earned his reputation for his ability to raise money to fund start-up businesses.
    He was a consultant to Interco, Incorporated a large national trading company based on University Avenue, Rochester, New York. While he was a consultant to Interco he formed and soon became president of Interco Financial Service and Created Interco/Ryder Trucking program. Both became very successful divisions of Interco, Inc.
    He held positions as director and president of several other companies too numerous to list here.

George Mancuso, Principal, Retired