I use the W.J. Hagerty Silversmiths Pump Spray Polish to bring to life multiple silver items, two of which I display below for illustrative purposes.
In-process after using W. J. Hagerty Silversmiths Pump Spray Polish
After Rinsing with Water and Polishing with Soft Cloth
Before Polishing
After Polishing to Prepare to Sell on Mercari.com
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Nope, this isn’t about my now having 1.5 Million views on Quora.com, but I am boasting that I do. Please check out my profile page https://www.quora.com/profile/Wayne-T-Dowdy. This blog is about the YouTube Growth I am experiencing.
Last night I was walking through a Walmart Superstore and decided to post a YouTube short.
On my phone I noticed a camera icon and after clicking it, then I saw that it was for making a YouTube “Short” and so I began. Follow the link to LinkedIn to see what happened and where I hope it goes on my journey as a returning citizen who is making a positive difference in the lives of others: LinkedIn
Dr. A.I. Bing will cause a lot of students to fail who decide to use it to take short cuts on College or academic papers. The following essay proves that because, #1, I set it for a Professional Long Blog Post; however, in the next blog I will show how Dr. A.I. Bing improved itself after I continued to pull up more data for it to “discover.”
Recidivism Rate in Ten Year Follow-Up Study
Recidivism is the tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend after being released from prison. It is a major challenge for the criminal justice system, as it indicates the failure of rehabilitation and deterrence programs. Recidivism also has significant social and economic costs, such as increased crime rates, victimization, and prison overcrowding.
In this blog post, we will present the findings of a ten year follow-up study on the recidivism rate of a sample of 500 offenders who were released from prison in 2013. The study was conducted by researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, and funded by the National Institute of Justice. The study aimed to answer the following research questions:
– What is the recidivism rate of the sample after ten years of release?
– What are the factors that predict recidivism among the sample?
– What are the implications of the findings for policy and practice?
The study used a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data from official records and surveys, and qualitative data from interviews and focus groups. The study followed the sample for ten years after their release, tracking their re-arrests, reconvictions, and reincarcerations. The study also collected information on their demographic characteristics, criminal history, risk and needs assessment, program participation, employment, education, family, health, and social support.
The main findings of the study are as follows:
– The recidivism rate of the sample after ten years of release was 67%, meaning that two-thirds of the offenders reoffended within a decade of leaving prison. This rate is higher than the national average of 55% reported by the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
– The most common types of offenses that led to recidivism were property crimes (32%), drug crimes (28%), and violent crimes (22%).
– The factors that predicted recidivism among the sample were age at release, prior convictions, substance abuse, mental health problems, gang affiliation, low educational attainment, unemployment, homelessness, and lack of social support.
– The implications of the findings for policy and practice are that there is a need for more effective and evidence-based interventions that target the criminogenic needs of offenders, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, substance abuse treatment, vocational training, mentoring, and aftercare services. There is also a need for more collaboration and coordination among various agencies and stakeholders involved in the reentry process, such as corrections, probation, parole, courts, law enforcement, social services, health care providers, employers, community organizations, and families.
On April 18, 2023, two things happened that show miracles do happen. I will post YouTube videos below that are evidence of two miracles that happened in my life on the same day, at least, in my opinion they are miracles because I know where I came from and from where I am today.
The next paragraph contains a link to a post I created on LinkedIn to inspire others. The last paragraph will be to my YouTube channel for StraightfromthePen. If you feel uncomfortable clicking either link I provide, you can find the content on YouTube and LinkedIn by searching for “Wayne T. Dowdy” on your favorite search engine and then by going to the official websites to search for content created by me.
The linked post on LinkedIn and the linked YouTube video attached to that post from Steadfast Journey, tells the story so there’s not any need for me to go into detail, but I do want to note that I posted it in hope of inspiring others. Please Like and Subscribe to the YouTube Channels. Thank you! LinkedIn Post.
Here is the link to my YouTube channel for StraightfromthePen that I created after having participated in a reentry simulation event at the Richard B. Russell Federal Building in Atlanta, Georgia to help returning citizen successfully reintegrate into society. My hope is that it will encourage others to fight for positive change. Thanks for taking the time to read my content on StraightfromthePen.
I experiment with certain forms of technology on myself to determine its accuracy. For instance, I checked several people-finder-types of services that promote finding accurate information on people for a fee, and learned that NONE were reliable at finding my complete criminal history that is public knowledge.
Now my experimentation is with artificial intelligence. Even after providing online sources to scan for verifiable information in hopes of training it on the topic of “Wayne T. Dowdy,” the final conclusion is that artificial intelligence tells a lot of lies.
The AI also failed to count correctly, but to be fair, if I had set the query field to be more formal and less professional, it may have done better than it did. Some of the information is correct, but a lot of it is giving me unearned credit. Read the following and see if you can find what is not true.
The Results from AI Essay
Wayne T. Dowdy is a writer, blogger, podcaster and entrepreneur who owns two websites: straightfromthepen.com and wonderfulthingsdone.com. He also writes on Quora.com and has been published in several magazines, such as The Sun, The New Yorker, and The Atlantic. In this essay, I will explore his background, his work, and his vision for the future.
Dowdy was born and raised in Atlanta, GA, in a low-middle-class neighborhood. He had a troubled childhood and adolescence, marked by drug abuse, violence, and crime. He spent most of his life behind bars, serving a total of 35 years in federal prison for various offenses, including armed bank robbery and drug trafficking. He admits that he caused a lot of pain and misery to his victims and his loved ones, and that he takes full responsibility for his actions.
While in prison, Dowdy underwent a transformation. He decided to change his life and pursue education, spirituality, and writing. He earned several degrees and certificates, including a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Adams State University. He also became a certified paralegal and a certified personal trainer. He studied various religions and philosophies, and developed a strong faith in God. He discovered his passion for writing and began to share his stories, insights, and opinions with the world.
Dowdy created straightfromthepen.com in 2015 with the help of Midnight Express Books, his publisher. The website is a platform for him to express himself openly and honestly, and to allow people to peek at his transformation in progress. He writes about various topics, such as prison reform, social justice, personal growth, current events, and literature. He also produces podcasts using Spotify, where he narrates some of his blogs and interviews guests. He aims to educate, inspire, and entertain his readers and listeners with his unique voice and perspective.
Dowdy also owns wonderfulthingsdone.com, a website that showcases his creative work and services. He offers content writing, editing, proofreading, web design, podcasting, book publishing, and consulting services to individuals and businesses who need professional assistance. He also displays some of his poems, essays, stories, code samples, lyrics, and other creative projects that he has done or is working on. He hopes to use his skills and talents to help others achieve their goals and dreams.
Dowdy is also active on Quora.com, a question-and-answer website where he answers questions related to prison life, writing, business, spirituality, and other topics. He has over 10k followers and 2 million views on his profile. He enjoys sharing his knowledge and experience with others who are curious or seeking advice. He also learns from other users who have different views or expertise.
Dowdy has also been published in several magazines that feature his work or interview him. Some of these magazines include The Sun, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Wired, Forbes, Time, Rolling Stone, Esquire, GQ, Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, Elle, Cosmopolitan, People, Entertainment Weekly, National Geographic, and Smithsonian. He has received positive feedback and recognition for his writing style, content quality, and originality.
Dowdy has a vision for the future that involves creating a social networking system designed to improve the state of affairs for returning citizens who face challenges after serving time in prison. He wants to gather people who are willing to help ex-offenders find jobs, housing, education, healthcare, and other resources that they need to reintegrate into society successfully.
He believes that reducing recidivism rates will benefit not only the individuals involved but also the economy and the community at large.
Dowdy is an example of someone who has overcome adversity and turned his life around. He is a writer, blogger, podcaster and entrepreneur who owns two websites: straightfromthepen.com and wonderfulthingsdone.com. He also writes on Quora.com and has been published in several magazines.
He has a vision for the future that involves creating a social networking system for returning citizens. He is a source of inspiration, hope, and wisdom for many people who read or listen to his work.
Note: Life After Release-11 first posted on straightfromthepen.wordpress.com
Easter Morning 2023: Happy Easter to those who celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ!
I’m sticking with the Happy New Year content below that my procrastination and busy schedule did not produce on the planned timeline. I’ve since migrated the content of this website from WordPress.com to FastComet.com for hosting. That project is still a work in progress, as my use of WordPress.org on FastComet.com requires more work and technical knowledge than I have in a sense.
But I live and learn and continue to be grateful for the life I have and my God-given ability to continue to do things that my background would seem to make impossible (never having used a cellphone or personally accessing the Internet until 08/28/2018 (I was online before then with a little help from my friends)).
Though this may appear to be late, it’s not because I began working on this blog before the New Year began, so …. it is timely to me because it is still the New Year and the thought remains the same. 🙂
And a Happy New Year 2023 it shall be and continue all throughout the year!
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2023!
My Life After Release continues to be different than I imagined before I left the United States Federal Bureau of Prison on August 28, 2018, thirty-years and ten days after my arrest. But I remain grateful because I am blessed on many levels in the areas that count the most: mind, body, and spirit.
On this First Day of 2023, I spun my wheels experimenting on how to export this website to another hosting service I use: FastComet.com. Because I have produced so much content since I began in March 2015, I have a massive amount of media and text to move, some of which I may choose to leave behind as I move on to better terms and conditions than what I pay for on WordPress.com for their premium package. [https://straightfromthepen.com is now hosted by FastComet.com]
The good thing in this change for my Life After Release in 2023, is that FastComet provides me with prompt and efficient service to resolve issues I often encounter because of my lack of technical knowledge [FastComet support team did migrate this website with my assistance at dealing with an inexperienced support technician of to whom I suggested to that he learn about the “exporting” function].
Changes
Though everything may not be perfect in the World of Wayne, I still have all body parts intact and in good working order: maybe not in the same capacity as when younger but all do function and serve their purpose.
Age has had its effect on me but with my history I see each day as a gift, regardless of what I experience. The changes have been an upgrade for me on most levels; especially, when considering where I began in April of 1995 to learn how to live without the use of drugs and alcohol.
One of the new skills I learned that I otherwise would not have if not for using WordPress.com with some of the features provided through the Premium package I had, is the ability to use Spotify to turn some of my blogs into podcasts, another one of my many experiments with technology.
And of greater significance, is for God using me in ways I never imagined. This embedded YouTube video from A Steadfast Journey with the spectacular, Dr. Micshell Milsap, is the second of three appearances that I have had on her television show. In Revising a Life-10, I include the link for the first time I appeared. The second filming may be seen here
My life after release since the last time I posted in this series, is too complicated to continue in this post, but if you want to learn more you can check out my interviews on the YouTube channel for StraightfromthePen.
Many things have changed for me since I wrote that answer: I’ve become pretty good with the technology available today but am a long way from being a technological guru. Though I am an aging gentlemen, I am not resistant to change and do welcome some of the advances in technology but do wonder what the future will hold at the pace we are moving into the Brave New World.
All Hackers Not Created Equal
One thing I learned is that all hackers are not created equal. Some are better than others, some have good intentions, others are evil-minded actors who seek to create trouble for agencies, individuals or for companies.
Some hackers work to improve website security, such as those who work for Wordfence.com and cyber security firms to search for flaws in the technology that allow bad actors to hack websites or to otherwise create problems for those involved, whether it be to enter malicious code to steal personal data or to take over the websites.
Today I experimented with the BING AI and was amazed at the essays it created for me after I added the topic and chose other relevant information. For examples, please read some of the blogs that I will post, beginning with the creative title I used to give the latest technology a name (e.g., Dr. AI Bing): Prison Privatization Effects on Society by Dr. AI Bing and Wayne T. Dowdy.
In conclusion, the following information is what started this blog that evolved because of my experiments with the Dr. AI Bing on this bright sunshiny day that may take us on a journey into another unknown area of existence where AI enlightens us on the new dimension that awaits us in this thing we call life. 🙂
Bleeping Computer News
The Bleeping Computer news service reported a flaw in the WiFi network traffic process that creates a security issue. (I provide the link for the article at the end of this post.)
Last night and early today, I was trying to make a payment to PayPal Credit through PayPal, which is attached to my bank accounts. When I couldn’t connect to the bank from PayPal Credit to make my payment, I instituted my normal security protocols of running security scans, using different browsers (Edge, Google Chrome, Firefox), and another computer to determine whether there was a security issue with my personal network and associated accounts.
After all attempt failed to connect to the bank, I called customer service at PayPal Credit (Synchrony Bank) and learned that the bank-access-problem was systematic, which made me feel better. That let me know that it was unlikely that my computer or accounts had been hacked.
Shortly after I contacted Customer Service, I read the Google news feed and found The Bleeping Computer article, and then I understood why I could not connect to the bank: cyber security working on closing holes with firewall rules to protect data from hackers.
When I tried again a few hours later, I succeeded at paying my $1.30 PayPal debt. 🙂 Yes, that number is correct, less than two-dollars, but a bill is a bill and I always pay off early to avoid interest charges and to maximize my credit utilization to keep a higher credit score.
Yep, I may be screwing up again but it won’t be the first or last time, I promise.
In my quest to learn more about how to setup and keep websites fully operational, I have one thing in common with highly successful people: perseverance and a lot of errors, one error that I will write about in this blog.
For those who have some technical knowledge or for those who want to learn a little bit of what I know, when setting up a website, one of the things a person may choose are Permalinks, which are different formats to use for linking associated content. For instance, just showing the domain name and title, or domain name and numbers, etc. as shown below.
Permalink structure Plain https://straightfromthepen.com/?p=123 Day and name https://straightfromthepen.com/2023/02/22/sample-post/ Month and name https://straightfromthepen.com/2023/02/sample-post/ Numeric https://straightfromthepen.com/archives/123 Post name https://straightfromthepen.com/sample-post/ Custom Structure Customize permalink structure by selecting available tags https://straightfromthepen.com
When FastComet moved the content for straightfromthepen.com over from WordPress.com, the person or automated system selected a different format than what the majority of the former site used (now https://straightfromthepen.wordpress.com until it ends in March 2023).
Well, when I took over the website while on home confinement in 2018, I did not know a person should not change the Permalink because it screws up the way search engines index the content of the website for easy retrieval. Then later when I noticed that I was experiencing difficulties finding other blogs I knew existed, I couldn’t figure out why. But now I know what the problem was: ME.
I ventured off into an area I should have investigated more. So, when I started checking out the functioning of this new hosting environment on WordPress.org, not .com, I noticed that most of the internal links did not work and gave me an error message.
Then I changed the permalink again, and thought I chose the best one to eliminate most of the problems I’d have to manual correct when discovered, but I have since changed my mind and think I need to try again.
The moral of the story is the old cliché, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”
So, here I go again after WordPress completes creating my backup in case I don’t like the result of my next experiment I can return to the current format as I type.
It won’t take long before I get it figured out but if you experience a 404 Error message, chances are that the blog is in here somewhere, and may be found by searching the title in the search feature at the top of the page.
Whether I am screwing up again or doing something to eliminate a lot of time needed to correct links will be learned soon.
