MacDonald News Archives - Scott MacDonald https://authorscottmacdonald.com/category/macdonald-news/ Author, Businessman and Philanthropist Thu, 22 Jun 2023 16:11:02 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://authorscottmacdonald.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/macdonald-logo@3x_opt.png MacDonald News Archives - Scott MacDonald https://authorscottmacdonald.com/category/macdonald-news/ 32 32 122331118 Review of My Friend Charlie https://authorscottmacdonald.com/macdonald-news/review-of-my-friend-charlie/ Thu, 22 Jun 2023 16:11:02 +0000 https://authorscottmacdonald.com/?p=891 Review of My Friend Charlie Post by Maduabuchi Eze » 07 May 2023, 18:43 [Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of “My Friend Charlie” by Scott MacDonald.] 5 out of 5 stars Share This Review We can learn crucial life lessons from anybody or anything; just be observant and open-minded in assessing the outcome. In […]

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Review of My Friend Charlie

Post by Maduabuchi Eze »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of “My Friend Charlie” by Scott MacDonald.]

Book Cover

5 out of 5 stars

Share This Review

We can learn crucial life lessons from anybody or anything; just be observant and open-minded in assessing the outcome. In this children’s book, Scott MacDonald shares with readers the lessons they’ve learned from their dog, Charlie. These lessons border on everyday nuggets of life and living, like how to control our emotions, the benefits of hanging out with people and engaging in teamwork, how to make the best use of every moment available to us, and the need to accommodate others irrespective of their race or social status, among other invaluable insights a child would need to fully develop. Each of the lessons is matched with corresponding illustrations.

What I liked most about this book was the way MacDonald organised it. Each lesson is presented in a simple, short sentence. Alongside the lesson is a beautiful painting of Charlie demonstrating it. Two major things stand out from the above. First, children can easily comprehend the lessons and remember them for a long time. Second, they will find themselves bonding with this cute, likeable puppy named Charlie.

The lessons covered in this book are essential and beneficial to readers of all ages. For example, the lesson on keeping a happy mood concerns all ages because it influences our ability to make friends, engage in teamwork, and actualize our goals. If we lose it, we might even get such lovely pets as puppies and kittens running away from us. As such, I recommend this book to not only readers aged three to ten but also to older readers.

Furthermore, the illustrations are very colourful, and they accurately capture the lessons matched with them. I especially liked the paintings on pages 37 and 38. These illustrations created exceptional memories in me that are still very much alive in my mind’s eye, even hours after I finished reading the book. Also, I didn’t find any grammatical errors in this book, which shows that it was thoroughly edited.

I don’t have anything to complain about in this book. Based on the aforementioned positive aspects, I rate My Friend Charlie: A Book for Young Readers and Dog Lovers five out of five stars. There is no reason to rate it lower.

******
My Friend Charlie
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]]> 891 Kirkus Review of My Friend Charlie https://authorscottmacdonald.com/macdonald-news/kirkus-review-of-my-friend-charlie/ Thu, 22 Jun 2023 15:59:23 +0000 https://authorscottmacdonald.com/?p=889 MY FRIEND CHARLIE BY SCOTT MACDONALD AND HIS DOG CHARLIE ‧ RELEASE DATE: MARCH 23, 2023 A sweet, short-sentenced book made for young dog lovers seeking life advice. Adorable photographs and clever cartoons combine in this book of life advice from MacDonald and his dog. A brief introduction, signed by MacDonald and his spouse, Patti, […]

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]]> MY FRIEND CHARLIE

BY SCOTT MACDONALD AND HIS DOG CHARLIE ‧ RELEASE DATE: MARCH 23, 2023

A sweet, short-sentenced book made for young dog lovers seeking life advice.

Adorable photographs and clever cartoons combine in this book of life advice from MacDonald and his dog.

A brief introduction, signed by MacDonald and his spouse, Patti, explains that the two humans have learned a lot from Charlie, their Cavalier King Charles spaniel. MacDonald and Charlie offer sage words of wisdom, geared toward young readers but equally applicable to adults. Each two-page spread features large text with themes like, “Be curious,” accompanied by an original comic illustration by Bucella and followed by a photo of Charlie and his insight (“You can never know too much”). Some of the pages go together well: Advice to look for treats includes an image of Charlie standing on hind legs at the vet, requesting an extra biscuit. Other spreads use contrasting themes and images. The short, plain text includes accessible vocabulary (featuring challenges like knowledge and understanding), making this a good choice for emergent readers. Bucella’s comedic illustrations enhance the text, and additional “Far Side”–style comics appear as bonus extras on the endpapers. But the real star is Charlie, who looks soft and snuggly in his photos. Most of the photographs of Charlie are edited to eliminate the original context and placed on a minimalist, illustrated background; the most successful images are those that include more detail.

A sweet, short-sentenced book made for young dog lovers seeking life advice.

Pub Date: March 23, 2023

ISBN: 9798985816235

Page Count: 48

Publisher: del Mar Publishing LLC

Review Posted Online: today

Review Program: KIRKUS INDIE

Categories:

CHILDREN’S ANIMALS | CHILDREN’S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN’S GENERAL CHILDREN’S

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]]> 889 Local Author’s dog stars in first children’s book https://authorscottmacdonald.com/macdonald-news/local-authors-dog-stars-in-first-childrens-book/ Thu, 22 Jun 2023 15:27:08 +0000 https://authorscottmacdonald.com/?p=877 ‘My Friend Charlie’ “My Friend Charlie” is the first children’s book by San Diego author Scott MacDonald. (Scott MacDonald) BY LUKE HAROLDSTAFF WRITER , Del Mar Times MAY 22, 2023 4:04 AM PT Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options A local author released a book called “My Friend Charlie,” his first foray into children’s books, […]

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]]> ‘My Friend Charlie’

"My Friend Charlie" is the first children's book by San Diego author Scott MacDonald.
(Scott MacDonald)
BY LUKE HAROLDSTAFF WRITER , Del Mar Times

A local author released a book called “My Friend Charlie,” his first foray into children’s books, inspired by his Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy.

Scott MacDonald, who lived in Del Mar for many years before relocating to downtown San Diego, is also the author of “Think Like a Dog.” His latest work came about after Charlie joined his family and quickly connected with local children around town, particularly the author’s grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

“Charlie and kids connect,” said MacDonald, who studied at Indiana University in Bloomington and the University of North Carolina, and spent 40 years in commercial real estate. He has two sons and three grandchildren.

Scott MacDonald
(Copyright of Scott MacDonald)

MacDonald added that Charlie was the “cutest dog we’ve ever seen, very photogenic.” He worked with illustrator Marty Bucella on “My Friend Charlie.”

“We thought, ‘We have photographs, we have a darling little dog who likes kids.’ We thought about doing a cute little book,” MacDonald said.

The themes in the book include curiosity, communication and being yourself. It started with the illustrations that Bucella had prepared for “Think Like a Dog,” in which MacDonald uses rescue dog Sadie to impart career advice.

“We repurposed some of his cartoons that he did for ‘Think Like a Dog’ and he added some more,” MacDonald said. “Did the coloring and positioning, and then we tested it with some people both in the book industry and who know kids. They were all very enthusiastic.”

MacDonald’s other works include “Legacy: An Ancestral Journey Through American History,” a narrative of his European ancestry following years of meticulous research. As he pivoted to writing his first children’s book, he focused on the style and presentation.

“You don’t spend as much time worrying about crafting words, you spend more time on the display, the coloring, the pictures and so forth,” MacDonald said. “But Charlie just kind of fits as a children’s book. And spending time with my grandkids and kids from my nieces and nephews, it just seemed like the right thing to do at the right time.”

MacDonald also received some help from his wife, Patti Kurtz, a longtime educator in Oceanside.

“She helped translate the captions and the lessons we’re promoting to kidspeak, to a language kids can relate to,” MacDonald said. “Those are all the ingredients and the book came together really quickly, unlike my other books, which took years of research.”

“My Friend Charlie” is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. For more information, visit authorscottmacdonald.com.

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]]> 877 Scott MacDonald Interviewed by Tom Dutta on the Quiet Warrior Show https://authorscottmacdonald.com/macdonald-news/scott-macdonald-interviewed-by-tom-dutta-on-the-quiet-warrior-show/ Sat, 10 Dec 2022 19:27:03 +0000 https://authorscottmacdonald.com/?p=782 Tom Dutta, a well-known and highly acclaimed author and talk show host, recently interviewed Scott MacDonald on his Quiet Warrior Podcast about his recent book, Legacy, An Ancestral Journey Through American History. The link to the podcast is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qmyVnhSbe4   Connect with Scott on social media here: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube Purchase Scott’s latest release, Legacy: An Ancestral Journey Through American […]

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]]> Tom Dutta, a well-known and highly acclaimed author and talk show host, recently interviewed Scott MacDonald on his Quiet Warrior Podcast about his recent book, Legacy, An Ancestral Journey Through American History. The link to the podcast is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qmyVnhSbe4

 

Connect with Scott on social media here: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube

Purchase Scott’s latest release, Legacy: An Ancestral Journey Through American History, now wherever fine books are sold.

Legacy by Scott MacDonald available now everywhere fine books are sold #genealogy

 

 

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]]> 782 Local Author Releases Book on Ancestry https://authorscottmacdonald.com/macdonald-news/local-author-releases-book-on-ancestry/ Sat, 29 Oct 2022 20:41:57 +0000 https://authorscottmacdonald.com/?p=761 BY LUKE HAROLD, Del Mar Times OCT. 4, 2022 4:44 AM PT Scott MacDonald, a longtime former Del Mar resident, has released his fourth book, “Legacy: An Ancestral Journey Through American History,” a narrative of his ancestry following years of research. “It’s been a long journey,” MacDonald said. “I got interested in ancestry maybe two […]

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BY LUKE HAROLD, Del Mar Times

Scott MacDonald, a longtime former Del Mar resident, has released his fourth book, “Legacy: An Ancestral Journey Through American History,” a narrative of his ancestry following years of research.

“It’s been a long journey,” MacDonald said. “I got interested in ancestry maybe two decades ago. My father died when I was a little boy and I never knew any of his relatives. And my mother really wasn’t that interested in ancestry. I think it was an era where people grew up in the great depression and the last thing they cared about was who their forefathers were.”

"Legacy" is MacDonald's fourth book.
(Scott MacDonald)

He added that the book, released on Aug. 1 by Ingram Spark, is for anyone interested in ancestry research or early American history.

“I got curious about where I came from, who went before,” he said.

Through the lens of his ancestors, he chronicles the history of women in Colonial America, Jamestown, early Wagon Trains to Ohio and the Midwest, the founding and settlement of New England conflicts between settlers and native tribes, as well as the settlement of southern states, slavery, the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and the Civil War.

“I started doing some research just as a hobby on the side,” said MacDonald, who also worked with a genealogist to help him when he ran into roadblocks. “I got more and more interested and more fascinated and started uncovering a lot of interesting things I had no idea about. It became a passion where I dug deeper and deeper.”

His ancestors arrived in the American colonies from Scotland, England, Ireland and other European countries. He also has Native American ancestors from four tribes.

After putting together a draft of the book, his two adult sons told him it was interesting but boring. That’s when MacDonald decided to tie his ancestors’ experiences to the major historic events that were happening at the time.

“It’s kind of ancestry marries historical research,” he said.

The book also includes family ancestries and charts for a wide array of last names.

“This was a passion,” MacDonald said. “This was something I wanted to do and get all that information out there so that others can benefit from all the research.”

MacDonald’s previous books include “Education Without Debt,” “Think Like a Dog” and “Saving Investa.” He studied at Indiana University in Bloomington and The University of North Carolina, and spent 40 years in commercial real estate. He has two sons and three grandchildren.

“Legacy, An Ancestral Journey Through American History” is available at bookstores and online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. For more information, visit Authorscottmacdonald.com.

https://www.delmartimes.net/art/story/2022-10-04/del-mar

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]]> 761 Eliminating the US House of Representatives https://authorscottmacdonald.com/macdonald-news/eliminating-the-us-house-of-representatives/ Sun, 20 Oct 2013 23:50:09 +0000 https://authorscottmacdonald.com/?p=543 The US Government was shut down because the Republican majority in the US House of Representatives does not like the Affordable Care Act that was passed and became law in 2010, and the President does not want to withdraw his signature legislative accomplishment. The shutdown and dysfunctional Government raises questions about whether the form of Government that […]

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]]> The US Government was shut down because the Republican majority in the US House of Representatives does not like the Affordable Care Act that was passed and became law in 2010, and the President does not want to withdraw his signature legislative accomplishment. The shutdown and dysfunctional Government raises questions about whether the form of Government that was devised in the Constitutional Convention needs to be reviewed after 225 years, Times and conditions change, and reviewing decisions with the advantage of time and hindsight are generally useful 
 
The original governing body of the country was guided by the Articles of Confederation, which was adopted by the States in 1781 and had one legislative body. There was no Senate and House of Representatives. 
 
The Randolph Plan, proposed by Edmund Randolph in the Constitutional Convention in 1787, established the concept of a bicameral legislature consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. He argued that the House would be “of the people” and would represent public opinion. The Constitution with the two legislative bodies became part of the US Constitution that was ratified in 1789. 
 
It did not take long for politicians to begin subverting the idea “of the people.” Governor Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts drew odd shaped Congressional districts in 1812 to maximize his political party’s advantage in future elections. The concept of “gerrymandering” has been widely practiced by both parties since that time.  
 
In the most recent election, Republicans received about 48% of the congressional vote across all states but won the majority of House seats largely because of gerrymandered districts. Generally, incumbents win about 95% of all Congressional elections in part due to gerrymandered and uncompetitive districts where one party is virtually guaranteed election. What is the difference between foreign dictators stuffing ballot boxes and stealing elections and US politicians rigging election outcomes through gerrymandering? Not much. 
 
All of the public opinion polls suggest “the people” oppose the Government shutdown strategy of the House Republicans but the Government remained closed for almost 2 weeks. Clearly the House of Representatives has become “of the politicians” and not “of the people.” 
 
What would the consequences be of eliminating the House of Representatives and all of the politicians employed by the House? I do not know all of the implications, but the budget implications would be enormous. Faced with outsized Federal budget deficits and House proposals to cut spending for food stamps, day care, and medical services, why not consider cutting the Congressional budget to zero? 
 
Each elected representative receives about $174,000 per year and lots of expenses. The typical Congressional office has an annual budget of about $1.5 million, not counting salaries.  
 
Our elected representatives have voted themselves very favorable retirement benefits, so even if the House were eliminated, the public would still be responsible for paying the politicians. Depending on how long he or she was in office (at least 5 years), a congressman who loses a re-election or otherwise leaves the House can receive full retirement benefits beginning as early as age 50.  
 
In addition to Congressional staffs, there are lots of free spending House committees. There are 20 standing committees, plus permanent committees, plus select or special committees. All of these committees have staff, hire consultants, and incur big expenses. Many add foreign junkets for Congressmen and women and their aides at taxpayer expense. US Government spending does seem “out of control” but it starts with Congress. 
 
So how much could we save if we eliminated the unrepresentative House of Representatives? Billions. Unfortunately, it would take the Congressional Budget Office to figure out exactly how much and they have been recently furloughed due to the Government shutdown.  
 
If asked whether the Government should continue to fund Head Start or the House of Representatives, I think the children would win easily.  

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