PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR
Betsy Seeton
I currently make my living as a private investigator in Colorado. Check out my website: thepifactor.com for more specific information.
I'm a third generation native of Colorado. My great-grandfather was a gold miner and also the first mayor of San Miguel County in southern Colorado. My grandmother was born in Ouray, Colorado. She loved telling the story of when she rode over a 12,000 foot mountain pass on a horse drawn sleigh making her the first woman into a Colorado mining camp in Gunnison County. She was a school teacher, a sharp shooter and could cast an awesome fly on the streams. I was blessed to have grown up with her.
My grandfather on my mother's side was an attorney, back in the days when it was held in the eyes of many as an honorable profession. He was a self made man. Growing up, he helped support his widowed mother and family, and went on to put himself through law school.
I'M ALSO A WRITER & PHOTOGRAPHER ....
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My goal through the use of a camera lens is to bring their world into focus to expand our own. I also want to share my belief that all life matters. I posit that if the human race embraced that single concept -- all life matters -- we'd be closer to peace on this beautiful and glorious, but quite messed up planet.
Made it into the National Geographic online edition:
My great-grandfather was a professional photographer and my dad, a geologist by degree, was a hobby photographer. I loved assisting him in the dark room. As I slowly stirred the chemicals and plucked the photographic sheets from black tray to black tray, I never tired of watching the blank paper magically turn into images.
I love trying to capture the ‘soul of the scene’, but I have much to learn; oodles and oodles to learn. Fortunately, it’s the journey behind the lens that’s so extraordinarily intoxicating, that makes learning an adventure all its own. Photography is a passion with endless rewards. The best compliment I can ever receive is when someone lets me know a photo has moved them or inspired them.
AND AN ARTIST ...
An important part of my life is creatively expressed through my painting, welding, and photography. I'm drawn to avante-garde style in all my artistic endeavors. The great curator, Josine Ianco Starrels, once wrote, "Avante-garde artists, by definition, depart from what already exists and thereby change the way we perceive things." That concept appeals to me. Some of my work was on display in Colorado in Denver's art district. More of my abstract paintings here.
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Below are a few photos from my Asia travels that took me through Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Bali.
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Top left: Going under! Mahoot Elephant training in Thailand in 2007. Botttom left: Typical reaction to (me) a nearly six-foot American woman traveling through Asia. On the right: This was my Russian Minsk motorcycle that I toured around Vietnam on for six days. We covered 900km. Click on bike for my travelogue. |
VIETNAM ON MOTORCYCLE
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The redbubble button will take you to an online website where my photos can be viewed and purchased as greeting cards, canvas prints, framed prints, calendars, postcards and photographic prints to frame yourself. You can also contact me directly for affordable framed prints.
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I IMAGINE A BETTER WORLD ...
..... when what people value has more to do with what they love doing than about what money can buy. Going after your passions and leading a life inspired by them is central to what drives my own life and is something I encourage others to experience. That's why the idea of humans and animals being enslaved is so intolerable to me. Freedom, not only in a political sense, but freedom to choose one's own path in life, should be everyone's right. On a global and cultural level, this right should be embraced and nurtured. It's incomprehensibly vile to think of how the greed of some humans and the thirst for power over others, devastates the lives of so many -- human and animal.
Read why I call my site livehonestly
Something I care deeply about is crusading against animal and human trafficking, and taking down Monsanto.
I also advocate for animal and human rights. You'll find links to these causes throughout this website, but you
will not find advertisers. This is a labor of love website and I tried google ads, but they drove me crazy. Instead,
I focus on my passions and promote my art, my books, my photography and my agenda for a better world. If
I inspire in anyway, I have added a few 'donate' buttons for those of you who have some discretionary income,
but please know that I value you stopping by just to browse. An email or comment left is equally appreciated.
TIGER TEMPLE INVESTIGATED FOR ANIMAL TRAFFICKING AND ABUSE
Nothing quite compares to the feeling of petting a tiger or riding an elephant. The photo of me petting the tiger was taken at the Tiger Temple outside of Bangkok when I solo traveled through Asia for five months between October 2006 and March 2007. On June 22, 2009, I learned some devastating news. While petting real tigers was a highlight experience in my life, it appears that the Tiger Temple violates all that I stand for..... read a very disturbing report by CWI: Care For The Wild International.
When I was at the sanctuary, I sought out volunteers to interview because I was curious and concerned about what was going on behind-the-tourist-scene. One young man was a school teacher from Australia on his summer break. He said he witnessed nothing abusive during his month long stay and highly recommended becoming a volunteer. Another young volunteer said it was the best experience she ever had. I specifically asked if the tigers were drugged so that tourists could pet them. I was told definitely not and assured that tigers sleep an average of 17 hours a day. It never occured to me that the tigers might be trafficked versus being "rescued tigers", but that's one of the claims in CWI's report backed by man other reputable organizations.
I don't know the truth, but I'm devastated at the thought that I may have supported a fraudulent, animal abusing organization. [Anyone with more knowledge is welcome to email me.] I'm going to continue investigating these charges. This is a huge lesson to all of us... We need more knowledge so that we don't innocently contribute to animal abuse and trafficking!
".....endangered animals are the new blood diamonds for militias and warlords...." This is a must read article about the horrendous cruelty and exploitation of animals. Learn about how you may be unknowingly supporting the killing of elephants, rhinos and tigers .....
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 Boda - photo by Betsy Seeton |
 Monkey on my back - slide show video Boda was a 10 month old Asian bear who was rescued after his mother was killed by poachers. He was playful like a big puppy. I met Boda and the macaque (grooming me above) , who was also rescued from poachers, at the trail head on the Gibbon Experience where I zip lined to in Northern Laos in the Bokeo Reserve. We were looking for gibbons and stayed two nights in tree houses. I saw some civets - no gibbons - but it was beautiful with awesome ziplining.
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 CLICK TO GO TO MY PHOTOS |
CLICK ON FLY ROD TO GO TO MY BLOG My granddaughter took this of me fly fishing before she was taken away from me. She was 4 that summer. My father put a fly rod in my hand at the tender age of 3. For my 5th birthday, he gave me my very own pole.
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2012 IN REVIEW - A challenging year full of adventure, hardship and lessons galore!
Cooper came into my life in March. He was my foster dog and I fell in love with him! He's the most loyal and honest partner I've ever had. I never doubt his love and devotion.
In 2012, I officially self-published BEE INSPIRED and continue to work on creating more photo books. I learned how to repair a tie rod on a 30 + year old truck, erected an 11 x 11 foot army tent by myself, and framed my first walls with 2 x 4's.
In July, my mother had a small stroke, which scared the basheebees out of me. She saved her own life by recognizing atypical symptoms and had an ambulance get her to the hospital right away. It affected her sensory perception and she was left with the right side of her body feeling semi-numb and forever odd. Her cognitive ability was not impaired. She was so lucky in many ways, yet the stroke has left her more fatigued and less stable on her feet. She's one of my best friends. READ MY LETTER TO MY MOM.
MEET MY LOVE , COOPER !
THANK YOU NIKKI, FOR THE BEST EVER DOG!
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My daughter with Cooper
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WALKED AWAY FROM THIS CRASH
THE LITTLE ANGEL I DON'T GET TO SEE ANYMORE
My granddaughter is 7 now. I still don't get to see her. My ex husband and his wife have legal custody and they will not allow her to visit me. The photos at the right are from the summers when she was 3 and 4. Since then, the adoption became final and she has not been allowed to be with me. Her beautiful, long hair was chopped off as soon as the adoption was final. She was taken out of activities like dance as soon as the papers were signed. The step-grandmother claims it's too hard to keep her hair long. My granddaughter cries for them to stop cutting it. But that's the least of the nightmare.
Aside from losing a child to death, losing a child like this is probably the 2nd hardest thing to endure. Her beautiful spirit is being extinguished. She is not in a home with unconditional love and support. She's so unhappy and struggles with anger. She is not allowed to see any of my blood relatives except my son, and that is very limited and controlled. My mother doesn't get to be with her and she's never met her many cousins and aunts and uncles. It's a tragedy beyond words.
When Step-Parents are Puppet Masters ... everyone suffers ...
The year my daughter was fighting for her life in the hospital awaiting a transplant, this woman told numerous people, she hoped my daughter would die. What kind of person thinks that way? I could tell you stories that would have you seething, but this isn't the time nor place. Suffice to say, she puts a twisted spin on things to convince my ex that her opinions are wise and sound, but always in the end, she serves only herself, not my granddaughter's best interests.
My ex let me see my granddaughter one time in 2012. He didn't get prior permission from his wife though, so when she found out all h&%$ broke loose. Sources tell me it was the biggest fight she'd ever had with him; I haven't seen my granddaughter since. This woman is the proverbial puppet master, and he, the puppet. It's so sad.
I've learned valuable lessons through these many challenges. The one that serves me daily is letting go. I will not hold onto anger or resentment. And I will not be consumed with hate. Life is full of great injustices and countless wrongs that leave life-long scars. How we face these obstacles is what defines us. I hope to have enough patience to let the universe take care of retribution. I let the facts speak for themselves and ask only for common sense justice and fairness to prevail. I'm a believer in what goes around, comes around.
YEAR 2011 -- THE FAMILY COURT SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES IS HORRIFICALLY FLAWED AND BROKEN ...
My family and I felt the destruction of lives that comes from the influence of dark-hearted souls. The pain of injustice is with me every single day. In 2011, the social worker, Venica Padilla, who was overseeing our case, was later charged with "28 combined felonies, including theft, forgery and attempt to influence a public servant." READ CASE. More charges were filed against her for other acts of fraud. This is the woman who led the charge against my daughter and my family; a person whose morals and values were/are corrupt. See articles posted below about Venica Padilla. (Update: She plead guilty in January of 2013.)
I'm happy to report that my daughter received a life saving transplant in October of 2011. She is on a slow road to recovery, but we are hopeful that improved health continues to come each day, and that justice will bring our little girl home to us. Currently, a very dark soul is keeping us from even visiting our little angel. To separate a mother from her child like this (and me from my granddaughter) is beyond humane. Those responsible are terribly misguided at best, and one is mean spirited to the core. It's hard to fathom someone with so much ill will.
The cancer I had in the fall of 2010 has not returned. I feel blessed to have caught it early and that surgery successfully eradicated it. The cancer battle was a blip on the radar though, compared to all that my daughter went through, and continues to go through. She will only be whole when she gets her daughter back, and my heart won't beat the same until that day comes.
for her crimes. It's outrageous to think she won't do time behind bars.
PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS HERE
Please become informed about how exotic animals are exploited and care enough not to buy products made by slaves.
CHIPPY VILLAGE VIETNAM PHOTOGRAPHER NEPAL ABOLITIONIST WRITER
