Let’s Stop Fighting About This Election
March 26, 2008
I just read a wonderful post from the Diary of a Broken Vessel. It sums up all that needs to be said about the upcoming election. Read it here.
Updated March 27, 2008
I don’t completely agree with the second paragraph of the recommended post, but the rest is a masterpiece.
Sphere: Related ContentWhy Can’t We All Just Get Along?
March 26, 2008
If I get one more email about Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s sermon, I’m going to scream!
This controversy has definitely brought some things to the surface that needed to be discussed. Unfortunately the unresolved anger on both sides is blinding us to the blessings we bring to each other.
Sphere: Related ContentAnger Obstructs View of Life’s Blessings
March 26, 2008
In a recent post, I lamented the fact that so many people had misunderstood me at the height of my illness. I overlooked the fact that the pain these people caused led me to seek answers, which improved my research skills and helped me realize I could use my writing skills to share what I learned with others.
Sphere: Related ContentDoctors Lack Sufficient Knowledge of Body
March 21, 2008
Until yesterday, a friend of mine constantly chastised me for being disillusioned with the U.S. health care system. “We’re the best in the world,” he said. “You turn people off by being so negative. Doctors are only human.” One of my concerns now has come to roost on his own doorstep.
Sphere: Related ContentFannie Mae, Freddie Mac Changes Sidestep Real Problem
March 21, 2008
By now you’ve probably heard that the government on Wednesday reduced requirements for the cash cushion at government-sponsored lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by one-third. The move is part of a plan to provide an additional $200 billion of financing for home loans, allow the companies to refinance shaky subprime mortgages into mortgages with more favorable rates, and back them with guarantees from the government. Proponents believe this will stabilize the housing market.
Some government officials are concerned that changing mortgage terms for troubled lenders, who created this mess in the first place, will make mortgage rates higher for everyone. Rates are rising anyway, in spite of drastic rate cuts by the Fed.
Sphere: Related ContentHeroic Fed Action is Temporary Fix
March 19, 2008
In a move not see since the Great Depression, the Federal Reserve helped investment bank J.P. Morgan Chase save one of its largest competitors, Bearn Sterns, from total collapse this weekend. Opponents have attacked the Fed for the “moral hazard” of insulating an institution that was largely responsible for the current housing crisis from the consequences of its actions. I disagree.
Sphere: Related ContentCreate Space is Better for Short Books
March 13, 2008
After much research, I’ve decided to move the sales of my book to Create Space after all. The unit price per book under the Pro Plan, which costs $50, is cheap enough for books under 48 pages, and the wholesale price is low enough to accommodate volume discounts to anyone who orders through me.
Sphere: Related ContentBorders/Lulu Partnership Needs Fine Tuning
March 13, 2008
After gushing about the new partnership between Borders and Lulu yesterday, I decided to do some further research. At present, the publishing process is still too dependent upon the Lulu system for my taste.
In addition to the problems I mentioned yesterday, Lulu shipping ranges from incredibly slow to exorbitant in cost. The cost also is a little high for short books.
Sphere: Related ContentFocus Not Size of Government is the Issue
March 12, 2008
One constant fight between “conservatives” and “liberals” is over the role and size of government in our society. Though I often wonder about the size of our government, I also wonder if lack of focus is the true problem. Maybe those who oppose government intervention in education and health care should take another look at how the Constitution relates to the world in which we now live.
Sphere: Related ContentBorders Challenges Amazon Create Space
March 12, 2008
Just when I had resigned myself to moving my book to Amazon.com’s Create Space for more visibility, Borders announced it’s new partnership with Lulu.com, the company I currently use.
The biggest problems I have with folks at Lulu are 1) their marketplace can’t compete with the big guys in online sales, 2) they charge too much for a single ISBN (International Standard Book Numbers), which is required to sell books through other online retailers, and 3) their order process only works with the most up-to-date web browsers, a fact they don’t state on the site.
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