More Questionable Banking Practices

Someone needs to put a stop to the borderline criminal business practices of banks selling prepaid credit cards. Some of these cards charge userous monthly fees, have unreasonably short terms before they expire or unfairly require sensitive personal information in order to activate them (like this company – Netspend). These cards target poor people who cannot qualify for traditional cards.

But, the essence of this problem is this – these cards are PREPAID and should be treated with the same latitude as cash. These banks accept money up front. I dare not even venture a guess at how much of this money is STOLEN by these banks, not only in up front and continuing maintainance charges, but in dollars for cards that they just refuse to honor (at their own whim).

I cannot think of a SINGLE argument that would justify requiring sensitive personal information like social security numbers or birthdates to activate a PREPAID card such as this. These banks are not extending credit. They are taking people’s money (which they proceed to invest and profit off of) and issuing a plastic card allowing the user to spend that money which has already been paid up front. Identity theft is a reality. Encouraging people (oftentimes people with limited resources) to part with their sensitive information, before they will be allowed to access money that they have already ponied up and which is earning dividends for the bank which is not acting as a lender but only a bookkeeper, is wrong. Preventing them access to this money for failure to provide this information is criminal.

It is no wonder that banks are held in such low regard by today’s taxpayers. With practices like this, they are one step away from the crook on the street.

Economic Survival by Elizabeth Marchand

It’s no secret that keeping your finances on an even keel in today’s economy is more challenging than it has ever been, short of the Great Depression. People are struggling, homes are being lost, people are finding themselves on the streets.

It should have come as no surprise. Things had been comfortable for a long time. If we know nothing else about the market and our economy, we know that it does not continue on a straight line – especially when that line is continually rising. There had to be an adjustment somewhere along the way. And so there was.

Now it is up to each of us, as individuals, to get our finances back on track. To do that, we may have to start thinking outside the box. The time has come to look for new, safer ways to grow and protect our money. Toward that end, I have included three videos that I have found particularly useful. I hope they help you in your quest to keep your finances strong and prosperous in these tough economic times.

Remember the Other Victims

Today’s recession has been hard on everyone. People are tightening their belts and hunkering down like never before. It is a time when we need to all pull together and remember what is important. It is not the big screen tvs, the ipods or the gold rings. The truly important thing is what it has always been - life.

Let us not forget the smaller lives, the lives that some think of as dispensable. The dogs and cats, who are always there to give you love, need to be remembered in these difficult times. As more and more people find themselves losing their homes, the shelters will be filling up. Some people won’t even bother bringing their animals to the shelter, they will just abandon them on the streets to fend for themselves.

It is more important than ever to consider rescuing a pet and saving its life.

Tempers will run hot. People who are angry about their jobs, their finances or their living situations will look to vent their rage on something smaller and weaker. We need to be ever vigilant for signs of abuse and neglect.

Some owners will find it all too easy to neglect the care and feeding of their animals. Horses, in particular, may be left to subsist on just hay. They may be fed only sporadically or out-and-out starved. We need to all be more aware of signs that indicate that these abuses are taking place, then we must intercede and make a difference.

Be aware and, when necessary, step in and save a life. You can make a difference. Rescuing a shelter animal is good for the heart. Give your heart a treat today and adopt a pet – and be sure to have them spayed or neutered.

www.marchbooks.com

Vegan vs. Carnivore – The Ideal vs. the Reality

I would love to give up my carnivorous ways. I do aspire to someday be able to follow a vegan lifestyle. But, I am realistic. I am human and I am a weak human at that. I am sorry to say that a nice, juicy cheeseburger still has a lot of appeal for me.

Having said this, I will say that I love animals. I have rescued numerous pound dogs and stray cats. I have gone to great expense for my animals. I would like to believe that there is no limit to the money I would spend for the care and welfare of any of my animals.

Factory farming is horrible. It is a mercenary business at best. I am only recently becoming educated to the true horrors of this practice. I will and have spoken out against it on several occasions. I have been successful in significantly curtailing my consumption of eggs after learning about the terrible things happening in the egg industry. I wish that I could completely wean myself from all byproducts of this hateful industry. Factory farming has gotten so far away from free range that they are almost unrecognizable as the same business. And there is the crux of the problem. As soon as you label something a business, the interests of all lesser beings fall prey to the pursuit of the almighty dollar.

It would be a wonderful thing if no living creature had to give its life to provide sustenance for the human populous. There is a reality here though. There is a HUGE population of feed animals in this country. If the world went vegan tomorrow, what would happen to these animals? Who would care for them? Who would feed them? The sad reality is NO ONE. There are huge numbers of horses that go uncared for every day because they are unwanted or considered to be useless, and those are animals that we consider to be pets. How many of us would be willing to  commit to the demands of caring and feeding  the cows and pigs that would be turned loose once their ‘usefulness’ was over?

I think it is great that the universal consciousness is moving toward a vegan philosophy. It won’t happen tomorrow. In the meantime, I hope that we can adopt a philosophy more like that of the American Indian – to be grateful for the gifts of sustenance these animals give us, to treat them with respect and to honor them during their life.

Life Interrupted Presents New Possibilities

Boy, it doesn’t take much to throw me off my mark. I have had a bear of a cold for 3 weeks – yes, 3 weeks and it’s not over yet. I feel as though the dog has been dragging me around for 3 weeks and then someone threw me in the wash cycle – wash, rinse, repeat.

Needless to say, my focus has been less than lazer sharp. But, if that wasn’t enough, my computer decided to reek havoc on me as well. A crash necessitated the replacement of both my hard drives – egads! Fortunately, I live in constant fear of losing files so I have backups everywhere. But, that does not mitigate the hassle: 3 days without my laptop and another 3 days spent reinstalling files and software programs.

In the midst of all of this, I continue to work on merging my two lives (insurance advisor by day/writer-publisher by night). Sigh! What ever made me think this would be a good idea? Trying to switch back and forth between the left and right sides of my brain has proven to be quite a challenge.

I enjoy helping people to evaluate their financial situation and formulate a plan that will help them hold onto the money that they work so hard to earn. However, it is so vastly different from writing fiction. It is more than just putting on a different hat, it is like becoming people. The author, the publisher and the insurance agent, all vying for dominance.

In an effort to resolve this conflict, I have set aside my fiction writing (for the time being) in order to work on my first nonfiction project. The working title is ‘The Cardinal Sin of Capital Gains – Leaving a Better Legacy for our Children’.

In these tough economic times, perhaps I can help, in my own small way. Let’s see how it goes.

elizabeth marchand
author/publisher/insurance professional
www.marchbooks.com

Another Example of Corporate Wastefulness – M.J. Claire

As exciting as this week’s historic ‘blizzard’ was, it paled in comparison to the water woes I experienced over the past four days. I don’t know if it was freezing temperatures in my basement or just the ravages of time on my water filtration system, but something caused one of said units to give out at about 2 a.m. this past Tuesday, shooting water all over the one finished room in my basement. Fortunately, I caught it quite early, resulting in only one inch of water covering my entire basement and soaking into my carpeting.

Early the next day, the day of our eagerly anticipated ‘blizzard’, I called all over CT looking for someone who sold the type of filtration systems I had. For those who are unfamiliar with these filtration systems, here is a picture. With my system, it was only the clear case that cracked and it stood to reason, to me in any case, that I should just be able to purchase this piece and my problem would be resolved. I quickly discovered that no one sells just the casing. This didn’t make any sense to me, as this is the definition of a replaceable part.

I then decided that all I had to do was buy a new system that matched the one I had. I could then use the clear case, thus avoiding a call to the plumber. Wasteful, yes, but it was the best I could do. Unfortunately, it was not doable. On driving to the one dealer that carried filters made by the manufacturer in question, I discovered that they no longer made the model I owned. Furthermore, neither of the models carried by this store matched the size of the case I owned. I purchased a couple of new units.

Although the snow had started to fall, I decided to drive to the nearest Lowe’s to see if they carried a brand that might match the size of the case I owned. I struck out on that score but purchased another two units in this new style. The driving was now getting a little bit slippery, but I was on a mission. Why should it be so difficult to find a case that would match the units I had? If you looked at the picture , you will see that this is not a high-tech piece of equipment. Essentially, the heart of the unit takes water in from one side, passes it through the case which holds the filter, and then sends the filtered water on its way through the other outlet. I stopped at two other hardware supply stores with zero success.

Meanwhile, I had contacted three plumbers, only to find that all were occupied with heating/plumbing emergencies. A day after the first unit was replaced the second one cracked and showered the basement with even more water, necessitating another plumbing call. Three days without water and several hundred dollars in parts and repair charges because these manufacturers make what I am sure is a very calculated decision not to standardize and sell what is, or should be, a very replaceable part.

It was expensive, inconvenient, wet and required an expert to complete a repair that I should have been able to handle myself with under $50 in parts. Yet another example of corporate, calculated wastefulness and greed.

www.marchbooks.com

The Problem With Government Spending by Janus Kane

I try not to wax political too often, but that is easier said these days. The current economic climate makes it difficult not to ponder how we got here and what the ramifications will be for ourselves and our children. When one starts talking about American debt in numbers that are more suited to science fiction than real life, one can’t help but wonder what went wrong.

The U.S. government, on its face, has gone to great efforts to try to avoid the pitfalls of our predecessors. But, I don’t think you have to be a great economist to see that something is not working. I believe in Obama, I believe in his vision of change, but I don’t envy the job he has before him.

I make no claims to being a great economist or mathematician but, early in my life, I learned some basic, fundamental concepts that the bureaucrats in the White House should be reminded of. ‘Don’t spend money you don’t have’. It’s a simple concept. I’m not talking about the fiscally responsible use of credit. Banks capitalize on the velocity of money. They take your money and charge you interest for the luxury of borrowing it back. It’s a profitable business. Money sitting in a bank is stagnant money. This philosophy does not work for the consumer, even if that consumer is the American government. When you write a check, you need to deduct that amount from your check register. The fact that the recipient of that check takes a month to cash it does not entitle you to go out and spend that money again. That is economics 101.

Budgetary planning is essential for individuals, businesses and governments alike. It is not sufficient to just come up with a budget and then ignore it. Let me say it again. Budgets are only effective if you follow them. Admittedly, you cannot plan for every eventuality. No one could have foreseen 9/11 or Katrina, but you do your best to plan for the unexpected (a smart homeowner tries to anticipate the need for a new roof or furnace). When you are off the mark, you regroup, adjust your budget and move on. Unfortunately, the government does not have to worry about how they will make up a budgetary shortfall – they have us.

According to David Walker, the former Comptroller General of the United States, balancing the budget by the year 2040 could require cutting federal spending by 60% or raising federal taxes to nearly two times today’s level. How could the American government, arguably the single largest consumer in the world have gotten so far behind the eight ball?

I am not suggesting that our government should be run like a large corporation, but some basic business principles should be recognized. When WalMart buys product, do you think they pay a premium for it? They are a huge corporation with a tremendous amount of clout. They, for all intents and purposes, dictate terms to their sellers. Those terms are (surprise, surprise) to their advantage. And yet, this large corporation amounts to only a drop in the bucket of this country’s budget. So why is it that the American government is paying $300 for $15 dollar hammers, $75 for a screw and $3.4M for a turtle walkway? Why are contractors falling over themselves to scoop up lucrative government contracts?

It’s clear that a serious budget analysis is necessary. Politicians have to start acting for the benefit of their constituents rather than culling the favor and financial support of big business by selling the American taxpayer down the river.

If you would like to look at American debt in all its glory, go here. It’s a real eye-opener.

Google Book Settlement

I have been trying to track this issue in several publishing forums that I follow. There has been some heated discussion and passions are running high on both sides of the fence. I came late to the party, perhaps I was two busy publishing our first two books to see what was going on.

I don’t pretend to be completely educated on the matter. Perhaps I am missing some essential facts, but, for the life of me, I don’t see what there is to debate. Apparently there is a great deal of legalese and subterfuge involved in this settlement, but as in most such cases, it can be boiled down to one basic principle. In this case, that principle is whether or not Google has the right to infringe on the rights of numerous copyright holders; authors, publishers and their family members by trying to bind them to what is essentially a publishing contract that they did not agree to and for which they would get little if any compensation for.

As I understand it, Google has taken it upon itself, over the last several months, through their library affiliates, to scan countless books into their system with little or no regard for copyright. Their claim, again – as I understand it, is that their interest is in preserving older titles and protecting them from disappearing from the grid.

I am all for protecting the great legacy of the written word, however, it seems that Google’s motives might not be so altruistic. First, and probably most importantly, it seems that they made only a token effort to confirm that copyright had actually expired on these texts. Furthermore, it seems that, in their fervor, they blatantly stepped on the toes of numerous existing copyright holders. So now, there is this settlement in the offing which basically groups all authors and copyright holders together (regardless of the status of their copyright). Rather than allowing authors to opt-in to this book scanning program, it places the onus on the author/publisher to opt-out of it, promising little or no compensation for staying in and not even guaranteeing that an author’s books will not be scanned if they opt-out. Huh???????? It begs the question – why strongarm people into this agreement? If this settlement option was such an attractive deal, wouldn’t authors and publishers flock to get on board, without the need for coercion or underhanded tactics?

Confused – yes, incredulous – yes, pissed off – yes, yes, yes. I think the idea of a world library database of out-of-print, orphaned (expired copyright) books is a wonderful idea. I DO NOT THINK THAT PROVIDES AN EXCUSE TO INFRINGE ON THE COPYRIGHT OF COUNTLESS HARDWORKING AUTHORS!!!! These are two completely separate issues. Preserving a heritage of printed material which is no longer covered by copyright law is a terrific goal. Usurping the rights of legitimate copyright holders is unconscionable.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I know from first hand experience how much time and effort goes into writing, editing, formatting, publishing and marketing a book. Because of archaic discounts and return policies, it is hard enough to break even in this business. Now, we are supposed to accept that a company like Google can come in and scan the fruits of our labor (based on their unilateral decision and with no compensation) to use it as they like?

It’s not okay for someone to steal a book out of my hands, it is not okay for someone to print my books and sell them without my knowledge or consent and it is not okay for someone to copy my book and use it for their own benefit. That is the essence of copyright law. So, again I say, what is the debate over? Unless I am missing an important part of this equation, Google is attempting to do a major end run around well established copyright law.

If any of you feel that I am missing some facts and would like to enlighten me, I welcome it. If you are an author/publisher who also feels that your rights may be at risk, let me hear that as well. I welcome any and all feedback on this issue.

Pricing eBooks

Recently, the question of eBook pricing came up in a forum that I follow. It was suggested that the publisher should set one price for all ebook formats. I disagree. This is my response.

I have not done it yet, but my understanding is that a Kindle conversion entails more than just throwing my PDF up on Amazon. Such a file, although it could be read on a Kindle would not allow text flow or change of font sizes, etc.

For me, it is very simple – a new file requires a conversion and that requires effort – some conversions require more effort, some require less. I am currently converting my novels to flipbooks. They are not suited to the ereaders. There is no text flow as with the ereaders. Surely I could, and some publishers do, just import their text and throw their books out there. I’m not willing to do that. Whatever format I choose for my books, I want the end products to look as clean and aesthetically pleasing as I can make them. That takes time and effort.

If I chose to make my PDF book files available on Smarshwords, I would not charge the same as I would for a flipbook that required hours of formatting and design, nor would I charge the same as for a proper Kindle or Nook version that I paid a service to convert for me.

Likewise, I think that the venue’s percentage should be a consideration. It is one of the many things about the publishing industry that I think is outdated. Why should the intellectual property holder be the last one to have a say about the end cost to the consumer? Big companies like Amazon and Wal Mart want to have it all. They want to tell you what % they will take up front (LSI exceptions noted), they want to decide how much of that percentage they pass on to the consumer – something that can change on a monthly basis, and they want to dictate what you sell to other vendors for.

The thingamajig maker who needs widgets does not go to the widget maker and tell them what they will pay for their widgets, nor do they dictate who and what price that company can sell widgets to other companies for. As authors, we are the supplier (the widget makers). As publishers, we are the manufacturers (the thingamajig makers), so why are we at the sales venue’s mercy? I am just saying that the author/publisher should not be at the bottom of the food chain.

In the end, it becomes a question of ’buyer beware’. At any one time, you will find most books available for a wide range of prices on the internet – most often, none of that is the function of what price the author/publisher has set for their book.

I’ll end this little tirade with a personal example of how business is being done these days. I recently bought carpeting for one of my properties. I requested quotes from two nationally recognized chains. Both reps came out to the condo, took their measurements and gave me their quote. Quality of the carpet was comparable for both companies. The first company quoted me a price of almost $7500 – a price that I knew was grossly inflated, but I did not know how much as it had been over 10 years since I had carpeted this property. A week later, a member of their capture team, supposedly a supervisor, called and we talked at length. At the end of the call, this man offered to do the job for $2600. I declined. (I, personally, will not deal with a company that does business this way). The second company’s rep came out and went through the same machinations before tending his quote of $2945. We talked for a while about installation, padding, furniture moving, etc and ultimately settled on a price of $2600 for the job.

The first company is a thriving, although unethical, business so there is no question in my mind that there are customers falling prey to their blatantly userous tactics. The seller does not always do their due diligence, if they don’t they have no one to blame…Had I ignorantly accepted the $7500 quote I would be outraged, but I would have no recourse and no one to blame but myself.

I am not offering this to suggest that two wrongs make a right. What I am saying is that I am not going to undercut my contributions, significant as they are, to my end product when there is so much blantant gluttony both in and out of the industry. I believe that I can comfortably defend any price discrepancy that I might choose to impose.

I sincerely hope that some day we can see all authors elevated above their current position at the bottom of the food chain. Then, perhaps, more than just the top 5% could actually make a living in this business.

Let me know what you think.

elizabeth
www.marchbooks.com
http://tinyurl.com/yk3zaqo

Life Interrupted by M.J. Claire

Writing, at least for me, requires a tremendous amount of focus. I envy those people who can put a hold on their lives for a few minutes – just enough time to jot down a few lines of their current work in progress. I am not one of those folk. That is not to say that I need a quiet, sterile environment in which to work. In fact, the saying ‘ a cluttered desk is the sign of an organized mind’ could have been written for me. Well, I’m not sure about the organized mind part but I do seem to work best when surrounded by a certain amount of disarray. What I cannot do is spend several hours working in the office (on insurance matters), balance my finances, deal with the occasional personal drama and then sit down to write. At least not on anything of length.

I have those occasional inspirations; driving down the road, eating my lunch or riding my exercise bike when a thought encroaches which keeps banging against my head until I put it on paper. Those light bulbs are almost exclusively limited to poems, titles or ideas for new projects. Rarely, if ever, do they pertain to an ongoing project.

Once I have set the first few chapters of a novel down, the die is cast, that world has been created and my job as a writer becomes tuning into that world and those characters so that I can find out what is going on. I feel like less of a creator than a voyeur. In a way, for me, writing is like being a transciptionist with a radio. I play with the dial until I hit the right frequency, then I just write what I hear – ‘just the facts Ma’ am’ as they say.

If there is too much of my own life going on, there is interference and I won’t get clear reception. If that happens, I may get it wrong. Sometimes, even when my life is calm and I can devote all of my attention to radio surfing, the station in question isn’t broadcasting. That is why I always keep multiple projects going. If I am having difficulty falling into one story, rather than forcing it and putting words into my characters’ mouths, I will move on to another story.

So far, it works. Please feel free to share your own writing process. I am always interested to hear how a writer gets from a blank page to a finished manuscript.

www.marchbooks.com