- About the Book

URBAN LEGENDS:
Strange Stories Behind Modern Myths
by A.S. Mott
Published by Ghost House Books,
an imprint of Lone Pine Publishing

In this new collection, A.S. Mott explores the true stories behind many classic urban legends, showing how strange coincidences and popular misconceptions about fast food, celebrities and science and can become accepted wisdom in our increasingly paranoid society.

URBAN LEGENDS is the latest missive from Ghost House Books, an imprint of Lone Pine Publishing devoted to the strange, the unusual, the bizarre, and the downright scary. For each of the 48 tall tales, storyteller and film buff A.S. Mott attempts to track the legend to its source and determine whether or not it is based on fact. Along the way, he comments on the variations of each legend, how the legend has migrated into popular culture, and what lessons each legend may contain.

URBAN LEGENDS are today's modern myths. Each legend says something about us because they exploit our fears, express our prejudices, and are used not only to entertain but to teach lessons, advance political agendas, or even boost business. For example, many of the legends in this book demonstrate a fear of foreigners and have been used to discredit foreign-made products such as food and cars.

Some of the fascinating and frightening legends included in this book:

• A fastidious woman complains when her chicken burger comes up with mayo, only to discover that the mystery substance isn't mayonnaise...

• Eager for a photo op, witless parents encourage their child to approach an innocent-looking bear with a jar of honey...

• A bride, obsessed with looking good for her wedding, cooks her insides by dieting and tanning to extremes...

• Japanese fishermen are shocked beyond words when a dairy cow plummets from the sky and crashes though their boat, sinking her...

• A cheapskate bargain-hunter gets her comeuppance by way of a lethal snake in the sleeve of a discounted blouse...

• After a baffled California man is sent an incorrect vanity license plate, police write him nearly 2500 traffic tickets...

• And much more!

URBAN LEGENDS will keep you and your friends spellbound for hours. Like all Ghost House Books, the stories make for entertaining parties or gatherings around the campfire. The book will help you learn the patterns of true or false legends, so you can easily spot a fake or test your friends' knowledge of modern folklore.

 

Copyright ©2004 by Ghost House Books. All Rights Reserved. Please feel free to duplicate and distribute this file, as long as the excerpt is not altered and this copyright notice is intact. Thank you.

- About the Book

KNIGHTFALL
Knight Ridder and How the Erosion of Newspaper Journalism Is Putting Democracy At Risk
by Davis "Buzz" Merritt
Published by AMACOM

With corporate balance sheets dictating what we read, freedom of speech is in peril -- and freedom itself may be compromised.

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is clear: Congress shall make no law abridging freedom of the press. And yet a force seemingly even more powerful than the supreme law of the land threatens one of our nation's most precious guarantors of freedom.

For more than two centuries, American newspapers have collected, organized, and disseminated the information that makes democracy possible. Occasional opponents of a free press have not been able to cripple newspapers and despite dire predictions, neither have radio, television, or the Internet. But greed can kill American newspapers, thus eliminating the crucial synergy between journalism and democracy.

The reality that newspapers must remain financially viable has always dictated compromises between the competing missions of profit and public service. But in recent years the essential balancing of those missions has been replaced by a single-minded pursuit of profit. Whether the chosen method is scaling back of content, cutting corners to control costs, or dismantling the traditional wall separating the news and business departments, the result is the same: the watering down of newspaper journalism, which is the core of all American journalism. Without fundamental change in newspapers' corporate boardrooms, the flow of information that Americans need to govern themselves will dry up.

In KNIGHTFALL, Davis "Buzz" Merritt, a 40-year newspaperman whose career runs parallel to the seismic shift in journalism's landscape, examines one notable exemplar of this growing trend, Knight Ridder, America's second-largest newspaper company with holdings including The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Miami Herald, the Detroit Free Press, and the Mercury News in San Jose.

Merritt was a participant-observer in the 1974 marriage of two newspaper companies, a union that seemed made in heaven. Knight Newspapers' longstanding tradition of excellence in journalism coupled with Ridder Publications' business savvy should have created a unique company offering the best of both worlds.

That it did not happen is a reflection of complex changes in American society and the realities of modern business pressures driven by Wall Street. There are no pure heroes or pure villains in this story; the players were doing what their training, background, and respective family histories urged them to do. But the story's outcome is ominous for American democracy. Merritt's personal accounts of the 30 years since the merger illustrate the degree to which what we know is being limited. Further, his portraits of key figures, analysis of societal changes, and dozens of interviews with others who were (and are) there reveal that not only is he on target, he is also not alone in his unsettling conclusions.

A free press is a cornerstone of our democracy. The erosion of that foundation is a catastrophe in the making: the real possibility that the kind of journalism that gave rise to -- and preserves -- our democracy will disappear.

 

"A daily newspaper can be regarded as a business not intrinsically different from making coat hangers or carpets. But to do so is to disregard the central role of newspapers and quality journalism in the democratic life of our communities and nation. Buzz Merritt presents a detailed social analysis of the trends that have undercut journalism's critical role in public life. To understand where we are, how we got here, and where we need to go, invest some time in KNIGHTFALL."
-- Maxwell McCombs, Jesse H. Jones Centennial Chair,
School of Journalism, University of Texas at Austin

"KNIGHTFALL lifts the thin veil of corporate respectability from the long, steady suffocation of America's newspapers. Merritt's compelling case study is Knight Ridder -- yet the same sad story is playing out in print and broadcast newsrooms across the land. The slow but sure victory of outlandish profits over civic health endangers us all. To respond, we must understand. Start here."
-- Geneva Overholser, Missouri School of Journalism,
former editor, Des Moines Register

"Merritt presents a sweeping account of the changes in journalism that are having an impact on the role newspapers play in our democracy. No one is in a better position to explain why than Merritt, whose views are informed by more than 40 years as a journalist. He is both an insightful professional and a dedicated citizen."
-- David Mathews, President, Kettering Foundation

"The story of the newspaper business in the 20th century is like a Sophocles play where the protagonists can see that their actions will lead to doom, but they are powerless to stop. Buzz Merritt built his career in the middle of this real-life tragedy, and his well-written case study helps us to understand the entire industry."
-- Philip Meyer, author, The Vanishing Newspaper

"KNIGHTFALL is a troubling and revealing account of what happens to journalism when it is yoked to the insatiable demands of Wall Street. It will resonate and reverberate in newsrooms, and should be required reading for anyone concerned about journalism and the future of democracy. Buzz Merritt's status as an insider gives this hard-hitting book unusual credibility."
-- Gilbert Cranberg, George H. Gallup Professor Emeritus, University of Iowa

Copyright ©2005 by W. Davis Merritt. All rights reserved. Reprinted here with permission of the publisher, Amacom Books, http://www.amacombooks.org. Please feel free to duplicate or distribute this file, as long as the contents are not changed and this copyright notice is intact.

- About the Book

BUILDING A LIFE OF VALUE:
Timeless Wisdom to Inspire and Empower Us
by Jason A. Merchey
Published by Little Moose Press

How Do You Build a Life of Value?

Civilizations rise and fall, but wisdom endures through the ages. Building a Life of Value is wisdom at its best -- pertinent, gutsy, original wisdom that relates to our everyday lives, our everyday issues.

More than just a book of quotations, Building a Life of Value is a fusion of great thinking -- from classical to contemporary, from philosophical to poetic. It is a concert of voices, harmoniously blended by Jason Merchey and his thought-provoking essays. It will stimulate your thinking, energize your spirit, and deepen your understanding of human nature.

Whether you're a parent, educator, business executive, adventurer, artist, spiritual seeker, student, or simply a human being trying to get your bearings, this book is a marvelous tool for tuning in to your heart and owning your own values. Consider it your shaman, your oracle, your foundation, your blueprint for truly building a life of value.

Building a Life of Value is a gorgeous, hardbound book of lasting value. Elegantly designed with archetypal chapter illustrations by Thomas Gaebel, it is printed on heavy, off-white stock and Smythe-sewn for durability. This is an ideal gift for students, graduates, writers, attorneys, ministers, and anyone with a regular need to find the perfect quote for any occasion.

PRAISE FOR THE VALUES OF THE WISE SERIES:

"I love this book! It's a great compilation."
-- Anita Roddick, Author; Founder of The Body Shop

"Values of the Wise is a treasury of ideas, thoughts, & feelings that represent the best of humane ideals. I hope it will be widely read because it could be a wonderful influence on the thinking and behavior of us all."
-- Howard Zinn, Ph.D., Author;
Professor Emeritus of History, Boston University

"Values of the Wise is Bartlett's Quotations with a conscience. It is a goldmine of insight and inspiration. If you want to learn how to remake society, and why, this book is a good place to start."
-- David Callahan, Ph.D., Author; political scientist and
Co-founder of Demos, a public policy think tank

"Like a medieval monastic scribe illuminating manuscripts for the few, Jason Merchey is compiling the wisdom of the ages for the many - a cornucopia of insightful treasures."
-- Michael Toms, Author; Co-founder and host of
New Dimensions World Broadcasting Network

"...an essential & beautiful book."
-- Robin Kelley, Ph.D., Author; Professor of African
American Studies & Anthropology, Columbia University

"An impressive compilation..."
-- The Midwest Book Review, Reviewer's Choice

"Values of the Wise is a wonderful collection of wisdom with powerful messages..."
-- David B. Wexler, Ph.D., Director,
Relationship Training Institute

"We all need inspiration and role models; we all grow and learn from each other. The quotations in VALUES OF THE WISE provide just that - inspiration and knowledge for our journey together. "
-- Deborah Lindholm, Executive Director,
Foundation for Women

"Reading the wise quotations in this book is like taking sips from a snifter of finely aged brandy."
-- Peter B. Raabe, Ph.D., Author;
Philosopher & Philosophical Counselor

"Values of the Wise is a great resource for professional philosophers and all seekers of wisdom. The book contains a comprehensive and inspiring selection of quotations from great thinkers and cultural traditions, quotes which can be used to stimulate class discussion as well as one's own thought process."
-- Judith A. Boss, Ph.D., Author; Visiting Scholar in
Philosophy, Center for BioMedical Ethics, Brown University

"One of the many illuminating quotes in Jason Merchey's provocative compilation is Shakespeare's 'There is no darkness but ignorance.' Like so many of the aphorisms that Values of the Wise brings to light, this little gem demystifies tragedy by placing its origins in the realm of the knowable. It also typifies the constructive and eye- opening character of Merchey's highly original collection."
-- Robert W. Fuller, Ph.D., Author; Physicist, educator,
and social activist; former President of Oberlin College

"With the book Building a Life of Value, Mr. Merchey has done it again; a feast of thoughtful, carefully compiled words of wisdom to nourish us all. Combined with his intriguing website, he has now truly entered the noble realm of helping others to learn."
-- Max Weismann, Co-Founder/Director, The Mortimer J. Adler
Center for the Study of the Great Ideas

 

Copyright ©2005 by Jason A. Merchey. All Rights Reserved. Please feel free to duplicate and distribute this file as long as the contents are not changed and this copyright notice is intact. Thank you.

 

- About the Book

The Last Word and The Word After That:
A Tale of Faith, Doubt, and a New Kind of Christianity
by Brian D. McLaren

In this final installment of the trilogy that began with his award-winning A New Kind of Christian, Brian D. McLaren tells an intriguing fictional story that raises urgent questions about the concept of hell and what it means for the Christian view of God and God's relationship with humanity.

Can a contemporary fictional tale weave together ancient history, Biblical reflection, theology, spirituality, and social justice? The Last Word and The Word After That answers "yes."

As Pastor Dan Poole and his friends and family grapple with their pressing questions about justice in this life and beyond it, readers will find themselves seeing the Christian message of hope and commitment in expanding and transforming new ways. The book aims to inspire readers to view God and neighbor in ways that are more truly biblical, more faithful, more evocative, more healing, more global, more just, and more robust

"If [the emerging church] movement can survive in the politicized world of conservative Christianity, McLaren could find a way for young Evangelicals and more liberal Christians to march into the future together despite their theological differences."
-- Time Magazine -- which named Brian McLaren as one of the Top 25 Most Influential Evangelicals

"Brian McLaren has written a remarkable book on hell and the grace of God. And it is one hell of a book! ...It evidences yet again why McLaren is an emerging voice to be taken seriously concerning new modes of church and new practices of faith."
-- Walter Brueggemann, minister, United Church of Christ; professor, Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia

"With the passion of a Reformation broadside, Brian McLaren's The Last Word and The Word After That goes for popular Christianity's theological jugular: hell and damnation... In a time when some churches have been co- opted by fundamentalist political-theologies, this prophetic tale of a new kind of Christianity serves as a much-needed challenge and corrective."
-- Diana Butler Bass, Author, Strength for the Journey

- About the Book

THE GOLD COAST CURE:
The 5-Week Health and Body Makeover.
A Lifestyle Plan to Shed Pounds,
Gain Health and Reverse 10 Diseases
by Andrew Larson, M.D., and Ivy Ingram Larson
Published by Health Communications, Inc.
ISBN 0-7573-0235-1, 378 pages, hardcover with DVD, $21.95
Available through this site or directly from:
http://www.goldcoastcure.com

Finally, the diet that slims and tones and also heals the immune system and prevents degenerative diseases!

It's rare that a diet book comes along that matters. Not one that just helps you fit into your jeans but also changes your life. The Gold Coast Cure is that kind of diet. It will slim your waistline and keep you healthy. And if you're not healthy now, it can reverse your symptoms.

That's what it did for Ivy Larson, whose multiple sclerosis left her wearing a catheter and unable to walk up a flight of stairs. Undeterred, she and her husband, Dr. Andrew Larson, devised an anti-inflammatory whole foods diet and exercise plan to heal her. It worked. Today, her MS is in remission and she has the extra energy to keep up with their healthy toddler.

The Cure is changing lives. Let it tone your body, improve your appearance and prevent or reverse the following:

• obesity
• heart artery disease
• type II diabetes
• multiple sclerosis
• asthma
• allergies
• osteoarthritis
• fibromyalgia
• osteoporosis
• vascular dementia
• high blood pressure
• high cholesterol

The book also includes a bonus DVD featuring The Cure resistant-training workout. The workout can be completed in 10-minute, 15-minute or 30-minute intervals.

Also includes:

• Over 75 Recipes
• A Complete Pantry Makeover
• A Brand-Name Shopping Guide
• A Daily Vitamin Planner

This extraordinary plan is: Family Friendly and Safe for Kids; Doesn't Require Calorie Counting or Complicated Phases; Allows You to Enjoy Coffee, a Sweet Treat and a Glass of Wine a Day.

Discover The Gold Coast Cure and transform you body in just 5 weeks!

ENDORSEMENTS

"In this eminently sensible and useful book, Dr. Andrew Larson and exercise specialist Ivy Larson offer sound guidance for lasting health benefits."
-- David L. Katz, M.D., MPH, FACPM, FACP, Director of Medical Studies in Public Health, Yale University, author of The Way to Eat

"Finally, a diet book that I would recommend to friends, family and clients. Dr. Larson and his wife, Ivy, are careful to separate scientific fact from scientific opinion."
-- Lona Sandon, M.E.d., R.D., Assistant Professor of Clinical Nutrition, UT Southwestern Medical Center; spokesperson, The American Dietetic Association

"The Gold Coast Cure is about transformation.... This book will indeed transform the paradigm of illness and health for many, opening new doors to allow health to flourish."
-- David Perlmutter, M.D., FACN. author of The Better Brain Book

"I applaud Andy and Ivy for reaching out to everyone in need of lifestyle change, but mainly to those battling chronic diseases who are searching for help and hope."
-- Jack Nickalaus, golf legend

"...it may be the enticing recipes included here that convince readers to try The Gold Coast Cure.... the Larsons' formula, which emphasizes essential fatty acids, nutrient-rich carbohydrates and circuit resistance training, includes so many easily implemented tools, there may be no excuse not to try it."
-- Publishers Weekly

 

 

- About the Book

NOBLE VISION
by Gen LaGreca

In a chilling medical suspense novel, author Gen LaGreca creates two powerful characters -- Nicole Hudson, the lovely ballerina who rose to stardom from a deprived childhood only to have her life shattered by a tragic accident, and Dr. David Lang, the impassioned neurosurgeon who is determined to restore her health no matter what price he must pay.

The trouble is that Lang's revolutionary treatment -- a way of regrowing injured nerve tissue to cure paralysis and other neurological disorders -- is rejected by New York's state-run health system, CareFree, a bureaucracy bogged down in budget overruns, red tape, and political corruption.

On one level, Noble Vision is a tightly plotted, beautifully written story, with intense conflicts and startling twists -- pure entertainment. On another level, it is a duel of conflicting ideologies, a struggle between private care and socialized medicine. If the current health care system has ever left you feeling frustrated, helpless, and afraid, this book will tell you why.

ENDORSEMENTS

"The defects of government-controlled medicine are dramatized effectively in this page-turning story of the love of a brilliant physician for a beautiful ballerina who becomes his patient."
-- Milton Friedman, economist and Nobel laureate

"A gripping story from beginning to end, superimposed on the realities of today's threats to quality medical care."
-- Edward Annis, MD, author of Code Blue,
Past President of the American Medical Association

"Salutary tale of what can happen to medical breakthroughs if Big Government claws even deeper into our health care system!"
-- Steve Forbes, President and CEO, Forbes magazine

"Noble Vision resembles an Ayn Rand novel -- only in color rather than in stark black and white. It captivated me from beginning to end. Its grim vision of the near future -- or is it the present? -- of medicine is all too accurate."
-- Jane M. Orient, MD, author of Your Doctor Is Not In,
Exec. Director, Assoc. of American Physicians & Surgeons

"Genevieve LaGreca has given us an intriguing novel about how unintended consequences of good intentions can have a devastating impact on the healing professions."
-- Walter E. Williams, professor, George Mason University

"Noble Vision is a wonderful literary achievement. An extraordinary hero, a tender love story, a fascinating medical discovery, and an intense family conflict are dramatically interwoven in a plot that surprises and delights."
-- Edith Packer, JD, PhD, psychologist

 

Copyright (c) 2005 by Genevieve LaGreca. All Rights Reserved. Please feel free to duplicate and distribute this file, as long as the excerpt is not altered and this copyright notice is intact. Thank you.

- About the Book

Congressional Deskbook
2003-2004 Edition
108th Congress
by Michael L. Koempel and Judy Schneider
Published by TheCapitol.Net

The Congressional Deskbook is the most comprehensive, one- volume guide ever produced about the U.S. Congress, providing government professionals, journalists and citizens both a complete resource for understanding the inner-workings of our legislative branch and an up-to-date almanac of the current Congress.

The Congressional Deskbook is full of information that no one else has ever compiled in one volume. This book is a must-buy for political reporters, congressional offices, federal employees, government professionals and any citizen who wants to know how their government works.

The Congressional Deskbook covers all the bases, including legislative and budget processes; special procedures and procedural strategies; the forms and impact of political competition on Capitol Hill; overviews of the election, lobbying, and ethics laws and rules that regulate congressional behavior; congressional relations with the president, executive branch, federal courts, and states; the work of membership, leadership and administrative offices; the variety of congressional documents; and how to conduct research on Congress. New in the 2003-2004 edition: Budget Process Flowchart, a significantly revised Budget chapter, and a revised Legislative Research chapter!

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1: Being a Member of Congress
2: Pressures on Congress: Campaigns and Elections
3: Pressures on Congress: Constituents, Media, President, and Courts
4: Pressures on Congress: Lobbying and Congressional Ethics
5: Supporting Congress: Allowances and Staff
6: Supporting Congress: The Capitol Complex
7: Organizing Congress: Members, Leaders, and Committees
8: Legislating in Congress: Legislative Process
9: Legislating in Congress: Federal Budget Process
10: Legislating in Congress: Special Procedures and Considerations
11: Congressional Documents: Overview, Legislation, and Laws
12: Congressional Documents: Committee, Chamber, Party, and Administrative Publications
13: Legislative Research: Private and Government Information Providers
14: Legislative Research: How to Monitor and Research Congress
15: Putting It All Together: A Working Example
Glossary
Appendices (Congressional Room and Telephone Directories)
Table of Web Sites
Index

"Chock full of information that no one else has ever pulled together. It will prove valuable to anyone who has an interest in the legislative branch."

"No personal, professional, academic, or community library political science collection can be considered complete without the inclusion of the Congressional Deskbook."
-- Wisconsin Bookwatch

Copyright ©2003 by TheCapitol.Net, Inc. All rights reserved. Please feel free to duplicate and distribute this file as long as the contents are not changed and this copyright notice is intact. Thank you.

- About the Book

How to Make Millions with Your Ideas
by Dan S. Kennedy

You've come up with a brilliant idea for a brand-new product or service you know could make you rich. Or maybe you currently own a business that pays the bills, and your dream is to become fabulously successful and retire a millionaire. But how? "How to Make Millions with Your Ideas" has all the answers.

This book is packed with the true stories and proven advice of ordinary people who began with just an idea, a simple product, or fledgling business and wound up with millions. It examines the methods and principles of dozens of successful entrepreneurs, including author Dan Kennedy's surefire, easy-to-follow Millionaire Maker Strategies. It helps you determine which of three paths to success are best for you and guides you step-by-step down that path on your way to fortune. Discover:

Dan S. Kennedy is President of Empire Communications Corporation, a mail-order marketing firm, and of LifeTech Broadcasting Corporation, a leading producer of infomercials and video brochures. Kennedy also conducts Millionaire-Maker System Seminars for thousands of people every year.

"If you want to make waves, go to Harvard and get your Ph.D. If you want to make money, get your PhE -- rush to your
nearest bookstore and get Dan Kennedy's new book -- it's like a four-year course in Entrepreneurship!"
-- Al Ries, Chairman, Trout & Ries author of "Marketing Warfare" and "The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing"

"Dan Kennedy's smart marketing advice has been of great value to our business. I wish I'd read this book back when we stared Joan Rivers Products. It certainly would have make our journey that much easier."
-- Joan Rivers

"Dan Kennedy can make dreams come true. You'll get a million dollars worth of value from this book. A 'must read' for entrepreneurs and CEOs."
-- Joseph R. Mancuso founder of Center for Entrepreneurial Management/ The Chief Executive Officers Club

"At our conferences we deal with thousands of inventors, authors, manufacturers and creative people bringing new products to the marketplace. Every one of them would profit tremendously by reading Dan Kennedy's book. He describesevery option for turning sound ideas into fortunes."
- Helene Blake National Infomercial Marketing Association

"It took us several years of creative persistence to finally bring our product to the marketplace. The challenges and obstacles that confronted us made reading your book that much more meaningful. We wish it would have been published several years ago. It certainly would have made our task much easier!"
- Dr. Harvey N. Silverman and Dr. Robert O. Wolf developers of Perfect Smile Tooth Whitening System

"As I went through these pages I saw many things I'm already doing. But I was amazed to discover how many things I'm not doing -- but will do now! And the Million Dollar Rolodex at the back of the book is worth ten times the price of the book. You could spend $1,000 and attend the seminar, or buy the book and have the seminar at your fingertips forever. I like *that* idea!"
-- Murray Raphel, Raphel Marketing author of "Customerization"

Copyright 1996 by Dan S. Kennedy. Please feel free to reproduce or distribute this file so long as proper credit is given. Thank You!