Writer's being scammed

It is just plain bad business to be be doing this to writers, butt Angela Hoy's article Top 10 Signs You've Been Scammed Into Writing for Free shows the problems of writers and "getting into" the main stream can run into. But this also goes for other writers as well. I've been in touch with Dave Taylor of Ask Dave fame about my book and have not heard from him concerning my book as I, too, want to write a book and showcase my skills. Although he told me after seeing my Table of Contents" that I had a great idea, I needed an Editor to help get things moving along since I have over 118 pages of info already written.

Since it has been since the end of March that I have talked with Dave about my book and have helped him out personally regarding a computer, I'm still eager to see what his comments are concerning my book. He suggested that I contact No Starch Press book publisher, I have to put together a book proposal about my book. I'm working on it and should be done shortly. My purpose of writing the book is to showcare my thought processes and not showcase my writing.

We're moving on.

Entrepreneurs: an MBA at the library?

This is a good article, but it points out the one part that even Bill Gates knows: nothing prepares you for the challenges of building a business than actually doing it for real (he quit Harvard to build Microsoft at the right time). While schools can give you close to real world experience, it's "only simulated" at best and can provide some critical thinking skills.

Iran, what state is it in?

What I find interesting is that Iran is becoming a rather troublesome country. You find that Iran is having trouble at home as well as it's influence abroad in neighboring Iraq. This could spell more trouble for the region which is already unstable, but only time will tell how it will play out.

Viewpoints of: Is the glass half empty of half full?

As I was thinking this morning, I began with just a short view of this issue, but it took on a life of it's own as I began to think of others. Here goes:

Optimist - The glass is half full
Dreamer - We need to find a bigger glass or more glasses
Jesus Christ - “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life." John 14:13-14
Pastor - Drink of the Living Water
Business Owner - I own the glass
Supplier - We need to find more water.
Property Owner - I own the water (lake, stream, pond)
Engineer - Someone didn’t design the glass to specifications
Jack Welch, former GE CEO - My main job was developing talent. I was a gardener providing water and other nourishment to our top 750 people. Of course, I had to pull out some weeds, too.
Environmentalist - how clean is the water?
Scientist - If we freeze the water it becomes ice, if we boil the water it becomes steam.
Hollywood type - Can I have MY Evian bottled water.....
Survivalist - First thing is to find water because we can’t live without water, then find a glass (container) to put it in.
Manufacturer - how is the glass made?
Conservative Politician - the government is not in the business of finding water, let businesses do that.
Liberal Politician - a pitcher of water in every home and the government will get it for you.
Doctor - you need four eight ounces of water to drink daily.
Sahara desert dweller - how far until I get to the next water hole
Astronomer - where can we find water on other planets
Artist - what style or type of glass should hold the water
Waiter - would you like some more water?
W. C. Fields, comedian - You can't trust water: Even a straight stick turns crooked in it.
Traveller - I started out with a full glass …
Desert Traveller - Water, I need water …..
Statistician - .5 * 0 = 0, while .5 * 50% = .25, so the glass is ….
Accountant - why did you spend money on too big a glass?
Manager - We need to budget (ration) this water out
Customer - Where can I get more water
Leonardo da Vinci - Iron rusts from disuse; water loses its purity from stagnation... even so does inaction sap the vigor of the mind.
Worker - I need more water to drink
Blue Collar Worker - I don’t need water, give me some beer!
Government worker - we need to tax more so I can get more water and glasses
Socialist - You need to give some of your water to others, you’re hoarding too much water for yourself.
Pessimist - The glass is half empty
Skeptic - We may not have any more water or glasses to go around
Burglar - I’m going to take your water
Terrorist - I’m not going to let you have any water or any glass
Cynic - There is no more water to fill the glass up and the glass is made of glass and it will break
World View - 1 in 5 people of the world is without adequate drinking water.

So you see, it’s the glass, water, time, and the person viewing it that determine the viewpoint of the glass of water.

Facts about water:

National Geographic: Water Pressure
A Frenchman who can see water beneath the Sahara
The Water Page - The Water Page is an independent initiative dedicated to the promotion of sustainable water resources management and use. A particular emphasis is placed on the development, utilisation and protection of water in Africa and other developing regions.

US Media: Liberal or Too Liberal with Islam?

My wife and I watched the movie "Good Night and Good Luck" about Edward R. Murrow's "discussion" and op-ed pieces regarding Sen. McCarthy's hunt for communists in all sorts of places showed how fabricated McCarthy's sensabilities were about communism, but had shown how McCarthy had taken fear beyond what was realistic. However, after viewing the movie I've come to conclusion that today's media no longer carries along tje tradition as Murrow has established.

As seen on Dr. Salah Sultan's web site, who is president of the American Center for Islamic Research (ACIR), shows that the US media has not picked up on someone who is living right under American's noses and is expressing hatred for Americans. Why? In fact, Dr. Sultan's resume, which I was able to download on his english side of his web site states "• Vision: To live happily. To die as a martyr. To meet the beloved ones in the Paradise of the Lord of the heaven and the earth." which you can download and see for yourself.

While free speech is protected by our Constitution, I wonder if those that teach others to yell "Fire!'" in a crowded movie theater when there is no fire but DOES cause harm to others is prosecutable? As is used on the Internet, IANAL (I Am Not A Lawyer) but I'd keep a close eye on Dr. Sultan, because he's one to incite others to action in his comments.

I believe in Ronald Reagen's approach: Trust, but Verify!

Self Esteem: performance or encouragement?

Was in a discussion last night with my father and sister-in-law about kids in school today and the subject about kids self-esteem. My father's comment was that "kids learn self esteem from performance, not being told their good at things." My sister-in-law spoke about the same thing, but I began to wonder about the whole discussion and wondered if the performance thing is only one part of a kids self esteem?

It also belongs on the argument of kids: are they nature or nurture grown in regards their talent, skills, and experiences?

Just look at the number of kids that are troubled because of alcoholic parents. Is this performance related? Or how about motivating sports teams, at that point is probably no longer encouragement esteem but performance esteem.

Bottom line: I think it's a mixture of both nature and nurture regarding how kids grow up and it has to be age appropriate encouragement and performance. But it's also about motivating an adult. While performance at work is probably self motivating, it's still about motivating everyone so that they can perform to their fullest.

Is Islam the problem or is it's interpretation? What does the Bible say?

After reading this online article called Part of me died when I saw this cruel killing that describes a Iraqi woman journalist that was well respected and followed her heart to unite the Iraqi people around the good that they offered was brutally murdered "in the name of Allah" by the evil, fearful and oppressive Al-Qaeda and Taliban Islamic fundamentalists. The real question is; are the Taliban and Al-Qaeda approach to Islam a poor or wrong interpretation of the Quran (Koran)?

After viewing this site The Middle East Media Research Institute's Inquiry and Analysis Series - No. 273 about the reforms needed to take place in Islam it makes you wonder if such ideas and reforms are possible. After looking at this site Jihad Watch about the more subversive approach Islam works toward is it any wonder that they've chosen a different path using the same "thought-action-habit-character-destiny" approach by the more negative side of hate than of love. But why?

John 3:16-18: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

But of more importance is where is this evil all leading us to?

What even most Christians think is that, or the lack thereof, is the more liberal slant of Chritianity: we all want peace and we've created this problem! This includes those Christians that believe that the Sermon on the Mount and what the rest of the Gospels teach us are for us today. There are two basic problems with both the "where is evil leading us" and "Love and Peace is what Jesus teaches us to do in His Kingdom now" views of the more liberal churches.

1. Based on the above Bible verses Man has the capacity to do evil as well as "good" especially under the guidance of Satan, but these Muslims choose evil rather than good "in the name of Allah". When you constantly hear that most Muslims are against Israel while the Bible states that Israel is His Chosen nation, those that are against Israel are against God (In the future a Muslim army will attack Israel and be slaughtered by God supernaturally).

2. But when you look the Bible Prophecy you see a different story, especially when you read the book of Revelation. While the book has 22 chapters, chapters 4-19 contain some of the worse judgements to happen to the world since the Great Flood during Noah's time. If you'd like to understand more, read Events of the Second Coming which describes an overview of what will happen during these chapters in Revelation while Terms To Know describes some of the key terms that explain End Times prophecies.

Based on the original story, it would seem that religion is becoming much more pronounced and counterfeit to what the Bible states: that religion changes man from the outside in while in true Chritianity the Holy Spirit changes a man from the inside out and in the name of religion let's kill those that go against our beliefs.

So, the sequence of events in the future are:

The Great Apostacy - where even Christians will leave the Chritian church to follow counterfeit religons, including Islam, Buddism, and Hinduism, no matter how sincere they are and the rise of terror and evil.
The Great Tribulation - where about 1/2 to 3/4 of the world's population will be killed
The Battle of Armagedon - where Believers and Jesus Christ will come to kill the last remaining unbelievers to set the stage of the Millenium
The Millenium - where there will be 1000 years of peach with Jesus Christ establishing His Kindgon here on earth with no wars or any of the current health problems.

If you'd like to know more about up and coming events in more detail, see Charting the End Times by Tim LaHaye and Thomas Ice who give a graphic example of what is to happen in sequence, but not with date and time stamps.

If you need more answers, post the questions, I don't want you to be left behind and neither does God! He loves you enough to provide a way out of your dilema.

UPDATE 5/8/06: It seems that the video of the murder of the Iraqi journalist is a hoax per Atwar Bahjat horror story [UPDATE: it's a hoax.]. Goes to show that even bad AND news in error travels fast!!

But the bottom line on the video and pictures: who would STILL do such a thing? Only EVIL people!!

UPDATE 05/23/2006: Well here is a link to a story"This is a Saudi textbook. (After the intolerance was removed.)" that what I state above is closer to reality than even I thought.