Category: economics

James Patterson’s ‘The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians’

On By Rick McIn books, economicsLeave a comment

Nobody calls James Patterson a great novelist.

BUT he has a lot of books. They’ve sold more than 425 million copies. And he’s helped thousands of people earn a living through the book industry.

Not to mention the dozens of author’s he’s promoted by co-authoring.

James Patterson is one of the good guys.

He calls himself a left-leaning political independent — but is disgusted with his neighbour, 4-time-loser Trump.

His 2024 nonfiction title, The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians  takes us inside the lives, and livelihoods, of the everyday heroes surrounding us in the literary trenches: booksellers and librarians.

In a collection of profiles that includes professionals of all types, from school librarians to independent booksellers to big box chain employees, Patterson and his co-author, Matt Eversmann, delve into how these reading gurus inspire young and old every day.

Publisher’s Weekly review – James Patterson’s ‘The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians’

“book joy”

In November 2015, Patterson received the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation.

Patterson has donated millions of dollars in grants and scholarship to various universities, teachers’ colleges, independent bookstores, school libraries, and college students to promote literacy.

In 2013, Patterson took out ads titled “Who Will Save Our Books? Our Bookstores? Our Libraries?” in Publishers Weekly and The New York Times Book Review, which employed the text “If there are no bookstores, no libraries, no serious publishers with passionate, dedicated, idealistic editors, what will happen to our literature? Who will discover and mentor new writers? Who will publish our important books? What will happen if there are no more books like these?”

Immigration in 2024

On By Rick McIn bad news, economics, GOP USA, governmentLeave a comment

Everyone agrees the USA is a disaster when it comes to FIXING their immigration laws.

Trump shot down the most recent border bill effort.

ReTrumplicans want the disaster to continue at least as long as the 2024 election. They really don’t have many REAL issues to campaign on.

Freakonomics posted a 3 part audiocast series. Well worth listening to.

Listen to Freakonomics episode 580:

The True Story of America’s Supremely Messed-Up Immigration

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Click PLAY or listen to part 2 on YouTube. Episode 581.

I’ve always felt Canada is one of the best nations in handling immigration.

We welcome those who can fill necessary jobs.

The USA still uses a lottery. And mostly fills their quota with families.

Click PLAY or watch part 3 on YouTube. Episode 582 — Why Is Everyone Moving to Canada? 

Canada recently reduced their immigration target numbers. Not good for the economy. But there simply isn’t enough affordable accommodation for new citizens or foreign students.

Finally, the ReTrumplican GOP in 2024 is anti-immigrant. The opposite of Ronald Reagan.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

American Spirits by Russell Banks

On By Rick McIn books, economics, ethics, firearms, governmentLeave a comment

Russell Banks died in 2023 at age-82.

His novels are known for “detailed accounts of domestic strife and the daily struggles of ordinary often-marginalized characters” …

Banks was the 1985 recipient of the John Dos Passos Prize for fiction. 

Continental Drift and Cloudsplitter were finalists for the 1986 and 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction respectively …

I only knew the name as the author of The Sweet Hereafter (1991).

American Spirits (2024) is his last publication.

Grim but compelling narratives from this fine writer.

Three stories unearth the bitterness and violence seething in a working-class American town.

These long narratives by the late Banks are all set in the northern New York village of Sam Dent that featured in The Sweet Hereafter (1991). But where that story dealt with a tragedy that affected the whole town, these explore the welter of pain that can afflict a single house. …

Kirkus Reviews – American Spirits

He based these stories on chatter he heard from strangers while sitting in a bar in Keene, New York. Some wearing MAGA hats. 😀

He was watching sports on TV while listening in to the conversations of drunk patrons.

Russell Banks writes to be a better person.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Right Wing – Wants to Destroy Public Education

On By Rick McIn bad news, books, economics, education, ethics, GOP USA, government, things getting worseLeave a comment

Recall one of Trump’s worst appointees — billionaire donor Betsy DeVos?

She wanted to disband public schools, giving those tax dollars to parents to spend on whatever they want ➙  school choice, school voucher programs, or charter schools, for example.

Those are programs used mostly by the rich.

IF you want to send your children to Muslim school, Jewish school, Christian school, or SPORT school — great! So long as they meet minimum standards, your child should be credentialed.

That decided … should the taxpayer subsidize your special education?

My short answer is NO.

Like health care, IF you want special treatment, pay for it yourself.

Government should ensure that BASIC education and health care are made available to EVERYONE.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS and PUBLIC HEALTH CARE.

If you choose to have the Mayo Clinic treat you for cancer, pay for it yourself.

That’s my short answer.

My longer answer is that governments with plenty of money should be allowed to subsidize special education IF it doesn’t lower the quality of public school.

The best discussion I’ve heard on this was on my favourite PODCAST ➙ ON THE MEDIA.

The Real Mission Behind Moms for Liberty

As an example, here’s the GOP nominee for the top job running public schools in North Carolina. An $11 billion budget.

In the past she’s called for executing top Democrats. Endorsed QAnon and other conspiracy theories. Anti-Muslim. Anti-LBGTQ.

She marched for Trump on Jan. 6th.

Michele Morrow is about as rightwing kooky as they get.

No educational experience other than homeschooling her own kids.

Burn Book by Kara Swisher

On By Rick McIn Amazon, Apple, audiocasts, books, economics, education, ethics, Facebook, government, internet, TwitterLeave a comment

Kara Swisher is today the #1 reporter covering the business of the internet.

Her mentor, Walt Mossberg.

The first of her 2-book memoir is a hit.

An entertaining read, even if you care nothing about the history of the internet.

Burn Book: A Tech Love Story by Kara Swisher

Almost everyone in Tech picks up the phone when Kara calls.

She’s a pugnacious interviewer who won’t back down to anyone.

I only follow Swisher because she launched Pivot, a semi-weekly news commentary podcast co-hosted by Swisher and Scott Galloway.

She’s a very hard worker. Extremely well connected. And a competent interviewer.

But Prof. Galloway is my guru in ALL things business. Swisher was smart — as well — to sign up Galloway.

In her new book, Swisher reflects back on some of the biggest stories she’s covered. And her opinions of some of the Tech giants.

John McLaughlin comes across worst. Also, Rupert Murdoch, her long time boss.

Mark Zuckerberg stories are embarrassing. Facebook evil.

She’s fascinated by Elon Musk — but entirely disappointed since he bought Twitter and made his legacy being something of a right wing troll.

I was surprised how much she admired Steve Jobs. A well known asshole, but one who slung less B.S. than the rest.

On American Imperialism

On By Rick McIn books, economics, GOP USA, government, human rights, things getting betterLeave a comment

My love / hate relationship with the USA started early.

In University 1983, one of my textbooks in a sociology course was:

Under The Eagle: United States Intervention in Central America and the Caribbean

The history of the USA is damning.

No wonder Putin and others keep pointing out past wars started by the USA.

I spent a lot of time on a term paper: The Rise of American Imperialism and Precipitating Factors

Super critical of most American interventions in their part of the world.

I particularly criticized puppet dictators supported by Washington: Samoza, Trujillo, Batista, etc.

I only got a C+ / B- on the paper. 😀

The Upside of Quitting

On By Rick McIn audiocasts, economics, happinessLeave a comment

I often think of the Freakonomics podcast from 2011 …

The Upside of Quitting

… “Sunk cost” is about the past — it’s the time, or money, or sweat equity that you’ve put into something, which makes it hard to abandon.

“Opportunity cost” is about the future. It means that for every hour or dollar you spend on one thing, you’re giving up the opportunity to spend that hour or dollar on something else — something that might make your life better. If only you weren’t so worried about the sunk cost.

If only you could quit. …

Jim VandeHei, founder of Politico and then Axios:

In 2009, I was recruited for one of the most prestigious and cool appointments in American journalism: to serve a nine-year term on the Pulitzer Prize Board.

Three years later, I quit. …

So, how do we know when to quit? Looking back over my decades of best quits, here’s how you know. If the position is…

  • Life-sucking
  • Energy-draining
  • Time-sucking
  • Brain-numbing
  • Brain- or body-harming

Axios Finish Line: Be a better quitter

retired age-33

Free Municipal Campgrounds for the Houseless

On By Rick McIn economics, ethics, government, human rightsLeave a comment

Housing is an increasingly urgent issue. 

Canada’s population grew by 1.2 million in 2023, the highest ever annual increase.  And there are not enough homes for those kind of numbers — even if they could afford them.

Multiple approaches are needed to increase housing supply, including turning unused office spaces into apartments and condos. 

Short term ➙ easiest is to provide free, safe temporary accommodation for anyone.

Nobody wants people living illegally or legally in tents nearby. THEREFORE the goal should be to be to offer a better alternative, indoor or outdoor. I’d call it a municipal FREE CAMPGROUND.

Volunteer organizations could provide meals and medical advice. Help folks try to get out.

I made this image with Microsoft Creator AI.

Long term ➙ we need more “Housing First” initiatives. 

Rather than moving homeless individuals through different “levels” of housing, whereby each level moves them closer to “independent housing” (for example: from the streets to a public shelter, and from a public shelter to a transitional housing program, and from there to their own apartment or house in the community), Housing First moves the homeless individual or household immediately from the streets or homeless shelters into their own accommodation. …

… housing is a basic human right, and so should not be denied to anyone, even if they are abusing alcohol or other substances. The Housing First model, thus, is philosophically in contrast to models that require the homeless to abjure substance-abuse and seek treatment in exchange for housing.

Finland and Denmark are the only European Union countries where homelessness is currently falling. …

Since its launch in 2008, the number of homeless people in Finland has decreased by roughly 30%, and the number of long-term homeless people has fallen by more than 35%.

“Sleeping rough”, the practice of sleeping outside, has been largely eradicated in Helsinki, where only one 50-bed night shelter remains. …

Wikipedia
Housing First unit in Finland

Providing housing first to people living on the street has worked surprisingly well where it’s been tried around the world.

2024’s Top Geopolitical Risks

On By Rick McIn bad news, economics, ethics, GOP USA, government, human rights, IslamLeave a comment

January 2024.

Even if Trump loses the election, the USA will be further divided and destabilized through the election cycle, exactly what Xi, Putin, and the rest of American enemies want.

I’ve been trying to avoid coverage of Gaza — as it’s so depressing.

In fact, I gave up on that issue decades ago concluding that successive Israeli governments were horrible — and successive Palestinian governments even worse. My friend Mike taught school in Libya and Egypt for many years, coming away very sympathetic for innocent Palestinians.

NOW I find myself brought up to speed by listening to an excellent podcast interview with Ian Bremmer.

Search “Conversation with Ian Bremmer — 2024’s Top Geopolitical Risks”

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Not as good — but similar — is his recent TED talk.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. (43min)

As a happy Canadian, I didn’t suffer in any way from the G.W. Bush recession of 2008 nor Trump’s incompetent 4 years — and I MIGHT survive another 4 years of the emotional toddler as President.

But I’m worried about 2024.

As Bremmer points out, once Trump gets the GOP nomination, all Republicans will have to fall in line with that idiot — or vote for Biden.  Or NOT VOTE.

As for Russia, as Economist said at the very beginning, there’s no scenario where Russia wins their invasion of Ukraine. Even if they eventually control all of that nation, the population will be uncooperative with Putin for decades to come. The rest of the world will be leery of Putin-land for decades. Russian assets will stay frozen. And at least a million Russians who fled the nation will mostly not return.

NATO is much strengthened, as well.

When Abortion is Denied

On By Rick McIn economics, education, ethics, GOP USA, government, happiness, health & fitness, human rightsLeave a comment

Diana Greene Foster is a professor at the University of California, San Francisco.

She led the ten-year nationwide Turnaway Study analyzing the health and wellbeing of women who seek abortion in the United States — including those who do not receive one — and in 2020 published a book, The Turnaway Study: Ten Years, a Thousand Women, and the Consequences of Having—or Being Denied—an Abortion, on her findings.

In 2023, she was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in recognition of her scientific work, including the book and more than 120 scientific papers. …

In 2022, she was recognized as one of the ten people who shaped science that year by Nature.

One of the most expert in the field.

Here’s a fascinating new TED Talk. Unsurprisingly, the women forced to carry a child to term have worse consequences than those who have the freedom to make the choice to abort.

Anti-choice advocates in the USA often simultaneously deny raises in minimum wage, health care for children, maternity leave, and even free school lunch. Pro birth. But not pro life.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.