My Buy Essay

Archive for June, 2009

A lot of people have read Robert Kiyosaki’s books (and he has a lot of them), but this is the one that started them all.

I think what endears people to Rich Dad Poor Dad is the story. It seems to me that whenever a non-fiction book teaches with stories, it does very well. So, if you’re going to write a non-fiction book, weave your info into a story.

Rich Dad Poor Dad is the story of Robert learning the habits of the rich from his best friend’s dad. Robert’s own dad was a highly paid, highly educated government official, but who ended up poor (this is his “poor dad”). His best friend’s dad was not highly educated, but he started lots of businesses, bought lots of real estate, and invested in stocks. He is “rich dad”.

Some lessons or themes that keep coming up:

*School prepares you for a job while financial education prepares you for better financial habits that lead to a more prosperous life

*The rich invest in ways that the poor and middle class do not

*The rich invest in assets that produce class flow, and then reinvest that cash flow into other assets

*The poor invest in liabilities, or things that take money out of their pockets

*The middle class tend to go to school, get a job, buy everything on credit, get raises, then buy bigger houses and nicer cars, under-save and under-invest, and then retire on less than what they should have.

*There are 3 kinds of income:

-Earned income (what you make when you’re there)

-Passive income (money that comes to you when you’re not there…that can come through businesses, real estate income, intellectual property, etc)

-Portfolio income (money that also comes when you’re not there…but specifically from stocks, mutual funds, and other such paper investments)

As it turns out, Robert didn’t go on to become a rich guy too soon into his adult years, like his best buddy did. Robert went into the Navy to learn how to sail ships, then to the Marines to fly helicopters in the Vietnam war. I might have the timeline wrong, but he he was a top-selling Xerox sales rep for several years. And then he went on to start a successful business importing/selling those Velcro nylon surfer wallets from the eighties. Remember those? After a few years, that business went bust.

Eventually he made the jump into buying assets…income producing real estate…and within 8 to 10 years, he and is wife retired. Then six months later he came out of retirement to start his financial education business…which includes his books, board games, tapes, seminars, etc. In reality, it sounds like he’s started a whole ton of other businesses too, but that’s what I’ve pieced together from other books of his that I’ve read. Notice that most of his activities center around passive income?

It’s a great and easy read and should shock you out of your usual way of looking at money. Another one of his books that I like a lot is one he didn’t even write by himself…aptly named “Success Stories”. It’s a collection stories by many of Robert’s students that have taken his advice and who started businesses or are collecting assets that produce cash flow.

There’s so much more that can be said, but it’s time for you to start the adventure of reading a new book. Try to think of “Rich Dad Poor Dad” as financial education; it will make the purchase that much easier to justify.

Some Enchanted Autumn by Linda Andrews is an excellent gift idea for the Halloween season. Vampires, skeletons, spiders, witches… they are all here &ndash but this is definitely not a children’s book.

One town, founded by the same wagon train during the pioneering days of the North American continent, holds a secret that could destroy them all.

Divided by a bitter and ancient rift, it becomes two rival towns &ndash Pumpkin and Holly. These folks take their holidays seriously, but none more so than Pumpkin’s residents do.

Lonnie, who is running both from herself and from facing her pompous and boring boyfriend, returns to Pumpkin – her hometown. There she meets Nicholas who is both more wonderful than her wildest dreams and as frightening as her childhood nightmares. Together they are assigned the difficult task of discovering the “Prankster’s” identity and the reason’s why that person is set on keeping the ancient rift between the towns alive.

Nicholas and Lonnie harbor a steamy and slightly erotic passion for one another, which they do their best to keep in check. Their family ancestors, after all, were the main players in the rift that continues to tear the towns apart.

I would classify Some Enchanted Autumn as a fantasy-fiction, paranormal-romance novel with comedic elements. Although it begins with a bit of confusion, the story rises in pace until I felt unwilling to put the book aside. This 238-page book is not the author’s first endeavor. In fact, Linda has written two other books, The Christmas Village and Ghost of a Chance.

ISBN#: 1-55410-287-1

Author: Linda Andrews

Publisher: Zumaya Publication

School boards and parents are discovering that schools they labored hard to raise money to build in the last 10 years or so are subjecting their children to mold and indoor air quality problems.

Many of these problems can be attributed to choices made in building materials. Some materials provide a ready food source for mold. Roof leaks, wall leaks, window leaks or plumbing failures have even led to the destruction of materials installed to protect the buildings.

These observations are at the heart of a new book called “Are You Building a School or a Liability?” written by Chris Huckabee and Kyle Montgomery and published by the Brick Industry Association, the Masonry Contractors Association of America and the National Concrete Masonry Association. The book calls attention to a serious problem with school buildings.

“The use of porous and paper-based products as the substrate of an exterior wall system has given rise to many, if not most, of the mold-related issues that building owners face today. These products are destroyed by mold. In fact, the mold actually consumes this material as a food source,” said the authors.

Huckabee is a well-known Texas architect who has built more than 1,000 schools. Montgomery is the executive director of the Texas Masonry Council. Together, they recommend the use of materials that are “forgiving.”

A forgiving material, according to Huckabee and Montgomery, is a material that is not destroyed by moisture. They also argue in favor of redundant construction in which wall systems are designed and constructed to direct moisture from inside the building to outside.

“Are You Building a School or a Liability?” presents several case studies where masonry was the solution to serious mold problems in schools. Huckabee and Montgomery note that concrete masonry block is a material that can be cleaned and dried easily and will not be destroyed by mold.

Huckabee and Montgomery cite case studies where gypsum-based interior walls of schools were replaced with concrete block in areas of high moisture probability. In one case, all exterior walls were demolished and replaced with a masonry wall system that included a masonry wall backup. They call this approach “total masonry construction.”

School boards, parent groups and architectural firms specializing in school building construction can obtain free copies of “Are You Building a School or a Liability?”

Are you a step-parent, parent, sibling, grandparent or friend of a deceased person? Then this book is for you!

A delicately written and moving piece of work that is electrically charged with Katlyn Stewart’s love and grief for her daughter. Join in the celebration of life through Katlyn’s tale recounting her daughter’s life and learn about the grieving process.

Katlyn discusses the loss, grief, comfort and understanding that one encounters in their journey through grief. She shows how even the smallest of moments in daily living is greatly altered. The author tenderly reveals the loss of identity one experiences and the necessity of finding support and re-evaluating what is important. Very difficult times in the grieving process are heightened during a variety of holidays and Katlyn walks the reader through paths that help to ease the pain.

Startling facts are also discussed. For instance, did you know that 80% of grieving couples divorce after the loss of a child? Or that employers typically allow only three days for an employee to grieve? Have we ever stopped to consider the differences between how children, teens, men and women grieve? Are you feeling at a loss for what to do for a grieving family? All these issues, and more, are within the pages of this book.

I shed huge crocodile tears as I experienced my own loss during the reading of Song of Cy. I know I will draw strength from its content when dealing with the loss of my ailing parents in the near future. The author has developed an excellent book that deserves very high ratings.

ISBN#: 1-5937-4349-1

Author: Katlyn Stewart

Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press

Dorinne Davis has written many books that concentrate on the subjects of hearing and sound. In the well-researched textbook, Sound Bodies through Sound Therapy, she looks at the concept of sound being a nutrient for our bodies.

There are 11 detailed and well-planned chapters, each of which opens with a quote and closes with a useful chapter synopsis. This book is not so technical that an individual or patient would find it daunting, yet it is quite thorough and incorporates both the independent and scientific findings that a therapist would need to know.

The historical use of music in healing was quite interesting. Because of our drum business, it was particularly interesting to read that regular steady rhythms can restore a normal, healthy pulse, sedating the left brain and allowing the right brain to be more creative. I was also amazed that the US Army used music therapy to accelerate healing in their wounded and ailing during WWII.

Dorinne explains that each living molecule has a vibration that causes frequency and this is the driving theory behind using sound as a healing therapy. The author describes the physics of how sound affects various mediums and why sound could be used to eradicate cancer and tumors. According to Dorinne, sound therapy could also be applied to many medical situations – stroke, autism, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, learning and listening difficulties and even physical injuries.

It was very surprising to learn that ‘everyday’ environmental toxins can have such a dramatic effect on brain functions and hearing. The ear affects so much more than we may realize, including balance and emotions.

ISBN#: 096223637

Author: Dorinne S. Davis

Publisher: Kalco Publishing, LLC

TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT

.paragonschool.com/bestshot.html

by Daniel L. Schindler

Foreword by

Peter Crabtree British Guild of Shooting Instructors, Chairman N.S.C.A. Level III

Wendy Crabtree – N.S.C.A Level III

Known nationally and internationally, Dan Schindler is a respected teacher. He’s also a first-rate writer. Take Your Best Shot represents some of Dan’s best literary work. Once again, he’s created a superb reference

book for those who wish to understand the basics of shotgunning, and be more consistent in the shooting box.

Take Your Best Shot, step-by-step, helps you get organized before you call for the target–then move the gun into the sight picture that gets the X. In clear, reassuring language, Dan walks you through equipment selection; eye dominance; a proper setup on the target; a strategy that works, and how to choose a dependable shooting method. He also covers safety; recoil; focus; gun mount; sight pictures and much, much more.

We believe readers can honestly relate to Dan’s writing because he spends a lot of time in the shooting box, teaching and competing. He speaks the language. Just as importantly, his writing has a unique ability to converse with you on your level. Dan’s recommendations not only deliver a broken target, but a much better comprehension of how to break each target thereafter.

You hold in your hand a genuinely useful tutorial that can improve your shooting performance–now–and many years from now. Take Your Best Shot is a rock solid, dependable manual on how to be successful behind the trigger–and your tool-box for when you’re not.

The lessons in Take Your Best Shot are invaluable. If your goal is to have more fun shooting, and a score higher, we highly recommend you start with this book.

TO THE TARGET

.paragonschool.com/to_target.html

by Daniel L. Schindler

Foreword by

Peter Crabtree, N.S.C.A. Level III – British Guild of Shooting Instructors, Chairman

Wendy Crabtree, N.S.C.A. Level III

When I was the Chief Instructor for the National Sporting Clays Association, Wendy and I had the opportunity to work with Dan on numerous occasions. His resourceful but focused approach to teaching takes shooting’s

often-complicated mechanical equation and reduces it to its simplest form. This demanding skill is, in itself, a mark of a competent teacher.

To The Target possesses excellent technical information. Using the building block process he often refers to, Dan patiently shows you what to trust in the shooting box. Specific checkpoints guide you through the shot, removing much of the mystery that surrounds hits and misses. To The Target straightforwardly displaces apprehension in the box with technique and positive images. Gradually, using the methods in each chapter, he teaches you the purest shot of all using the mental game. All of this culminates in a fluid move on the target that is, in all ways, swift, elemental and dependable.

For those of you familiar with Dan’s style of writing, you’ll once again discover this book, too, provides you with a solid, informative foundation and a no-nonsense approach to the art of shotgunning. Dan’s passion for teaching and his contagious enthusiasm flows from the pages that follow. His confidence in you, the reader, never falters. To The Target cites a wealth of common sense recommendations, all presented to the reader in an easily understood format with superb use of visualizations.

As shooters and instructors, Wendy and I genuinely enjoyed this book. You will too. As you turn the last page, it becomes obvious to you that Dan has spent years refining this information. With polished explanations, To The Target delivers a capable and satisfying shooting system. We applaud Dan’s insights and persistence.

For those of you who wish to improve your shooting skills, the study and application of Dan’s recommendations provides an honest opportunity to do so.

We wish him, and you, the very best in sporting!

About The Paragon School of Sporting:

The Paragon School of Sporting is a prominent Sporting Clays and Wing Shooting school specializing in Sporting Clays instruction, Sporting Clays instructor training, lessons for the Wing Shooter, and Corporate Special Event Services. If you are a recreational target shooter, a seasoned sporting clays competitor, a wing shooting sportsman or a new shooter looking to improve your shooting abilities, Paragon can provide customized instruction for you.

The road to a healthy heart runs through the kitchen. Just ask Joe Piscatella, who had coronary bypass surgery at the early age of 32. Told that he wouldn’t live to see his two young children graduate from high school, Joe decided to take a crash course in heart-healthy eating and learned a few things along the way.

Thirty years later, Joe is now the President of the Institute for Fitness and Health and best-selling author of “The Road to a Healthy Heart Runs Through the Kitchen.” Full of facts and sound advice, this book is an easy-to-follow lifestyle plan that combines the newest guidelines from the USDA with 300 easy and delicious recipes.

Joe knows the importance of eating foods that you love and explains how to include them in a heart-healthy diet. Take America’s favorite fruit: the Strawberry. Strawberries are a superfood that Joe recommends to increase levels of folate, a B vitamin important for heart health. Studies have shown a reduction in artery-damaging inflammation and lower blood pressure after eating a serving of strawberries every day for eight weeks. Luckily for your heart, fresh, sweet strawberries are available year-round from California!

According to Joe, “This book is easy to follow and will engage your head along with your stomach in the quest for a lifestyle that will really make a difference.”

Spinach, Strawberry and Walnut Salad

4 servings

4 cups of fresh baby spinach leaves

1/4 cup wine vinaigrette

1 cup thickly sliced California strawberries

1/2 cup blueberries

1/4 cup walnut halves, chopped

Toss spinach with vinaigrette. Add berries and walnuts. Toss again.

Nutrition Note: The antioxidants in strawberries and the omega-3 fatty acids in the walnuts help keep artery walls healthy.

You can include the food you love in a heart-healthy diet.

A delicious and nutritious way to add zinc, iron and protein-zip to a salad is to add some beef tenderloin. Not only is beef tenderloin an excellent or good source of nine essential nutrients, but it is also one of 29 lean cuts of beef.

Nutrient-rich lean beef is a complete recipe for better health, with essential vitamins and minerals and great taste.

To help you prepare delicious lean beef, “The Healthy Beef Cookbook” (Wiley, $21.95) is now available wherever books are sold and on .amazon.com and .BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com.

The cookbook is a collection of more than 130 lean beef recipes, nutrition tips and culinary techniques. The delicious recipes are satisfying for people watching their weight and contain many essential nutrients in fewer calories. In fact, nearly 75 percent have less than 400 calories per serving and more than 50 percent incorporate all food groups.

Tenderloin Cranberry and Pear Salad with Honey

Mustard Dressing

Prep Time: 25 mins, Serves 4

4 beef tenderloin steaks, cut 3/4 inch thick (4 ounces each)

1/2 teaspoon coarse grind black pepper

1 package (5 ounces) mixed baby salad greens

1 medium red or green pear, cored, cut into 16 wedges

1/4 cup dried cranberries

Salt

1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted

1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese (optional)

Honey Mustard Dressing

1/2 cup prepared honey mustard

2 to 3 tablespoons water

11/2 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon coarse grind black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

1. Season beef steaks with 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Place steaks in skillet; cook 7 to 9 minutes for medium rare to medium doneness, turning occasionally.

2. Meanwhile, whisk Honey Mustard Dressing ingredients in small bowl until well-blended. Set aside. Divide greens evenly among 4 plates. Top evenly with pear wedges and dried cranberries.

3. Carve steaks into thin slices; season with salt as desired. Divide steak slices evenly over salads. Top each salad evenly with dressing, pecans and goat cheese, if desired.

Nutrition information per serving: 321 calories; 14 g fat (3 g saturated fat; 7 g monounsaturated fat); 67 mg cholesterol; 434 mg sodium; 21 g carbohydrate; 3.3 g fiber; 26 g protein; 7.6 mg niacin; 0.6 mg vitamin B6; 1.4 mcg vitamin B12; 2.4 mg iron; 30.0 mcg selenium; 5.1 mg zinc.

This recipe is an excellent source of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, selenium and zinc, and a good source of fiber and iron.

Tom Peters crafted a moving, educational animal adventure story in his novel Star. This is a dog-lover’s fiction – written for a young adult audience. Any young person who loves animals, or wants to own a dog should read this book.

Without preaching, Tom enlightens humans to the plight of dogs. He brings understanding to how they see things and why they behave the way they do. The most moving moral to the story for me was shown through the main character (a dog named Star) whose owners had school, work, play and friends &ndash while Star has only them. It really puts their world into perspective. I was torn and sorrowed by the incidents in the kennel and animal shelter. I definitely feel for the plight of animal shelters and because of this book, I feel compelled to try and do a little more to help.

Star is a courageous, loving lab-rottweiler cross who goes through many adventures from being ‘rescued’ from a puppy mill, abandoned in a forest, being stolen by a trucker and used by jewelry thieves. Star ensures a place in the readers’ heart through his self-less rescue of a little boy and his generous, loving heart.

I do not think a reader could put down this book without being moved by the great heart that Star displayed repeatedly. There are many lessons here for young adults from the dangers in the world, to the plight of pets and the strength of love.

ISBN#: 1553521927

Author: Tom Peters

Publisher: Tree Side Press