Should Twitter Be Used As A News Source? by Janus Kane

Twitter is a great resource. It has become an integral part of my daily routine and I have met some interesting people there. Without question, this exceptional networking tool has found a place in today’s society. Having said that, I have to ask – am I the only one who is a bit concerned at the fact that television news seems to be doing some of their story research on Twitter?

We hear mor and more references to Twitter on daily programming. That is not what I am talking about here. No, what I’m referring to is the actual citing of Twitter Tweets as news. I was stunned to see the evening news, last night, reference the Tweets of opposing parties in their report of the Tehran conflict. Seriously, is this what news reporting in our country has come to?
For some time now, news disseminators have been getting their story ideas from the Internet, but now it seems that they are getting the story itself there. Has the Internet become one-stop-shopping for reporters? Will television and newspaper reporting agencies now be satisfied with regurgitating the same information we can find on our own computers?

I think my biggest problem with this, besides the duplicity of it, is the question of credibility. How easily could a twitter account, or many other Internet sources for that matter, be pirated, hacked or just plain manipulated to provide false information. Call me crazy, but when I tune into the nightly ‘news’ I would at least like to preserve the illusion that the stories I am hearing about have been researched and verified by a news reporting agency that I can trust.
I realize that news reporting, like so many things in today’s society, must change in the face of the Internet age. This change, however, does not seem to be progress.

Chasing The Dragon - The Addiction Merry-go-Round by Janus Kane

The story, ‘The Little Insanity’ follows the lives of six 30-something people who are struggling with relationship and addiction issues. It is not that uncommon a dynamic. One of the reasons why people relate to this story is because it is familiar. Although it is exaggerated, these stories mirror the events in many peoples’ lives.

Admittedly, this story takes some of these issues to their extremes, extremes that most of us don’t experience in our own lives. This is another reason why people find the book appealing. It is comforting for us to be able to look at these characters and think, ’see, my life is not that screwed up’.

Some readers may look at these characters and think, ‘I’m nothing like these people. I’m not an alcoholic, I don’t participate in risky sex and I don’t abuse drugs’. For those people, I might say, you are missing the point.

I believe that ‘The Little Insanity’ speaks more to our similarities than to our differences. Addictions are common to more of us than we would like to admit. Addictions are as varied as the people who cultivate them. They are not all as lethal as alcohol or drugs, but they can all rule our lives in ways we might not like to admit.

As different as addictions can be, they all share one common theme: all addictions spring from ‘The Pleasure Principle’. The most common human goal is the pursuit of pleasure, or conversely, the avoidance or pain. For some of us, that equates to suppressing bad memories, for others it means avoiding boredom and for the most extreme cases it means just feeling something. We are all bombarded with these feelings every day, the most common and debilitating of them is the recognition of our own mortality.

The only question that remains is how we will deal with those feelings. Will we go to the liquor cabinet or the refrigerator? Will we flop onto a mattress in a downtown crack house or onto a featherbed with your best friend’s spouse? Will we run our family into debt with credit card purchases or drive them crazy with our need to insinuate ourselves into their lives? Perhaps we will just numb our minds with hours in front of the television or computer.

Heroin addicts have used the term ‘chasing the dragon’ to mean their pursuit of the perfect high. I believe that we are all chasing the dragon. We are all in search of that one thing that will give our lives meaning, that will make us feel, that will define our place in this imperfect world. Some of us find a healthy anchor to hold onto while others of us continue to chase the dragon. The unlucky ones among us catch the dragon, only to find out that he is mean and he has razor sharp teeth.

Until we realize that our lives are not perfect and they are not supposed to be perfect, we will constantly be in search of something to make us feel better about ourselves and our lives. Only when we stop pointing fingers at ‘those addicts’ will we be able to recognize our commonalities and become closer in our shared frailties.

Moral Decline by M. J. Claire

I should begin by making it clear that I am not some bible-thumping zealot who is forecasting the end of days. However, it would take a blind man to miss the fact that our society it quickly sliding into an abyss. Without question, the recent economic downturn is not helping matters. There is also no denying that there will always be bad people who will do bad things, without much provocation.

There has always been and will probably always be rape, assault, murder, incest etc. We see it every day on the news and that is nothing new. What is new is the ever increasing challenging of what was once taboo or at least more revered. It seems that nothing is sacred anymore. The nightly news, on an increasingly regular basis, now includes reports of the murder of small children. It is almost becoming de riguer, losing its ability to shock us.

Corporate greed is now measured in billions rather than thousands of dollars. The figures are mind-boggling in their magnitude. As some people struggle through their days living in their car, others among us think nothing of bilking the elderly or indigent out of their meager savings, just so that they can pad an already overflowing bank account.

Sex, drugs, gambling, alcoholism and violence are more commonplace than ever with our children. The line of demarcation between adult behavior and juvenile behavior is getting greyer by the day. Even with the ready availability of numerous contraceptive options, teenage pregnancy is rampant. Some of those girls think nothing of leaving their new progeny in the nearest trash receptacle. There seems to be little, if any, regard for consequences.

Children today have lost their ability to be children. They are overwhelmed by racing technology and peer pressure to meet all kinds of superficial standards. Their immature minds are not able to process the violence they are seeing, causing them to lose perspective. Consider this example of animal cruelty at its worst http://blogs.catster.com/the-cats-meow-a-cat-and-kitten-blog/take-action-to-urge-punishment-in-cat-cruelty-case/2009/06/17/ . This girl, with complete awareness and disregard of the consequences, put a small living creature into a hot oven. Does anyone out there, after reading this girl’s defense, doubt that she would have just as casually done this to a neighbor’s infant child, if she felt it would serve her agenda?

These occurrences have gone far beyond simple ‘right and wrong’. It is a societal downslide of monumental proportions. If we don’t stop the fall, it will come crashing down on all of us. I’m not much on Biblical references, but does Sodom and Gomorrah ring any bells? We need to repair our moral compass and quickly. Failure to do so could be catastrophic, at which time, our failing economy will be the least of our problems.

Peanuts No More by Janus Kane

I purchased items from two different companies last week. They were delivered two days apart. They were similar items and were shipped by the same carrier. They came packaged in roughly the same way, with one MAJOR difference. The first box was filled with those vile styrofoam peanuts that no one knows what to do with. They are a bane on the environment but, hey, we need our packages to arrive in good condition – damn the environment. The second box was also loaded with peanuts (not the edible kind) although, wait a minute, I guess you could eat them if you had a hankering for cornstarch. Well, I’ll be, these little suckers are not made out of styrofoam at all.

I only suspected the difference (kudos to the responsible manufacturer, by the way) because, in appearance, these peanuts are virtually identical to their more toxic brothers. Only a slight color variation, and the fact that I had seen these once before, prompted me to bring one to the kitchen sink. In seconds, this thing was gone and on its way into my septic system.

Simply put, I hope the person who developed these little, bio-degradeable miracles is a millionaire, and then some. This person has found a cure for one of the most troubling drains on our environment. No longer will our landfills have to be packed with acres of non-decomposing styrofoam. It is, in my opinion, one of the greatest advancements in recent history and may benefit our future welfare almost as much as the discovery of penicillin.

But, one has to wonder, what has been done to encourage the use of this better, safer, far more environmentally sound solution to the use of styrofoam? Not much, from what I can see. Are styrofoam manufacturers converting their plants to start making this new, non-toxic product? Are other manufacturers clamoring for more of this environmentally sound packing material? Has the government put a ban on new styrofoam production? These are all things that should be done, IMMEDIATELY.

Often, when you find an alternative to something that is harmful, it comes at some expense. That decadent seven-layer chocolate cake is not good for you. Your choice is to eat what is harmful or choose an alternate, less appealing substitute. Gasoline omissions pollute our air. Our choice is to accept the inevitable pollution or get our biking shorts out of the closet. Here is one of the very rare instances where we can have our cake and eat it too. So, why are we not doing it?

Our Dirty Little Secret - Janus Kane

People have asked me about my inspiration for 'The Little Insanity'. What was it that caused me to breathe life into six such confused characters? The simple answer is that I am a voyeur - a voyeur of life. I believe that the average reader will find the characters in 'The Little Insanity' to be all too recognizable. You may see yourself or your loved ones or perhaps just the out-of-luck guy on the corner, but you should see someone you know within these pages. There is a reason for that. Addictions are an inescapable aspect of the human condition, or maybe they are just a symptom.


Most of us, if we are being honest with ourselves, will have to plead guilty to some addiction or other. Not everyone suffers from the hardcore addictions that the characters in 'The Little Insanity' battle with and hopefully our addictions will not shorten our lifespan, but it bears mentioning that we all have them. Surely the girl with the heroin monkey on her back is at a much greater risk than the stay-at-home Mom who is addicted to buying things on the Home Shopping Network. The 300 pound food addict is much easier to pick out of a crowd than the rageaholic and the promiscuous sexual addict is more easily shunned than the parents who are addicted to living vicariously through their children's lives.


At the end of the day though, it really just comes down to a matter of degrees. That young mother may be no more able to resist the call of chocolate in her pantry than the crack addict is able to resist the dealer on the corner. The businessman who is addicted to his work may be no more able to stay out of the office than the alcoholic is able to stay out of the local bar. Once you scratch the surface, how many of us can truly deny any and all driving forces in our lives, destructive or otherwise?


Is that because we are all weak? Perhaps - we are human beings who face all manner of temptations every day. The fact that one person finds it easier to resist a chocolate bar than a baccarat table or a bottle of Jim Beam does not make them better or worse. It is just another bit of evidence supporting the fact that we are all more alike than we would care to admit.
What binds us together most closely is that we are all caught up in the eternal search for meaning in our lives. None of us are sure of where to find that meaning. Some look for it in religion, others in work and still others in the bed of numerous sexual partners. Some of us find temporary relief in carbohydrates, drugs or alcohol. Unless we have given up and fallen into depression or worse, we are probably still searching for the elusive secret - the thing that will make us feel, the thing that will get us up in the morning with the conviction that 'yes, our lives actually do have meaning', something that will carry on even after we are gone.


Some might think that I have stretched the term addiction to the point of breaking...I'll address that in a future post.

The Cost of Competition by Janus Kane

Piggybacking on M.J.'s commentary from the other day, I would like to open this discussion - why is competition so important to us? Why are we so driven to compete? It does not sustain us. Competition is not a necessity like food, water or air and yet some of us crave it and hold it in greater reverence than the oxygen they breathe.

I begins early, when we are children. Many parents stress about getting their children into the 'best' schools, pushing them to get excellent grades and join and excel at sports and other groups. We soon start to define ourselves by our GPA, sports achievements or other awards. We are encouraged to; jump higher, run faster, be smarter and hit that baseball harder. Parents have become violent at their children's little league games - all in the name of good, wholesome competition, while children are shunned by their peers because they are not wearing the best shoes or designer jeans.

We continue to compete as we grow older, scrambling for the most attractive spouse, the biggest house in the nicest neighborhood, the most expensive car and the best paying jobs. To what end? The fastest man in the world must some day step aside as someone new steps up to break that record. The prettiest model must someday accept the fact that her looks have faded in the natural aging process. The most affluent among us must still accept the inevitable end that we all must face. All of their prosperity amounts to little more than a number on a balance sheet and a few luxuries that most of us will not enjoy. But, at the end of the day, they will lie, just as cold and dead in the ground as we will.

What will it take for us to realize that these accomplishments are as inconsequential in the great scheme of things as the length of grass on a perfectly mown lawn. Time will come and do its will, leaving our petty accomplishments in its wake.

Once put into perspective, there is nothing wrong with pushing one's body or mind to the limits of its endurance. Striving for perfection, whether it be faster, stronger or smarter is a worthy pursuit, as long as this drive does not cloud one's focus on life itself. But, what of the unwilling victims of this lust for perfection? Is it fair for a child to be dragged along, unwillingly, in the wake of their parents' need to be connected, albeit vicariously, to their spawn's achievements. And what of the animals that are so mercilessly pushed and prodded for our entertainment?

If an adult male wants to run himself into a heart attack for the sake of pursuing the four minute mile, so be it. Most animal competitions are fairly innocuous: cat shows, obstacle and obedience trials and dressage events. But, when it comes to blood sports and racing, where immature horses are ridden into the ground for 'sport' and animals are starved and tortured to make them aggressive, more sensible minds should prevail.

The Tragic Sport of Horse Racing by M.J. Claire

The recent running of the Preakness makes me think of how we treat (or perhaps mistreat) the animals in this 'sport of Kings'. The sad fact is that the price our equine friends pay for this 'so called' sport is very high indeed.

The race track is rife with abuse and inhumane treatment of these noble animals. At what point will we realize that the ends do not justify the means? Horses sent to slaughter in droves or animals fracturing their legs in that ultimate race - is this something we can call a sport? Have we lost our conscience? As long as we are not responsible for the abuse, can we then turn a blind eye?

This abuse is taking place out in the open, not in some dank, dark alley. Take what happened to Eight Belles in the Kentucky Derby. If the industry cannot even take proper care of their 'shining stars', what is happening to the rest of these animals? This is definitely not an instance where ignorance is bliss. Just because these horrors are not happening in front of our face does not mean that they should not be addressed. Is our entertainment so important that we can justify this kind of exhorbitant price?

Who out there is not crushed by the vision of this amazing animal 'Eight Belles' racing toward the finish line on broken legs? I think this is a stunningly sad commentary on the human race that we can remain complicit in such abuse just to satisfy our entertainment needs.

A Better Alternative by Janus Kane

I purchased items from two different companies last week. They were delivered two days apart. They were similar items and were shipped by the same carrier. They came packaged in roughly the same way, with one MAJOR difference. The first box was filled with those vile styrofoam peanuts that no one knows what to do with. They are a bane on the environment but, hey, we need our packages to arrive in good condition – damn the environment. The second box was also loaded with peanuts (not the edible kind) although, wait a minute, I guess you could eat them if you had a hankering for cornstarch. Well, I’ll be, these little suckers are not made out of styrofoam at all.

I only suspected the difference (kudos to the responsible manufacturer, by the way) because, in appearance, these peanuts are virtually identical to their more toxic brothers. Only a slight color variation, and the fact that I had seen these once before, prompted me to bring one to the kitchen sink. In seconds, this thing was gone and on its way into my septic system.

Simply put, I hope the person who developed these little, bio-degradeable miracles is a millionaire, and then some. This person has found a cure for one of the most troubling drains on our environment. No longer will our landfills have to be packed with acres of non-decomposing styrofoam. It is, in my opinion, one of the greatest advancements in recent history and may benefit our future welfare almost as much as the discovery of penicillin.

But, one has to wonder, what has been done to encourage the use of this better, safer, far more environmentally sound solution to the use of styrofoam? Not much, from what I can see. Are styrofoam manufacturers converting their plants to start making this new, non-toxic product? Are other manufacturers clamoring for more of this environmentally sound packing material? Has the government put a ban on new styrofoam production? These are all things that should be done, IMMEDIATELY.

Often, when you find an alternative to something that is harmful, it comes at some expense. That decadent seven-layer chocolate cake is not good for you. Your choice is to eat what is harmful or choose an alternate, less appealing substitute. Gasoline omissions pollute our air. Our choice is to accept the inevitable pollution or get our biking shorts out of the closet. Here is one of the very rare instances where we can have our cake and eat it too. So, why are we not doing it?

?????? by Janus Kane

Does anyone out there know what is going on?



Within a five minute period, I read two articles. The first was a cautionary missive, warning us to all learn how to prepare our own emergency food supply in preparation of the day when the store shelves would be empty. The second was the latest bailout news. Apparently, the powers that be have decided that six major life insurance companies deserve bailout money. It left me wondering how even the possibility of two such occurrences can co-exist in one country, state, city or even on the same block.



Is there a conceivable future where taxpayers will be paying BILLIONS to maintain greedy businesses while they are unable to afford groceries at the local bodega? I suppose we don't have to envision it because the reality is here. As companies like the Hartford and Prudential, who have built their businesses on a foundation of actuarial expertise, dig into the taxpaying public's pocket, thousands of people join the unemployment lines every day and those that can hold onto their jobs are scraping together enough to afford a trip to the grocery store.



A housing market that is going belly up, car dealerships closing left and right and prices for consumerables that are leaping by the day, don't bode well for our economy. And yet, we continue to hand out money as if we had a printing press in the basement of the White House.



Obama has made an impressive show over his short term in office and we all realize that he inherited this problem but, at some point, government officials will have to understand that throwing money at the problem is not helping. If we could be more confident that these decision makers were being more judicious about where this money is going and what strings were attached to its use...



The more we see, the more clear it becomes that there are few, if any, penalties for abuse of this system. Big corporations, cunning but not stupid, have caught the scent of money and are coming running, faster than hogs to the slop bucket. Just as with the banking industry, I fear that this money will disappear and the problem will remain, unchanged. Does anyone out there doubt that, at some point in the future, these big insurers will stop paying claims while crying poverty all the way to the bank?



Something is broken within our financial system. Capitalism is failing. Until we find out what the root of the problem is and cure it, we will continue to dig ourselves into an ever-deepening hole.

The Philosophy of Consumerism by Janus Kane

Most of us are familiar with the fable; the tireless squirrel works through the summer to store nuts and fortify his home while the grasshopper laughs and relaxes in the tall grass. Eventually, winter comes and finds the grasshopper, literally, out in the cold.

Fables always carry an inescapable grain of truth, but rarely do we see them come to life before our very eyes as this one is now doing. Our current recession is having far reaching effects, not the least of which is the seperation of the squirrels from the grasshoppers.

We had a long summer. American businesses thrived, the stock market hit ever increasing highs and the housing market boomed, resulting in many good years for everyone involved in real estate and the construction business. During that time, the grasshoppers among us lived for the day, spending their gains as soon as the checks cleared. Big screen tvs, luxury cars and fancy boats were the order of the day for many. Those with more moderate means were still lured by the siren song of affluence. They eagerly stepped up to the loan officer’s desk and signed paperwork for homes on nothing but a wing and a prayer. Get it now, pay for it later became the tune on everyone’s lips. Well, I’m afraid that the tab has come due.

People that lived for the day, never giving a thought to tomorrow. People who were too eager to spend each and every dime that passed through their hands. Those grasshoppers are now paying the price. Only they are not, we all are.

Although I support Barack Obama and recognize the huge effort that he has put forth during his short time in office, I think that beating the drum for more consumerism is a miscalculation. Without some kind of a savings philosophy, we will all be out in the cold once winter comes. The concept of saving is something that we should be instilling in our youth, but we cannot do that until we start practicing it ourselves. Is it really going to take another Great Depression to remind us that a little bit of money in the bank is not a bad thing?

What will it take to make us realize that living the good life on credit alone comes at a high price, too high a price for our limited coffers? The thought that we can spend and spend, as long as our plastic holds out, is a fallacy of epic proportions. It is basic Economics 101 – a house of cards (credit cards) that is destined to come crashing down on us. When that happens, it will be the squirrels who survive the devastation, as they smugly reap the rewards of their planning and foresight. Hopefully, the grasshoppers will not take us all down with them.

A Thoughtless Decision by Janus Kane

Last week, Air Force1 was sent on a low-flying mission over Manhattan - to do what? To pose for a picture. It sounds unbelievable, but it's not. Miscalculated - absolutely, extravagent - totally, given our current economic crisis, incredibly thoughtless - without question, just ask any of the New Yorkers who were thrown into a panic over this absurd exercise, but unbelievable - I'm afraid not.

Aside from the fact that it was a serious miscalculation to terrify the people of New York, making them run from what they believed to be a repeat of 9/11, one really has to wonder what our government officials were thinking or if they were thinking at all.

Haven't they heard that we are in a recession and can ill afford the luxury of a $300,000 photograph? Does anyone out there doubt that, for a fraction of that amount, a skilled Photoshop expert could have achieved a realistic effect and then some?

And what else did that little photo op cost us? Is no one considering the environmental price tag of these ridiculous little excursions? How much jet fuel was burned through our ozone layer during that unnecessary escapade? Are the bureaucrats in this country so short-sighted that they cannot look beyond their knee-jerk impulses? When are the people holding this country's purse strings going to get with the program?

I am quite impressed with what Obama has accomplished during his short time in office and I realize that he cannot micro manage every dolt in the White House but in this instance I have to wonder how this escaped his attention and what he is going to do about it. I would have to think that authorization to use Air Force One does not come without Presidential approval. So, who fell down on the job and what will be the consequences?

Maybe, as with corporate CEOs, it is time for us to demand that those who screw up big, pay the price tag out of their own pockets. I guarantee that we would see a less cavalier attitude about making costly mistakes.

A Sign of the Times, Buyer Beware by M.J. Claire

I don’t often venture into the land of essays. I live in the world of fiction. Reality is often too harsh and brutal for my tender soul. So, let’s not call this an essay, but rather a commentary, a product review or perhaps a consumer warning.

I think it is no secret that quality control and pride in workmanship have been on a steady decline. However, is it just me or has everyone seen this phenomenon take a rapid plunge downward of late? It seems that with some (many) companies, there is no longer even a pretense of making the customer happy. I don’t consider myself particularly hard to please, yet when I buy something I still hold onto the expectation that it will perform as promised.

Even large companies feel safe in selling crap (yes, I said it, CRAP) with a high price tag that is either defective or works below expectations or promises made. It seems to be a sign of the times that these companies’ philosophies have changed to ‘get in, get paid and get lost’. There is no regard for the happiness of the customer, culling repeat business or even ensuring that the product works. There is only lip service given to customer support because the customer no longer matters once the sale is made. If they don’t come back, no problem, there are five more standing in the wings waiting to take their place.

I can cite two examples; one from a major company and one from an internet company that seems to be doing a very good job of hiding their physical entity (with good reason). The first and most recent example is with Kodak. I think everyone has owned a Kodak camera at some point in their lives. You have to believe that they, at one time, knew how to do things right. However, after three calls to their customer service department, I am still not satisfied with the way they are handling the issue of an EasyCare camera that has not worked for a full 60 minutes since I received it a month and a half ago. I am obviously a less than avid photographer.

Over the few times I used this item, performance declined to the point where it will not even stay on long enough to take a picture. In the course of several phone calls, it became apparent that just because Kodak employees are handling customer service complaints in the U.S., fluency in the English language is not a requirement. Nonetheless, I finally got someone who could understand me and did not disconnect me twenty minutes into the call. After all the wasted time on hold and being REPEATEDLY asked to give my personal information, the ‘technical diagnosis’ consisted of this: take the battery out, take the media card out, put the battery back in, try to turn the camera on. Don’t get me wrong, I have the greatest respect for people with technical experience that offer assistance by phone. It must be very difficult and infinitely frustration, but, when the best you can do is ask me to reboot the item – well, that is just a colossal waste of my time.

In the end, I was told to return the item (under the warranty) for repair. A satisfactory outcome, I suppose, but Kodak thinks that it is okay for me to foot the bill to return this defective item to them. I just think that is wrong. We both agree that there is something serious wrong with this item. We both also agree that it is still under warranty and yet they leave the onus on the consumer to go to the expense of sending it back to them for repair. That is not my definition of standing behind your product.

Case number two: I have a house full of animals. Anyone with a lot of animals has probably experienced at least one close encounter with the flea population. Last fall I had just such an experience. These critters resisted everything I could throw at them. I love my animals and was becoming seriously concerned about the toxic measures I was going to have to take to deal with these pests. I instituted an online search and found a company called Cedarcide. The site was cheesy and in retrospect I discovered a marked omission of any clear guarantee but they tout products that work naturally, are safe for animals and effective for ridding treated areas of fleas and various other insects. The product was supposedly developed for the U.S. army. I purchased 100-some-odd dollars of this garbage, with disastrous results. The product, a cedar derivative, reeks in both the figurative and literal sense of the word. The scent is noxious. Although the claim is that you can apply it to any surface, it is an oil-based product that left stains on bedclothes and carpeting. One of my cats lost a significant amount of fur. Itching increased twofold, so either the fleas loved it or we were all having an allergic reaction to it.
Within two weeks, I had exhausted the supply and there had been not the slightest abatement of the problem. To the contrary; the fleas were having a ball, my animals were miserable and my house stank. I called the manufacturer for satisfaction. I was told simply that the item had been tested by the U.S. army and worked – end of story. After lodging a dispute with Paypals, Discover and the Attorney General’s office, the company, which apparently has no physical address, refuses to resolve the issue. Case closed.

Maybe it is more of the corporate philosophy that is so concerned with keeping the bottom line low so they can preserve their big bonuses. I don’t know the reason for this blatant and total disregard of the customer, but I do know that it is becoming rampant and we, as consumers, should take a stand before it’s too late.

Yet Another Pitfall For The Unwary

On the news the other night, there was a short segment on Caller-ID Spoofing. I had never heard of it. For those of you in the same boat, I'll paraphrase based on my interpretation. Apparently, there are now companies on the internet that offer an interesting new service. It is called spoofing and it allows the user to make a call that shows up on the recipient's caller-id as having been placed from another source.

My understanding is that it works like this; you log into one of these services and pay, then you enter the number you would like to call followed by the number that you would like to show up on their caller-id (it seems that this could be anything from your favorite actor to the IRS), there is also a feature that allows callers to mask their voice so that a man can sound like a woman or visa versa.

I think it comes as little surprise that this new technology is being utilized in a nefarious way. Callers are representing themselves as reputable businesses in order to obtain sensitive information from unsuspecting people. Yet another caution for anyone trying to protect themselves against identity theft.

It is not the idea of this that surprises me. Technology is moving at lightning speed and man's ability to utilize this technology to bilk their neighbors out of a buck never ceases to astound me. What does amaze me is this - apparently, only one state has chosen to make this practice illegal. According to this news program, other states were holding back on legislating against this practice at all whereas some wanted to limit their legislation to usage that was meant to defraud.
Hmmmmm, maybe I am missing something, but what other application could this have? I had to check to confirm it, but true to my recollection, the definition of spoof is to deceive.

I try not to form party affiliations. Liberal, conservative, middle of the road, I try to judge each issue on its merits rather than on where it falls in the party line. But, in this instance, I am afraid that I will come down squarely in the conservative camp. When is our government going to start exhibiting a greater level of care for the average, law-abiding citizen than it does for the criminal?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lYK84Ri09Q]This seems to be yet another example of government doing back bends in an attempt to protect those who should not be protected. When are we going to stop protecting criminal behavior? If you took the time to watch the above video, you will see argument for the one possible acceptable use of this service; for those in battered women's shelters. That seems to be an odd, double-edged sword to me. I would have to believe that there are more abusive husbands making use of this technology than battered wives. Furthermore, there are other ways of disguising your location or identity (such as prepaid cell phones) without doing it fraudulently. In any case, it seems that the legislature could handle this situation with an exclusion of some sort rather than just ignoring the problem. With millions of cases of identity theft, does it really make sense not to address this situation head on?

The bottom line is that this is a service that is based on deceit and has fraud built into its very nature. The fact that our legislative body has to even debate whether this activity should be made illegal is cause for concern. I think it should make us wonder how far off course our moral compass has fallen. Technology is a wonderful thing, but if we are going to sit back and let it rule our lives and dictate our morals, we are in for a bumpy ride my friends.

The Changing (?) Face of Publishing Today

There is no question that the world of publishing is experiencing some growing pains. With the development of new Print-on-Demand technology, one has to wonder why we are holding onto the old ways.

It has been almost 600 years since the advent of the first printing press. Much of what we are seeing today, in the publishing world, are operating practices that are that deeply entrenched and equally outdated. Large print runs, short promotional periods and unlimited return policies are just a few of these antiquated carryovers. Isn't it time that we reavaluate those practices?
Today, when our forests are dwindling, can we really say that we have the luxury of large print runs that will eventually wind up in the supermarket discount bins? Why should a book's shelf life be limited to 4-6 months unless it is a breakout bestseller? Today, we have the luxury afforded by new POD technologies. We can print a text out in 1-500 copies at the touch of a button. Those books can be at the vendors front door in a day or two.

Why then is it necessary to continue overshipping books, storing and handling them only to pack them back up after six months and return them for a credit.
What other product in today's economy offers a no-questions-asked, unlimited return policy? Perhaps there was a need for such guarantees at one time. Now, there is no need for such speculative safeguards, in fact, they are counterproductive. No other industry offers a guarantee of sale on their merchandise. There is always a bit of speculation involved. By allowing a merchant to return books, in any condition, upon their failure to sell, there is no incentive for the merchant to exercise intelligent buying practices. They can buy large quantities to fill their shelves, secure in the knowledge that they can return unsold books at any time.

It is lovely to have a sea of bestsellers spreading across the entrance to your local bookstore, but ask yourself - what is the cost? What is the cost in labor to print, package and ship those books? What is the time investment required to unpackage and display those books, only to repackage them months later for return? And most sadly, what is the cost to the environment of producing thousands and thousands of books that will at best end up in the recycling bin.

Maybe it is time for a more enlightened, environmentally sound approach to book publication. Maybe it is time to break free from outdated practices and approach the job of publishing with a less short-sighted outlook. Perhaps it is time for the book publishing trade to join step with the new publishing technology and quit holding on to old, outdated practices.
We can only hope.

To Be Released - August 2009

Animal Chat by M.J. Claire

A cute commercial, I believe the product is Pupperoni, shows an assortment of animals and how we communicate with them: a woman holds up a dress to a great Dane who is holding a sign that says 'I like the red one', a dog lies on his back holding a sign that says 'a little to the left' as his owner scratches his belly and a Bulldog, sitting by his burly owner, holds a sign that says 'I'm not going to cry' as they watch a sad movie. It makes me think about how we communicate with the animals in our lives.

Most of us have come to know when the animals we live with need the essentials: a fresh bowl of water, some moist food or a scratch behind the ear. One of my cats will meow and head butt me until I lift the covers so she can come under and snuggle against me. Another can go for days without any human contact but then she follows me everywhere I go, winding herself around my legs and trying to trip me up, until I give her some much needed attention.

It gets more difficult when these animals that we love so much are not feeling well, especially cats. Felines are so independent that we don't always notice, especially in a multiple cat household, when they are not eating, drinking or using the litter box. More than once, I have had a cat become ill and I have wondered to myself if I should have seen the signs earlier. In those instances, I can't help but think how nice it would be if they could hold up a placard saying 'hey stupid, I'm sick'. For owners with AIDS infected cats, it becomes even more important. Oftentimes, when we finally realize that they are sick, it is already too late for their depressed immune systems.

But not all pet owners are even that mindful. How many households are there where the dog or cats in residence are nothing but an afterthought? In those instances, the animal may be lucky just to be brought inside on a night when temperatures dip below zero. In these homes feeding and watering the animals may or may not get done on a regular basis, shots and regular vetting doesn't usually occur and the animal is probably not neutered.

These neglectful situations occur because many people do not see the health and well-being of their animals as an important consideration. If they did, our animal shelters would not be overflowing and there would not be astronomical numbers of innocent animals euthanized every year. For these owners, I would say; take a moment and look into the eyes of your animal. They are trying to communicate with you. They can communicate with you, but they cannot do it with a big sign around their neck. You have to look and listen.

On the far extreme of these owners are the ones who can only communicate with their animals in a violent manner. These are the people who enjoy inflicting abuse on something that is small and defenseless. How can someone actually enjoy looking into an animals eyes and seeing pain and fear? It is incomprehensible to me and yet it happens every day. These people just do not know, or care, that human beings do not have a monopoly on suffering. To these people, I would say, talk to your animals. They are much more than so much fur and bones. Perhaps, if you let them, they can help you find a way to heal the anger that drives you. Because, no matter what abuse you heap on them, the animals in your life will accept you. That is a great gift that should not be squandered.

Nightsweats in Bigelow Hollow

First Chapter

Our Boat Has A Hole In It by Janus Kane

I am curious. How many of you out there actually believe that our economy will have any integrity at all when the dust settles? Will the American dollar have any value after this recession has finally leveled out? First the disclaimer - I am by no means an expert. My one undergraduate course in Economics did not go well. I think I recall a C+ for my efforts. But, I have been successfully managing my own finances for over 30 years and I believe I have developed a sense of what works and what doesn't. I had no love for 'the Bush administration'. I do like Barak Obama and what he stands for. I think he is the shot-in-the-arm that this country needs. I do realize that 'doing nothing', in light of this recession, was not an option.

Having said all of that, I have to add emphatically that I am not in favor of, nor do I understand the current bailout philosophy. This is not the first time we have helped to bail out an industry (several years back it was the Savings and Loan organizations) and it will probably not be the last. But, where is this money coming from and are we placing no restrictions on its use? A wise man once told me; 'if you are going to give money - give it with the understanding that you will, in all likelihood, never see it again'. The context here was loaning money to a family member. The banking industry is not a family member, unless we consider it the shiftless uncle that drops in only when he needs some cash, and this money was not a gift. At least I hope it wasn't.

But, I am not sure. In all of the congressional hearings, I don't remember any mention of interest rates or repayment terms. How odd that the American people would give money to financial institutions that survive on one thing alone - the interest that they charge us for the use of their money. So now, if I am understanding this correctly, we are giving money to the banks so they can loan it back to us at the going interest rate. ????

I suppose that the original logic was based on the trickle down theory - that these large amounts of money would eventually trickle down and benefit the general populace. Unfortunately, the only trickling seems to be happening within the hierarchy of these major corporations.
But, if we put that questionable plan aside, that still leaves the question of where this money is coming from. How is it that we have suddenly gotten access to over a Trillion dollars that we are free to loan/give to whomever we choose? Is there a little back room at the Treasury where we are printing this special EXTRA money? Is this money backed up by gold bullion? If so, where was it when our government was running a financial deficit of its own?

Again, I acknowledge that math is not my strong suit, but it still does not add up. We had a Trillion dollars sitting around collecting dust while we had elderly who were shivering in the cold, while kids were dying for lack of health insurance and while mothers had to send their children to bed, hungry. I ask again, where did this big influx of cash come from? And while these corporations happily pad their bonuses and use this money unscrupulously, what will it do to the American dollar.

Are we creating a world where our children will have to carry thousand dollar bills around like we carry twenties? Are we edging toward the fifty dollar cup of coffee or the twenty dollar tank of gas? I have to wonder, because that is the one thing I took away from my Economics 101 course - supply and demand. In this instance, have we increased the supply of greenbacks in circulation to the point where they will loose their value? I suppose only time will tell, but one thing seems pretty clear - we are not going to fix our current economic problems by throwing more money at them.

The Little Insanity Intro

March Books Changes its Release Date for Nightsweats in Bigelow Hollow

March Books has changed the release date for their upcoming YA title 'Nightsweats in Bigelow Hollow'. Originally, this title was scheduled for publication in April 2009. That deadline has been moved to August 2009 to accommodate the review and printing schedule.
The release of March Books first publication, 'Nightsweats in Bigelow Hollow' has been changed to August 2009.

Nightsweats in Bigelow Hollow

Author - M.J. Claire
Website – www.mj.claire.com
genre - YA fantasy
Publisher - March Books
Publisher's website – www.marchbooks.com
ISBN 9781935367000
Publication Date - 8/1/09
Format - 6x9 Paperback
Pages - 148
Price - $12.95


Imagine walking through the park one night and being catapulted out of reality as you know it. Suddenly, you find yourself surrounded by mystical creatures called Animelfs. These creatures can transform themselves into any animal at will. Balthazar, Fagan and Maximillion also have the unique ability to travel anywhere, instantly, simply by stepping into a painting.Nightsweats in Bigelow Hollow is a character driven YA fantasy. The story revolves around Kelly Black, a college-aged heroine who is one part Buffy Summers and one part Nancy Drew. Kelly is reluctantly yanked out of her hectic but infinitely normal life and into a Twilight Zone adventure she won't soon forget. Her path leads to the unwelcome discovery of revelations about her family and herself that she might prefer remain hidden. Kelly learns that the Animelfs did not come upon her by accident. They sought her out because their destinies are, in fact, inextricably linked. Kelly must deal with the discovery of her mother's deception about their true heritage and the startling insight into her father's nefarious, secret endeavors.

Nightsweats is the first in a series of YA novels by M.J. Claire; it will soon be followed by 'Bigelow Hollow Revisited'. The series speaks of courage and determination as Kelly discovers strengths and feelings she did not know she possessed. However, Kelly's greatest challenge still lies ahead of her. She must confront her father about his inhumane treatment of countless innocent animals. The outcome of that confrontation has yet to be determined.

Serious review requests can be sent to elizabeth@marchbooks.com

March Books Changes its Release Date for The Little Insanity

March Books has changed the release date for their upcoming adult title 'The Little Insanity’. Originally, this title was scheduled for publication in April 2009. That deadline has been moved to August 2009 to accommodate the review and printing schedule.
The release of March Books first publication, ‘The Little Insanity’, has been changed to August 2009.

The Little Insanity
Author - Janus Kane
Website – www.januskane.com
genre - Commercial Fiction
Publisher - March Books
Publisher's website – www.marchbooks.com
Publisher's email – elizabeth@marchbooks.com
ISBN 9781935367291
Publication Date - 8/1/09
Format - 6x9 Paperback
Pages - 296
Price - $16.95

What percentage of us are damaged, handicapped, or fractured in some way that we struggle desperately to hide from the casual, and not so casual, observer? How many of us can lay claim to total mental stability, renouncing any character flaws or defects that can adversely affect our relationships and interactions with others?The French call sex 'Le Petit Mort', the Little Death, because it temporarily suspends the heart and the head. The 'Little Insanity' focuses on the equally crazy effects of relationships on our behavior, in the new millennium. Watch the insanity that ensues when six, seemingly sane, individuals mix and shake their own, not so healthy, personality cocktails together. Follow Jenn, Jason, Kyle, Kyra, Brad and Beth through the sexual and personal relationships that are 'The Little Insanity'. Don't mistake this for another knock-off of 'Friends'. This relay of relationships between these 30-somethings shines a light on the different faces we wear and the machinations we all go through to hide what is really beneath the surface. The setting for this little dysfunctional drama is a small town in Connecticut, although some of the story takes place in 'The Big Apple'.

With the pace of a literary soap opera, Janus Kane's first novel should appeal to readers who enjoy watching these fictional, but realistic, characters' lives unfold and unravel before them. These six characters are on a path of discovery that will lead them to painful truths about life, love, themselves and others. Like a car crash, we must watch as these events drive some of our characters, inexorably, toward a crescendo that is the ultimate insanity.

Serious review requests can be sent to elizabeth@marchbooks.com

The Trying Task of Self-Editing

Every time I try to read Strunk or ‘The Chicago Manual of Style’, my head starts to hurt. I don’t think that attention to grammar comes easily to most people, especially in today’s ‘hurry up and go’ society. In my own case, I find myself using punctuation the way a blind musician plays music - by ear. For good or bad, my acid test is how a sentence sounds when I read it. That does not mean that it is right. I am sure there are those who would argue with my comma placement or my use of a dash rather than a colon. To a degree, some of these choices are open to the author’s interpretation.

What is not up to interpretation is the myriad of careless spelling errors that seems to be so prevalent in self-published works. Whether it is online or a hard copy publication, this is an infraction that hurts everyone who ventures into the seas of self-publication. I would venture to say that this is the main reason that self-published authors do not get the respect they deserve. Publishing a work that you have labored over is a complex endeavor. It should be taken seriously. Editing your own work is tedious, exhausting and difficult, but it has to be done.
It is a given that, even after the most strenuous editing efforts, there will still be small things that may be missed. Big publishing houses put out books that are less than perfect and that is with the resources of an arsenal of editors and proofreaders. But, we can all tell the difference between one errant typo and a story that is replete with errors.

In some instances, it is hard to believe that the author has made even a cursory effort to proof their writing. It is almost as if, once the words are written, the author wants nothing more to do with them. How tragic? If an author doesn’t even enjoy reading his/her own words, how can they expect someone else to?

We all realize that editing ones own writing is a difficult and arduous task. We can commiserate with those who have words popping into their heads so quickly that they just have to write them down, but please, have some compassion for the reader. Mistakes are made. We’re not perfect. That’s why God made erasers and that’s why Bill Gates gave us spell check (is he the one who was responsible for that…hmmm?).

This kind of careless effort brings us all down. The advances in printing technology are a huge boon to those who want to see their lovely words in book form. Let’s not take advantage of it and let’s not take advantage of the poor reader who spends their hard-earned money, only to get a sub-standard piece of literature. We can’t all be Keats or Tolkien, but we can all make our publications the best and most polished works they can be.

After all, your name is on this story that you have labored over for months and months. Have some respect for your art. Put your best work out there and make sure that it is a reflection of you. If you like going out to dinner in a dirty, tattered t-shirt, okay then. Hopefully you don’t, but even if you do, don’t make your book suffer by sending it out into the world looking like a filthy street urchin. Dress it up in its Sunday best. Give it the respect it deserves and make your writing something you can be proud of.



Read on. Visit our website http://www.marchbooks.com/

Animal Advocacy by M.J. Claire

People who know me are not surprised that a recurring theme in my stories is the humane treatment of animals. The key word here being - humane. We all need to remember that we, as human beings, do not have a monopoly on suffering. Animals, whether they be four-legged with fur or covered in feathers, scales or fins, feel pain. They can also communicate with us.



Anyone who has formed a bond with a beloved pet knows that they are not the unthinking doorstops that some people believe they are. So, whether it be the animal testing labs that are killing animals in the name of better cosmetics, the unthinking business owner who leaves their dog tied outside in all kinds of weather to guard their cherished junk cars or the thoughtless pet owner who does not have their cats spayed because 'the kittens are so cute' but them dumps them off at the nearest farmhouse to fend for themselves, I will be endeavoring to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.





Hopefully some of you will do the same and report the careless person who leaves their dog in a baking car while they run in to do some shopping or the clueless person who puts their dog at risk of hanging by tying them on their deck.



We are supposed to be the intelligent species. Lets start acting like it. My books speak primarily to kids who need to see that there is a better way to treat the other beings that share this planet with us. Kids that need to realize that animals deserve more respect and better treatment. Kids that need to see that there is a better way to cohabitate with our smaller, more vulnerable companions.
There is a better way. Let's find it.

Meet Kelly Black

Publishing in Today's Tough Economy by Janus Kane

Is there ever a good time to start a venture of this magnitude? Entering the complex world of publishing is a daunting endeavor under the best of circumstance. These are certainly not the best circumstances. With businesses folding all around us, what besides temporary insanity would prompt such an undertaking?
The answer is simple. There has never been a greater need for a little dose of healthy escapism. What, other than a good book, can better transport us out of the sea of troubled waters that is now our reality? What else can give your mind the kind of vacation that it so desperately craves?
A good book may not cure your problems. It won't make them go away. But, perhaps it will put us in a better frame of mind to come back and deal with them. And even if it doesn't, it will still give us those blessed hours where we can focus on someone else's problems, someone else's life, someone else's story - all for less than the price of a take-out pizza.
March Books is all about bringing good stories to eager readers. We believe in good, healthy escapism - wherever and whenever you can get it.
Read on. Visit our website http://www.marchbooks.com/

Meet Kelly Black

Kelly's escape from the Black Institute

Meet Jenn, Jason, Kyle, Kyra, Beth and Brad

This is a monumental speech that will go down in history as a true turning point for The United States of America. These are lofty goals, but they are attainable with the right leadership, which we now have. This is a stunning speech, filled with optimism. There are better days coming.
God Bless America.

President Obama's State of the Union address

You will need to allow this video some time to load. It is a heavy file, but it is well worth it

March Books is a New Small Publisher in Northeastern Connecticut with a Green Philosophy. They will soon be releasing their first two titles: 'Nightsweats in Bigelow Hollow', a YA fantasy by author M.J. Claire and 'The Little Insanity', an adult novel by Janus Kane.

March Books, http://www.marchbooks.com, is a new small publisher in Northeastern Connecticut, with a new attitude about publishing. Established in October of 2008, they are a company with a Green attitude. Says the owner; 'There are problems with the traditional publishing model. Good books are a treasure, but they should not be printed at the expense of our environment'.

March Books strives to bring good stories to eager readers without making a negative impact on the environment.

March Books' first two titles: 'Nightsweats in Bigelow Hollow', a lively YA fantasy romp through the world of Animelfs and Magicians which is sure to please eager young readers, and 'The Little Insanity', a fast-paced relay which follows the interaction of six troubled thirty-somethings who are plagued by relationship and addiction problems, are slotted for release in the coming months.
'Nightsweats in Bigelow Hollow', written by author M.J. Claire, is the first in a series.
Janus Kane, the author of 'The Little Insanity', also has plans for a sequel.
To see these and other titles scheduled for release by March Books, go to their website - http://www.marchbooks.com